Page 176 - Nidalist

Articles overview The definite and indefinite articles are used in different See also:

situations, and this can depend on whether they are
Singular and plural nouns 69
being used with a singular, plural, or uncountable noun. Countable and uncountable nouns 70

USING ARTICLES

SINGULAR NOUNS INDEFINITE ARTICLE DEFINITE ARTICLE ZERO ARTICLE
Singular nouns must be used
with an article. The definite “A” refers to cars in general, “The” is used to talk about a specific car that This is wrong. Singular countable
article (“the”) or indefinite not the car he wants to buy. the speaker and listener both know about. nouns must have an article.
article (“a / an”) can be used,
depending on whether the
object is being spoken about
in general or specific terms.

“A” is used because the green coat is
something new that is being introduced.

PLURAL NOUNS
The indefinite article cannot be The definite article is used to talk No article is used because “shoes” is a plural
The indefinite article “a / an” used for plural nouns. about plural nouns in specific terms. noun being spoken about in a general context.
cannot be used with plural
nouns. “Some” is used instead
for plural nouns when
referring to an indefinite
quantity of something.

“Some” suggests a limited Roses are being spoken
number of roses, but the about in general terms.
exact number is unknown. There’s no idea of a number.

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS The speaker is referring to specific No article is used because
The indefinite article is not “A / an” cannot be used money that the listener already knows “money” is being spoken
with uncountable nouns.
about in a general sense.
about, so the definite article is used.
usually used with uncountable
nouns. The definite article is
used to talk about uncountable
nouns in specific terms, and
the zero article is used to talk
about them in general terms.
Milk is an uncountable noun which is
being spoken about in general terms,
so the definite article can’t be used.

174 175

174-175_Unit_64_Articles_Overview.indd 174 22/07/2016 11:33 174-175_Unit_64_Articles_Overview.indd 175 02/09/2016 12:51