M3CE Articles: definite, indefinite and zero

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo, havo
• Leerjaar 3,4

Articles: definite, indefinite and zero

Lesson aim and outcomes

Aim: using articles correctly in sentences.

Outcomes:

- You know when to use the definite article the

- You know when to use the indefinite articles a/an

- You know what the zero article is

- You can apply the articles in given sentences.

What are articles?

When do we use the definite article?

• when the person or thing referred to is unique. e.g. The sun comes up every morning. 
• when we talk about previous mentioned things. e.g. A car just passed us. The car was blue.
• with superlatives  e.g. The fastest land animal.
• when we talk about a generic class of things e.g. the bicycle was invented about 200 years ago.
• With geographical terms, names of hotels/newspapers etc, national groups

When do we use the indefinite article (a/an)?

• with (singular) jobs etc. e.g. She is an architect
• with singular countable nouns (first mention / not relevant which) e.g. I'd like a sandwich. 
• with numbers 100,1000,1000 000 e.g. There are a thousand people waiting to buy tickets.

When do you use an? -> vowels (a,e,i,o,u) or vowel sounds 

With consonants or consonant sound you use a.

When do we use the zero article?

Using the zero article means you don't use an article. 

In these situations you use the 0 article:

• Generic mass noun: Happiness is contagious.
  
• Generic plural noun: Cars have accelerators.
• Generic plural noun: They want equal rights.
  
• Indefinite mass noun: I drink coffee.
  
• Indefinite plural noun: I saw cars.

* there are more, but I don't want you calling "I want to go home" => also 0 

O article exceptions

You use the 0 article for countries and continents 

e.g. Japan, Australia, Europe, Greece

The exceptions to this rule are: 

The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, The United Stated.

ARTICLES
This is ____ nice garden.

1. a
2. an
3. x
4. the

ARTICLES
Melanie is ___ American who lives in France.

1. a
2. an
3. x
4. the

ARTICLES
Dinner's ready in ___ kitchen!

1. a
2. an
3. x
4. the

ARTICLES
Chad kept walking fast because he was in ___ hurry.

1. a
2. an
3. x
4. the

ARTICLES
James spoke to .....president Joe Biden.

1. a
2. an
3. x
4. the

ARTICLES
It was ____ honest mistake.

1. a
2. an
3. x
4. the

ARTICLES
Isn't he ____ Dutch?

1. a
2. an
3. x
4. the

Over to you

Do exercises 1,2,3 on page 42 to show you have reached the lesson outcomes.

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