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A Few Basic Points about Articles in EnglishA Few Basic Points about Articles in English

(The first of three PowerPoint presentations about articles)(The first of three PowerPoint presentations about articles)

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1. Every SINGULAR, COUNT common noun in 1. Every SINGULAR, COUNT common noun in a sentence needs an article or other determiner.a sentence needs an article or other determiner.

Articles include Articles include aa, , anan, and , and thethe..

Determiners include Determiners include thisthis, , thatthat, , thesethese, , thosethose, , Susan’sSusan’s, , somesome, , anyany, , numbersnumbers, , and a few others. and a few others.

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2. PLURAL, COUNT nouns do not appear with 2. PLURAL, COUNT nouns do not appear with a a or or an.an.

*A chairs*A chairs

*An animals*An animals

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3. NON-COUNT nouns are grammatically 3. NON-COUNT nouns are grammatically SINGULAR.SINGULAR.

Music is…Music is…

*Music are…*Music are…

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4. GERUNDS, gerund phrases, and other 4. GERUNDS, gerund phrases, and other similar noun-like phrases are grammatically similar noun-like phrases are grammatically SINGULAR.SINGULAR.

Jogging is good exerciseJogging is good exercise

*Jogging are good exercise.*Jogging are good exercise.

Baptizing investigators is…Baptizing investigators is…

*Baptizing investigators are…*Baptizing investigators are…

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5. The articles 5. The articles a a and and anan appear only with singular appear only with singular count nouns, but the article count nouns, but the article thethe can appear with can appear with SINGULAR, PLURAL, and NON-COUNT nouns.SINGULAR, PLURAL, and NON-COUNT nouns. • A chair (okay)A chair (okay)

• *A pencils (strange)*A pencils (strange)

• *A music (strange)*A music (strange)

• *A singing (strange)*A singing (strange)

• The chair (okay) The chair (okay) • The pencils (okay)The pencils (okay)

• The music (okay)The music (okay)

• The singing (okay)The singing (okay)

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6. The articles 6. The articles aa and and anan can appear with a non- can appear with a non-count noun when the meaning is “a type of.”count noun when the meaning is “a type of.”

Mary shows love to her children.Mary shows love to her children.

Mother Teresa showed a love that Mother Teresa showed a love that many people will never understand.many people will never understand.

I need a cooking oil that won’t burn.I need a cooking oil that won’t burn.

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7. English speakers see nouns as 7. English speakers see nouns as SPECIFIC or GENERIC. SPECIFIC or GENERIC.

A lion is sitting next to me (specific). A lion is sitting next to me (specific).

A lion is a wild animal (generic).A lion is a wild animal (generic).

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8. The safest way—but not the ONLY way—to 8. The safest way—but not the ONLY way—to speak GENERALLY about something is to use speak GENERALLY about something is to use PLURAL. PLURAL.

Best, simplest, easiest to teach and understandBest, simplest, easiest to teach and understand::

Lions are wild animals.Lions are wild animals.

(plural—all concrete examples)(plural—all concrete examples)

But also:But also:

A lion is a wild animal.A lion is a wild animal.

(generic—one representing (generic—one representing allall or or anyany.) .)

The lion is a wild animal.The lion is a wild animal.

(generic—with the idea of (generic—with the idea of species or class, species or class, but not but not referring to any individual animal)referring to any individual animal)

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9. SPECIFIC and DEFINITE are not the 9. SPECIFIC and DEFINITE are not the same thing. same thing.

SpecificSpecific contrasts with contrasts with genericgeneric. . DefiniteDefinite contrasts with contrasts with indefiniteindefinite..

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10. Nouns that are definite appear with the 10. Nouns that are definite appear with the article article the.the.

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11. A noun is 11. A noun is definitedefinite only if it is known to both only if it is known to both the speaker and the listener.the speaker and the listener.

The milk in the refrigerator is spoiled.The milk in the refrigerator is spoiled.

Larry kissed a pig. The pig became angry.Larry kissed a pig. The pig became angry.

Larry met Susan at the temple.Larry met Susan at the temple.

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12. A noun can be known to both the speaker 12. A noun can be known to both the speaker and the listener in one of three ways:and the listener in one of three ways:

by explanation, by explanation,

by lexical context, or by lexical context, or

by cultural context.by cultural context.

(additional notes in a separate PowerPoint presentation(additional notes in a separate PowerPoint presentation—”Fa06 4-square grid”--When should I use “the”?)—”Fa06 4-square grid”--When should I use “the”?)

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13. In place names such as for countries and 13. In place names such as for countries and geographical features like mountains and geographical features like mountains and bodies of water, bodies of water, thethe often appears often appears in the name in the name if the name contains if the name contains common nounscommon nouns but but notnot if if the name does not contain common nouns. the name does not contain common nouns. Some exceptions exist.Some exceptions exist.

((TheThe Philippine Islands Philippine Islands or or TheThe Philippines Philippines, , but but not not PhilippinesPhilippines alone. alone. JapanJapan but not but not TheThe JapanJapan. . TheThe United States United States but not but not United United StatesStates. . TheThe Himalayan Mountains Himalayan Mountains or or TheThe HimalayasHimalayas, but not , but not HimalayasHimalayas alone alone..

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14. Names of body parts (or pairs of body parts) 14. Names of body parts (or pairs of body parts) typically appear with typically appear with the.the.

• The heartThe heart• The headThe head• The liverThe liver• The The medulla medulla

oblongataoblongata• The The gluteus maximusgluteus maximus

• The eyesThe eyes• The earsThe ears• The kidneysThe kidneys• The lungsThe lungs• The belly-buttonThe belly-button• Um…Um…• The bunsThe buns

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15. Names of diseases occur with no clear 15. Names of diseases occur with no clear system for article use and are best just learned system for article use and are best just learned as lexical units (i.e., they must simply be as lexical units (i.e., they must simply be memorized). There memorized). There maymay be a system present be a system present for choosing articles with the names of for choosing articles with the names of diseases, but one is not immediately apparent, diseases, but one is not immediately apparent, or it is so complex as to be of no practical use or it is so complex as to be of no practical use to second-language learners.)to second-language learners.)

A cough, a cold, the measles A cough, a cold, the measles ((麻疹）麻疹） ,, rabiesrabies （狂犬病）（狂犬病） , the flu, influenza, the flu, influenza （流（流行性感冒）行性感冒） , AIDS, the plague, AIDS, the plague （瘟疫）（瘟疫） , , a fever, malaria, etc.a fever, malaria, etc.

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16. In deciding whether to use an article before a 16. In deciding whether to use an article before a noun in a sentence, it is not enough to consider noun in a sentence, it is not enough to consider only the grammaticality of the sentence. only the grammaticality of the sentence.

One must also consider the larger contexts of One must also consider the larger contexts of what information precedes and follows the what information precedes and follows the sentence and how much of the information in the sentence and how much of the information in the sentence the reader/hearer knows, what the sentence the reader/hearer knows, what the reader/hearer expects, or what the reader/hearer reader/hearer expects, or what the reader/hearer is familiar with.is familiar with.

(These contexts are examined in “2-Fa06 4-square grid.”)(These contexts are examined in “2-Fa06 4-square grid.”)

In conclusion…In conclusion…

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17. Although article usage is sometimes 17. Although article usage is sometimes confusing and exasperating, it is not correct to confusing and exasperating, it is not correct to conclude that article usage is not subject to conclude that article usage is not subject to rules. rules.

It is true that English includes a number of It is true that English includes a number of cases in which article use is idiosyncratic, cases in which article use is idiosyncratic, exceptional, or not well defined. exceptional, or not well defined.

It is also true, however, that useful explanations It is also true, however, that useful explanations and clear rules of article use are available for and clear rules of article use are available for teachers to present and students to apply—with teachers to present and students to apply—with considerable confidence.considerable confidence.

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