Indefinite/definite articles

Indefinite/definite articles

1. Indefinite articles

   • a/an
   • use when listener/reader doesn't know to which we are referring to
     • Police is searching for A 14 year-old girl.
   • When the person/thing is one of a group
     • She is A pupil at London Road School.
   • we DON'T use it with plural nouns and uncount nouns
     • She was last wearing a blue jacket, a blue and white blouse, (!) blue jeans and (!) blue shoes.
   • to say what somebody is/what job they do
     • I am A student.
     • My boyfriend is A lifeguard.
   • to say something about all things of a kind
     • A man needs friends (all men need friends).

2. Definite article

   • the
   • when listener/reader knows what we are referring to
   • when there is only one
     • The Pope is visiting Portugal.
   • superlative adjective
     • He is the tallest boy in the class.
   • because we already mentioned it
     • A woman who feel 10m from High Peak was lifted to safety by a helicopter. The woman fell while climbing.
   • to talk about musical instruments in general
     • Joe plays the piano very well (he can play any piano).
     • She is learning the guitar (she is learning to play any guitar).
   • to refer to a service/system
     • You should tell this to the police.
     • I heard it on the radio.
   • to talk about groups of people
     • Life is very hard for the poor.
     • The rich should pay more taxes.
   • we don't use it with names ( France, Madara, Oporto)
     • Exceptions!!!
       • countries that include states/republic/kingdom
         • The Unites States of America/The United Kingdom/ The People's Republic of China
       • countries with plural nouns
         • The Netherlands/ The Philippines
       • geographical features
         • the Himalayas/the Atlantic/the Douro
       • newspapers/well known works of art/buildings/organisations/families/hotels/pubs/restaurants (not if the name is the name of owner