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STEP
4 |
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Grammar: The Article |
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THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the indefinite article (a/an): |
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a)
When
we refer to a singular countable noun for the first time: |
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I've just been given a new
company car.
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Could you book me a hotel for
next week? |
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b)
With jobs and nouns of nationality.
Unlike in some languages, the article cannot be omitted: |
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She's an accountant.
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She's an American and her husband
is a Scotsman |
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THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the definite article
(the): |
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a)
When
we already know what is being talked about, or when we are referring to a
specific person or thing: |
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The car cost nearly 40,000
dollars.
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What's the name of the hotel we
are staying in? |
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b)
When
the noun referred to is the only one of its kind: |
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the sun, the world,
the
President,
etc. |
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c)
When
we use an adjective as a noun to refer to a group of people: |
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the rich, the old, the
unemployed, the
homeless, the
Argentinians, etc. |
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d) In
superlative constructions: |
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the most expensive,
the best, the worst,
the
fastest, etc. |
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NO ARTICLE
We
do not
use
an
article: |
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a)
With
plural and uncountable nouns when making general statements: |
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Cars are a major cause of pollution.
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Gas is cheaper than electricity. |
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b)
With
certain types of nouns, such as school subjects, meals and abstract nouns: |
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I'm studying chemistry.
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What did you have for breakfast?
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Loyalty to one's company is very common
in Japan. |
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c) In certain prepositional phrases: |
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at home, at university, in bed, by
train, at night, etc. |
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STEP 5 |
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Grammar: Activity
with Answer |
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Complete the following passage choosing the best alternative
from the menu. If no article should be used, choose
the hyphen or dash (-) symbol. |
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ANSWERS |
A POLICY OF HONESTY |
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In February 1990, Perrier,
one of
most famous |
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mineral water companies, faced
serious image |
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problem when small quantities of benzene were found
in some |
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bottles.
company decided to take 160
million bottles |
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worth 470 million off the market.
spokesperson from |
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communications department made
statement to the press |
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saying that this did not present
health problem, but he did
admit that |
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for
product known for purity, it was definitely
mistake. |
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independent environmental
consultant carried out
inspection |
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at the Perrier plant and identified and corrected
fault. |
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same consultant said that a
person spilling one drop of
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lead-free petrol on their hand would absorb more
benzene than if they drank a |
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bottle of Perrier every day for a year. In this
instance, Perrier's policy of
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honesty and its concern for consumers saved its
image and good name. |
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