Articles-converted

ARTICLES

BY: AIYANI FITRIYAH BINTI RIKCY
TESL 1

What Is Articles?

● Words that define a noun as specific or unspecific
● 2 Types of Articles :
 Indefinite Articles (a, an)
 Definite Articles (The)

Indefinite Article (A) Indefinite Article (An)

• The article a is used • The article an is used
before countable nouns
before countable nouns beginning with the vowel
sounds of a,e,i,o,u
beginning with
• Exp : an umbrella, an
consonant sounds option

(b,c,d,f) and more or in

which the beginning h is

sounded like house.

• Exp : a boat, a flower

Reminders for
Indefinite Article (An)

★ If a word begins with a silent h, it is considered as
beginning with o
Exp : an hour, an honest girl

★ If a word consist of initial letters, pay attention to the
sound and not the beginning letter
Exp : a CNN reporter

★ If there are descriptive words before the noun, then
the article is placed before the descriptive words and
follows the first letter of the first descriptive word.
Exp : a big umbrella, an ugly picture

WHEN TO USE A OR AN

✦ A or an is used in a sentence: ✦ Using a or an in expressions
1.Any (Exp : Please get me a drink) (A few, a little, a number of, a large
2.Species or kind (Exp: Fanta is a drink, number of, an enormous amount of, etc)
not an animal) Exp :
3.General reference to a single countable -A few people came ( Some did come)
noun (one) (Exp : I bought a can of Coke) -Few people came (Less than the
expected number came)

Definite Article (The)

✦ Using "the" with nouns
• The article the can be used before

any noun. If there is an adjective
before the noun, the comes before
the adjective.

WHEN TO USE THE

● When referring to specific things or people (the cover of the book)
● When referring to previously mentioned things (There is a mistake in your

calculation. The mistake isn’t serious, but…)
● Before objects of which there is only one (the Petronas Twin Towers)
● Before top posts or position (the Principal)
● Before superlatives (the best)
● Before comparatives (The girl is the tallest of the two)

*However, when mention both items being compared, "the" is not used: (He is
healthier than Johan)

WHEN TO USE THE

● Before ordinals (the second day)
● In certain expression of time (in the morning)
● When referring to public places and amenities(when the listener/reader is aware of

which one we are referring to (I am going to the hospital)
*However if the listener/reader does not know which one we are referring to, drop "the"
and replace with a or an

● To turn adjectives into nouns when referring to categories of people (the deaf)
● To refer to a race in general (The Chinese enjoy good cooking)
*However to refer to only some members of a care, do not use the (Exp: There are
Japanese living all over the world)

WHEN TO USE THE

● After many of, none of, some of and other similar phrases ending in of (many
of the courses)

● With a singular noun, referring to an entire group (The whale is a mammal)
● Use the is common with names of product types (The Proton Saga was

Malaysia’s first national car)

*This rule does not apply when referring to individual items (My mother used to
own a Proton Saga)

“The” with geographical names

✦ The names of some counties, and most geographical features such
as seas and mountain ranges, begin with the.

1. Names of countries which 2. Almost all 3. All seas, oceans 4. All rivers and
include the word united, geographical regions, and straits canals
republic, kingdom,but etc not including groups of
one word country names islands and mountain Exp : the Pacific Exp : the Amazon
such as Malaysia,India) ranges Ocean

Exp: the United States of Exp : the Himalayas
America

“The” with names of buildings

1. Before certain 2. Before hotels,
cinemas and theatres
buildings or
Exp : the Golden
structures that are Screen Cinema

unique and important

Exp : the Rose Bowl

“The” with names of organisations

1. Before ministries
Exp : the Ministry of Health

2. Before government departments
Exp : the Health Department

3. Before organisations
Exp : the Red Crescent Society

The before certain special events and
periods of time

1. Before 2. Before periods 3. Before names
special events of time of examinations

Exp : the Exp : the 15th Exp : the PT3
Olympic century (Pentaksiran
Games Tingkatan Tiga)

WHEN "THE" IS NOT USED

1. Countries and states with one word names (Malaysia, New York,
Japan)
2. Towns (Kuala Lumpur, Washington)
3. Lakes (Kenyir Lake, Lake Toba)
4. Mountains and hills (Mount Kinabalu, Bukit Larut)
5. Buildings and places with the names of people (Suleiman Court)
6. Roads (Jalan Sikamat)
7. Days,months,years. However we say: the Monday before Hari
Raya, the twelfth of September
8. Certain main festivals (Hari Raya, Deepavali, Chinese New Year)
9. Meals. (However referring to a specific occasion, we could say -
Thank you for the wonderful dinner)
10. People (Tun Dr Mahathir)

WHEN "THE" IS NOT USED

1. Brands or company and business names (Toyota,
Starbucks)
2. Acronyms that are pronounced as a word (UMNO,
UNICEF)
3. When referring to initials of businesses (KTM,YMCA)
4. Transportation (by bus, taxi,car,plane)
5. Magazines (Time, National Geographic)
6. Radio or TV station (TV3, CNN)
7. Names of buildings and places in Malay (Dataran
Merdeka, Masjid Negara)
8. Institutions (school, class, home)
9. Languages (German, Mandarin, Tamil)
10. Games (football, tennis, volleyball)

THANK YOU

Hoping the notes will help!