1 Articles : a, an, the
Study this example:
- I bought a comb and an umbrella yesterday. The comb is black and the umbrella is red.
- I bought a comb and an umbrella yesterday. The comb is black and the umbrella is red.
--> The speaker says ‘a comb/an umbrella’(the first sentence) because this is the first time
--> The speaker says ‘the comb/the umbrella (the second sentence) because the listener
(1) We use a/an when the listener doesn’t know which thing we mean. We use the when it is clear which thing we mean:
- Tom sat down on a chair. (We don’t know which chair)
- Tom sat down on the chair nearest the door. (we know which chair)
- The philosophy of Aristotle is interesting. (Aristotle’s philosophy)
(2) We use the when it is clear in the situation which thing or person we mean. For
- Can you turn off the light, please? (= the light in this room)
- I took a taxi to the station. (=the station of that town)
Also: the police/the fire-brigade/the army, the doctor, the dentist, the bank, the post office.
(3) We say the…when there is only one of something:
- I took a taxi to the station. (=the station of that town)
Also: the police/the fire-brigade/the army, the doctor, the dentist, the bank, the post office.
(3) We say the…when there is only one of something:
- What is the longest river in the world?
- The only television program he watches is the news.
- Paris is the capital city of France.
- The earth goes round the sun. (Also: ‘the moon, the world , the universe’)
- The only television program he watches is the news.
- Paris is the capital city of France.
- The earth goes round the sun. (Also: ‘the moon, the world , the universe’)
Exercise: - Put a/an or the.
01. Would you like …… apple?
02. My parents have …. cat and … dog. …. dog never bites ……. cat but …. cat often scratches ….. dog.
03. Did ….. police find …… person who stole your bicycle?
04. ….. moon goes round ….. earth every 27 days.
05. John was ….. only person I talked to at the party.
06. This is a nice house. Has it got ….. garden?
07. I went to the shop and asked to speak to …… manager.
08. This morning I bought ……. newspaper and …… magazine. …… newspaper is in my bag but I don’t know where ….. magazine is.
(4) We don’t use the before plural/uncountable noun when we mean something in
- I love flowers. (‘not the flowers’)
- I like the garden. The flowers are beautiful. (not: ‘Flowers are…..’)
- I’m afraid of dogs.
- Salt is used to flavor food.
- Can you pass the salt, please?
- Are English people friendly? (= English people in general)
- Are the English people you know friendly?
Exercise: - Choose the correct form.
01. Apples/The apples are good for you.
02. Look at apples/the apples on that tree! They’re very large.
03. All books/All the books on the table belong to me.
04. Most people/The most people still believe that marriage/the marriage and family life/the family life are the basis of our society.
05. I know someone who wrote a book about life/the life of Gandhi.
06. I hate violence/the violence.
07. They got married but marriage/the marriage wasn’t successful.
08. Women/the women are often better teachers than men/the men.
09. Do you know people/the people who live next door?
10. Life/the life would be very difficult without electricity/the electricity.
2 Demonstratives
Demonstratives | Used with Count. Nouns | Used with Uncount. Nouns |
this that these those | this apple that apple these apples those apples | this rice that rice - - |
3 Expressions of Quantity
Expression of Quantity | Used with Count. Nouns | Used with Uncount. Nouns |
one each every | one apple each apple every apple | - - - |
two both a couple of three etc. a few several many a number of | two apples both apples a couple of apples three apples a few apples several apples many apples a number of apples | - - - - - - - - |
a little much a great deal of | - - - | a little rice much rice a great deal of rice |
not any/no some a lot of lots of plenty of most all | not any/no apples some apples a lot of apples lots of apples plenty of apples most apples all apples | not any/no rice some rice a lot of rice lots of rice plenty of rice most rice all rice |
Exercises: - Draw a line through the expressions that cannot be used to complete the
1. She has ______ assignments. 2. He has _____ homework, too.
a. three g. a few a. three g. a few
b. several h. a little b. several h. a little
c. some i. a number of c. some i. a number of
d. a lot of j. a great deal of d. a lot of j. a great deal of
e. too much k. hardly any e. too much k. hardly any
f. too many l. no f. too many l. no
e. too much k. hardly any e. too much k. hardly any
f. too many l. no f. too many l. no
MOST + NONSPECIFIC NOUN (a) Most books are interesting (b) INCORRECT: Most of books are interesting. |
MOST + OF + SPECIFIC NOUN (c) Most of those books are mine. (d) Most of my books are in English. (e) Most of the books on that table are mine. |
EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY FOLLOWED BY OF + A SPECIFIC NOUN all, most, some/any + of + specific plural count noun or uncount. noun, as if in (f) many, a few, several, both, two, one + of + specific plural countable noun, as in (g) much, a little + of + specific uncountable noun, as in (h) |
(f) countable : Most of those chairs are uncomfortable. uncountable : Most of that furniture is uncomfortable. (g) countable : Many of those chairs are uncomfortable. (h) uncountable : Much of that furniture is uncomfortable. |
(a) CORRECT : All of the students in my class are here. (b) CORRECT : All the students in my class are here. (c) CORRECT : All students must have I.D. card. (d) INCORRECT: All of students have an I.D. card. |
(e) I know both (of) those men. |
SINGULAR EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY (a) One student was late to class. (b) Each student has a schedule. (c) Every student has a schedule. (d) One of the students was late. (e) Each (one) of the students has a schedule. (d) Every one of the students has a schedule. |
Exercises: a. Add of if necessary.
01. I know several ____ Jack’s friends.
02. I’ve made several _____ friends lately.
03. Some ___ students are lazy, and some ___ students are hard-working.
04. Some ___ the students in Mrs. Gray’s class are a little lazy.
05. Most ___ books have an index.
06. Most ___ Ali’s books are written in Arabic.
07. I bought a few ___ books yesterday.
08. I’ve read a few ___ those books.
09. Have you taken any ___ trips lately?
10. Sam hasn’t met any ___ the students in the other class.
11. All ___ the children listened to the story.
12. Almost all ___ children like fairy story.
13. I bought two books. Both ___ books were expensive.
14. Both ___ those books are mine.
15. I’m new here. I don’t know many ___ people yet.
b. Complete the sentences with the correct form, singular or plural, of the noun in
01. There is only one _____ on the sixth-grade soccer team. ( girl )
01. There is only one _____ on the sixth-grade soccer team. ( girl )
02. Only one of the ____ in the sixth grade is on the soccer team. (girl)
03. Mrs. Hoover gave a present to each ________ . (child)
04. Each of the___________ got a present. (child)
05. We invited every _____________ of the club. (member)
06. Every one of the ___________ came. (member)
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