Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd
Upload
13 views

New Text Document

The document discusses what articles are and how they are used in the English language. Articles include 'a', 'an', and 'the' and are used to specify if a noun is general or specific. The document also discusses how article usage can be difficult for multilingual writers to learn and takes practice to master.

Uploaded by

Krishna Krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
13 views

New Text Document

The document discusses what articles are and how they are used in the English language. Articles include 'a', 'an', and 'the' and are used to specify if a noun is general or specific. The document also discusses how article usage can be difficult for multilingual writers to learn and takes practice to master.

Uploaded by

Krishna Krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

What is an article?

Articles ("a," "an," and "the") are determiners or noun markers that function
to specify if the noun is general or specific in its reference. Often the article
chosen depends on if the writer and the reader understand the reference of the
noun.
The articles "a" and "an" are indefinite articles. They are used with a
singular countable noun when the noun referred to is nonspecific or generic.
The article "the" is a definite article. It is used to show specific reference
and can be used with both singular and plural nouns and with both countable and
uncountable nouns.

Many languages do not use articles ("a," "an," and "the"), or if they do exist, the
way they are used may be different than in English. Multilingual writers often find
article usage to be one of the most difficult concepts to learn. Although there are
some rules about article usage to help, there are also quite a few exceptions.
Therefore, learning to use articles accurately takes a long time. To master article
usage, it is necessary to do a great deal of reading, notice how articles are used
in published texts, and take notes that can apply back to your own writing.

To get started, please read this blog post on The Argument for Articles.
A few important definitions to keep in mind:

Countable noun: The noun has both a singular and plural form. The plural is
usually formed by adding an "–s" or an "–es" to the end of it.
one match, two matches
Countable nouns may also have irregular plural forms. Many of these forms come
from earlier forms of English.
one child, two children
one mouse, two mice
Uncountable noun: The noun refers to something that cannot be counted. It does
not have a plural form.
Information
Grammar
Proper noun: The name of a person, place, or organization and is spelled with
capital letters.
Tim Smith
McDonalds

Please see this webpage for more about countable and uncountable nouns.

You might also like