Test yourself with our free english language quiz about definite article or zero article. Note that an answer key is provided for the student worksheet. Like other articles, indefinite articles are invariable. Indefinite articles zero article really learn the most useful telephoning phrases download over 100 pages of stimulating selfstudy practice with model dialogues, a detailed answer key, hints, study tips, speaking practice, and preparation for your own reallife telephone calls. The rules for using articles in english are quite complex, so for students whose first language is not english, when to use an article, and which article to use can cause problems. There is only this one form of the definite article in arabic, irrespective of the gender or number of the word being defined. Brinton has noted, there are several different uses for each article, articles are often omitted, and there are dialectal differences in the use of articles.
This is a free beginner english grammar quiz and esl worksheet. You may like to receive a pdf file with the five units of this section. Everything to learn about the indefinite and definite articles a, an, and the. The definite article the can be used before all common nounssingular and plural count nouns and noncount nouns. Basically, the rules for using articles in english are quite simple. It can also be tricky to know which article to use. In english, the two indefinite articles are a and an. Have the students find the noncount nouns in the passage. English practice downloadable pdf grammar and vocabulary worksheets.
Do not use an article for a plural, indefinite noun. The noun and its use in a sentence is the determining factor when considering. It is not an independent word, but is always prefixed to the noun or adjective it is defining. Spanish nouns are often accompanied by a definite article, and they are often used in instances in which an article would not be used in english. The indefinite article a an is used before a noun in the following cases. The spanish articles spanish uno spanish language best. Did you see the film on television or at the cinema. However, there are also times that you will use the definite article in spanish. As such, its essential to know the difference between the definite and indefinite articles and when each should be used. The indefinite articles a and an are used to modify singular nouns. You use one or the other, depending on the first letter of the word following the article, for pronunciation reasons.
The definition of a definite article is a determiner the used to identify a specific noun or noun phrase. Indefinite articles are used when the speaker or writer is talking about a non specific member of a group, while a definite article is used for a specific member s of. The definite article the is the same for all genders in singular and in plural. When a noun is used in a nondefined or generalizing context, in some cases an indefinite article is required, in others no article at all. Articles in english grammar the university of adelaide. Choosing between definite and indefinite articles our mission is to provide a free, worldclass education to anyone, anywhere.
I bought a book book is a singular, countable noun. For certain nouns, you must always use the article the there is only one, unique. A, an, some use the corresponding article with the following nouns. Used with countable nouns as opposed to uncountable nouns like money and water placed directly in front of a noun or an. In spanish, just like in english, there are definite and indefinite word forms. To help explain, in this post were looking at the definite i. For exercises, you can reveal the answers first submit worksheet and print the page to have the exercise and the answers. Articles indefinite and definite articles basic english.
Art004 articles fill in the correct article a, an or the. Definite and indefinite articles a, an, the tip sheets. Indefinite article definition and meaning collins english. Uses of the indefinite article usos del articulo indeterminado 1. A is used before any word beginning with a consonant or a consonant sound.
Plural nouns can take either a definite article or no article at all. A and an are indefinite articles and are used to indicate a. How to choose between the english indefinite articles a and an with a vs. We use an if the following word starts with a spoken vowel. So to recap we use a or an the indefinite article the first time we refer to something or someone and we use the the definite article when both the speaker and listener know about the person or thing being discussed. Definite articles do not have to be repeated when nouns are combined with. In summary, articles can be definite or indefinite. Articles clarify whether a noun is specific or general, singular or plural. Indefinite articles interactive and downloadable worksheet. Use a before a word which begins with a consonant sound. The definite article the the is the definite article in english and used when referring to something specific.
Indefinite articles definition of indefinite articles. Unlike english, spanish articles definite and indefinite are matched according to the nouns gender masculinefeminine and number singularplural. Think of a and an as meaning any or one among many. The definite article in arabic lebanese arabic institute. The aptly named indefinite article indicates an unspecific or unidentified noun. The articles a and an are indefinite articles and the article the is a definite article. Definite and indefinite articles pdf grammar worksheet b1. Thus, article usage can be an area of grammar which is very difficult for nonnative speakers to master the linguistic structure of modern english, 2010. A and an are indefinite articles, which means that they refer to, or introduce, an unspecified noun. The uses of the article the the word the actually means this or that, these or those. Have students work in pairs to compare answers and discuss the reasons for their choices. The definite and the indefinite article in this section, we offer a brief grammar of english with exercises and the key to the exercises. Using articles a, an, the there are only two types of articles.
If a noun is used in a defined or restricted context, a determiner is required most commonly the definite article. In other words, we use an indefinite article in front of a noun when were not referring to. Choosing which type to use is challenging because article rules are complex. Use a when the next word starts with a consonant, or before words starting in u and eu when they sound like you. The soviet union was the first country to send a man into space. If the following word begins with a consonant, we speak, if the following word begins with a vowel, we speak. Articles are used before nouns or noun equivalents and are a type of adjective.
The definition of an indefinite article is a determiner a, an used to identify a nonspecific noun or noun phrase. Using articles articles are used to indicate whether a noun refers to a specific or a general item. Thats all from me, good luck with your grammar challenge. The definite article the is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known. The indefinite article a is the same for all genders. In part 2 of the english articles tutorial, we continue our list of 25 articles usage tips. It can be used from primary levels but also for english as a second language. You can do the exercises online or download the worksheet as pdf. A lot of the time, the inclusion or omission of a definite article in spanish matches up with the english translation. When using a plural noun, these two articles are unnecessary. There you can see when we use the definite article and when we dont. In charge 1 grammar definite and indefinite articles.
Use of the indefinite article english practice learn and. Definite and indefinite articles the, a and an if english isnt your first language, knowing when to use an article before a noun can be confusing. Learn indefinite articles with free interactive flashcards. Explanation and exercise to understand the indefinite articles. The words a and an are sometimes called the indefinite article. We have listed some examples in the following table. Definite article the used to indicate a noun that is definite or has been previously specified in the context. Choose from 500 different sets of indefinite articles flashcards on quizlet. A an exercises a an the exercises definite indefinite the definite home. We use the indefinite article with non unique, singular countable nouns, e.
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