1. Articles

2. Articles in English
There are only three articles in English: a , an
and the. Besides the usage of those three
ones we have to be aware of the use of no
article ( ).ᴓ

3. Indefinite articles
They are a and an.
They are used before singular count nouns or
adjective + count nouns;
“an” is used for nouns that begin with vowel
sond. Remember that “h” and “u” can be
tricky. Ex: an hour and a university.
* The use of “a” and “an” is determined by the
sound not the spelling.

4. Indefinite articles
Words beginning with h or u depend on the
beginning sound:
a hat a university
an hour an umbrella

5. Definite article
We use “the” when we are talking about
something specific;
When the speaker and the listener are
talking about the same specific item;
For the second and all other references to
the same noun;
With the superlative form of an adjective;

6. Definite article
For the name of countries that look plural,
ending in -s or with the words united, union,
republic or kingdom;
Parts of something (except for body parts);
Most bodies of water (except individual
lakes);
With geographic parts of the globe and
geographic areas, deserts and peninsulas.

7. No articles
• Before plural and noncountable nouns when talking about
things in general:
“I like potatoes.” / “Milk is good for you.”
• Before countries, towns, streets, languages, magazines,
meals, airports, stations, and mountains:
“I had dinner with John.” / I bought Cosmopolitan at South
Station.”
• Before some places and some forms of transport (at home,
at/to school, at/to work, in/to bed, by bus, by train, by car,
by plane, on foot):
“She goes to work by bus.” / “I was at home last night.”
• In exclamations with what + a noncount noun:

8. Common ELL mistakes
No use of a singular count noun without an
article (or other determiner)
Example: job instead of a job
Use of a with a noun that begins with a vowel
sound
Example: a heir instead of an heir
No use of the with a plural count noun that
refers to the whole category
Example: I dont trust politicians.
Not I don’t trust the politicians.

9. Common ELL mistakes
• Use of the with with abstract nouns and
ideas.
Example:
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Albert Einstein
Not
The imagination is more important than the
knowledge.

10. Common mistakes Portuguese
native speakers make
The definite article is used for specific things
as in English, but it is also used when
referring to the whole group .
The definite article must be used with
abstract nouns.
Unlike English, Portuguese has singular and
plural forms of their indefinite and definite
articles.

11. Now, let’s practice
the correct use of
the articles.

12. Correct statement:
1. I’m going to mall.
Would you like anything?
the

13. Correct the statement:
2. My brother’s architect
in big company in
London.
an
a

14. Correct the statement:
4. I bought pair of
sunglasses on Main
Street.
a

15. Correct the statement:
3. Tokyo is capital city in
Japan.
the

16. Correct the statement:
5. I live in small town in
mountains in Canada.
a the

17. Correct the statement:
6. What beautiful new
coat you’re wearing!
a

18. Correct the statement:
7. I’m reading interesting
book at the moment.
an

19. Watch the video and complete the sentences
with articles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO6LF54ByhM
1.____ commercial is about ____ brand of beer.
2.In ____ scene, there is ____ girl and ____ man,
who is drinking ____ beer.
3.They are in ____ bar. ____ bar is empty.
4.At ___ end of ____ commercial, ____ man calls
____ waiter because ____ beer was over.
The a
the a
x
a / the
a
a The
thethe
the
the