Help with Articles:
Vey important for good writing so well worth the effort.
1.
You use the indefinite article a/ an as we saw above with countable singular nouns.
I have a pen.
I’d love an orange.
2.
Describing jobs:
He’s a doctor.
She is a student
3.
When we talk about something for the first time..
I have a brother who lives in Cork.
4.
When we describe something / someone
He is a nice guy
Cork is a very beautiful city
She is beautiful ×
She is a beautiful girl √
Definite articles (the)
1.
when something is unique – only one exists
The moon /The sun
The president of Ireland
2.
When you talk about something that was already mentioned before.
I saw a man in Grafton street playing and singing today.
The man was dressed like Clown and he was giving sweets to the kids.
3.
When it is clear which thing or person we mean.
Turn off the tv and the lights please before you go to bed.
Can you close the door please – (you know which door )
4.
Certain geographic places
The liffey, the Amazon etc.
The andes, the Philippines
The Hilton
5.
Describing a group of people,
The rich / the poor
The French / the irish…
6.
Superlatives
the most expensive/ the smallest / the cheapest etc
7.
Musical instruments
I play the guitar
No articles:
1.
abstract nouns / uncountable nouns and plural nouns used in a general sense.
Love makes the world go around
Money is a necessary evil
People only think of themselves
Cars are very expensive to run
2.
most geographic names / street names
I went to France last week.
I adore Paris.
3.
certain places / institutions / names of people / shops / days of the week / months of the year
I went to Hospital last night
