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Here are some
categories of nouns to work with when explaining
the use of
articles. Nouns often determine how articles are used.
General Nouns
Nouns that
refer to all of or any of a person, place, thing or idea.
- Use the
indefinite "a" with singular count nouns.
A banana is
yellow.
- Do NOT use
an article with a plural count noun.
Bananas are
yellow.
- Do NOT use
an article with a non-count noun.
Fruit is
high in fiber.
Indefinite
Nouns
These are
things that exist in a given situation, but they have not yet
been identified.
- Use the
indefinite "a" with singular count nouns.
I ate a
banana.
- Use a
quantifier (some, a few, etc.) with a plural count noun.
I ate some
bananas.
- Use
quantifiers (a little, some, etc.) with non-count nouns.
I ate some
fruit.
Definite Nouns
Definite nouns
are ones which have been identified. Ways nouns are
identified
include:
- The noun has
already been mentioned.
He gave me
an orange. I ate the orange. OR
There were two kinds of rolls on the counter. I ate the
roll
without sesame seeds.
- When you are
sure that the person you're addressing knows what
you're
talking about because it is unique or shared in your
experience.
The sky is
blue and the sun is hot. OR The teacher assigned four
problems. OR
I ate the apple that was on the counter.
Exception:
Do not use the definite article "the" when speaking
generally.
Gold is a metal.
vs. The gold in my ring is 10K.
Geographical
Proper Nouns
Use
"the" with:
- river--the
Mississipi
- a group of
lakes--the Great Lakes
- a mountain
range--the Sierra Nevadas
- phrases--"the
gulf of . . ." OR "the bay of . . ."
- straits,
channels, seas, oceans--the Pacific Ocean
- islands--the
Hawaiian Islands, the Aleutians
Do NOT use
"the" with
- one lake--Lake
Erie
- one mountain
or volcano--Mt. Saint Helens, Denali
- creeks--Cripple
Creek
- bays--San
Francisco Bay
- cities--Seattle,
Fairbanks
- states--California,
New York, Arizona
- countries--Canada,
Mexico Exceptions: the United States, the
Phillipines, the
People's Republic of China
[Other
Lessons]
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