ARTICLES

 

ARTICLES IN GRAMMAR

by : Rona Salsabila

 

English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.

 

For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.

 

Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group.

For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.

 

"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group.

For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.

 

When NOT to use articles

A and the are not used with...

Plural Nouns

"Boys like soccer." - This sentence is ok because we are talking to boys in general (all boys).

"The Boys in my school like soccer." - This is ok because we are talking about specific boys (the ones in my school).

Uncountable Nouns

"Pollution is a problem." - Pollution is an uncountable noun (a mass noun).

"The pollution in my town is a problem." - This is ok because we are talking about a specific location.

"There is some pollution in my town." - This is ok because some tells us about the amount of pollution.

"There is a pollution in my town." - This is NOT ok because a is only used with countable nouns (a car, a boy) and pollution is uncountable. Water, traffic and snow are other examples of uncountable nouns.

Real Nouns

Don't use articles with real nouns i.e. the names of people or places.

We DO NOT say: "I want to visit the Spain."

 

The Worst Day Ever

By :MunaihahSholihah

 

Little Wendy got a new pair of slippers from her aunt. The slipper color is pink with a pompom in the middle. Wendy loves it so much. 

One day, Wendy with her brother went to the river near an unused huge duck cage. When they arrived at the river, her brother started fishing. They have been waiting for a long time but there is no fish that have been caught. 

Wendy got bored, she went to the duck cage then saw an egg inside the cage. When she tried to reach it, suddenly a big spider appeared behind the egg. "KYAAAAA!!!! " Wendy screamed loudly. The floor that she stepped was fragile then crashed. Poor Wendy, she fell into a puddle. 

Wendy’s brother heard her scream, spontaneously threw his fishing hook into the river. He ran as fast as possible into the duck cage. When he came inside the cage, he laughed when he saw her little sister crying with her clothes and face covered with mud. She is crying because one of her slippers was gone in the puddle. 

On the way home, Wendy kept cried about her favorite slipper. Besides that, even if her brother got nothing he felt satisfied because he got to see his sister's crying face. 

 

The End

 

 

Examples From Short Story Above

by : Nabila Faizaturrahma

 

1.      Little Wendy got a new pair of slippers from her aunt.

=>  ‘a’ here used to mention something for the first time.

 

2.      The slipper color is pink with a pompom in the middle.

=>‘the’ here refer to new pair of slippers that have already mentioned in the previous sentence.

 

3.      Wendy with her brother went to the river near an unused huge duck cage

=> ‘the’ hereused to show that there is only one of something (only one river)

=> ‘an’ here refer to any duck cage.