LESSON 26 ARTICLES (PETERSON’S TOEFL SUCCESS)

(PETERSON’S TOEFL SUCCESS)

LESSON 26

ARTICLES

Articles are specifically tested only in Error Identification items. Like errors with prepositions, errors with articles are sometimes hard to catch. This is partly because of the complexity of the article system in English, and partly because articles, like prepositions, are “small words,” and one’s eye tends to skip over errors involving these words. The basic uses of articles are explained in the chart: Indefinite Articles a and an Definite Article the No Article A or an is used before singular nouns when one does not have a specific person, place, thing, or concept in mind: an orange a chair The is used before singular, plural, and noncount nouns when one does not have a specific person, place, thing, or concept in mind: the orange the oranges the fruit the chair the chairs the furniture No article is used before noncount nouns or plural nouns when one does not have specific persons, places, concepts, or things in mind: orange oranges fruit chair chairs furniture The indefinite article a is used before words that begin with a consonant sound (a chair, a book); an is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (an orange, an ocean liner). Before words that begin with the letters h- and u-, either a or an can be used, depending on the pronunciation of the words. Vowel Sounds Consonant Sounds an honor an umbrella a hat a university There are also some specific rules for using (or not using) articles that you should know. √ An indefinite article can be used to mean “one.” It is also used to mean “per.” a half, a quarter, a third, a tenth a mile a minute (one mile per minute) an apple a day (one apple per day) √ A definite article is used when there is only one example of the thing or person or when the identity of the thing or person is clear. The moon went behind some clouds. (There’s only one moon.) Please open the door. (You know which door I mean.) √ A definite article is usually used before these expressions of time and position. the morning the afternoon the evening* the past the present the future the front the back the center the top the bottom the beginning the middle the end √ A definite article comes before a singular noun that is used as a representative of an entire class of things. This is especially common with the names of animals, trees, inventions, musical instruments, and parts of the body. The tiger is the largest cat. My favorite tree is the oak. The Wright bothers invented the airplane. The oboe is a woodwind instrument. The heart pumps blood. √ A definite article is used before expressions with a ordinal number. No article is used before expressions with cardinal numbers. the first the fourth chapter the seventh volume one Chapter Four Volume Seven √ A definite article is used before decades and centuries. the 1930s the fifties the 1800s the twenty-first century √ A definite article is usually used before superlative forms of adjectives. the widest river the most important decision √ A definite article is used in quantity expressions in this pattern: quantifier + of + the + noun. many of the textbooks some of the water all of the people not much of the paper most of the students a few of the photographs These expressions can also be used without the phrase of the. many textbooks some water all people not much paper most students a few photographs √ A definite article is used before the name of a group of people or a nationality. No article is used before the name of a language. The Swedish are proud of their ancestors, the Vikings. She learned to speak Swedish when she lived in Stockholm. √ A definite article is used when an adjective is used without a noun to mean “people who are . . .” Both the young and the old will enjoy this movie. The poor have many problems. √ A definite article is used before a noncount noun or a plural noun when it is followed by a modifier. No article is used when these nouns appear alone The rice that I bought today is in the bag. Rice is a staple in many countries. Trees provide shade. The trees in this park are mostly evergreens. √ A definite article is used before the name of a field of study followed by an of phrase. If a field is used alone or is preceded by an adjective, no article is used. the literature of the twentieth century          literature the history of the United States                     American history √ Definite articles are used before the “formal” names of nations, states, and cities. (These usually contain of phrases.) No articles are used before the common names of nations, states, and cities. the United States of America               America the state of Montana                            Montana the city of Philadelphia                        Philadelphia √ Definite articles are used before most plural geographic names: the names of groups of lakes, mountains, and islands. No article is used before the names of individual lakes, mountains, and islands. the Great Lakes the Rocky Mountains the Hawaiian Islands Lake Powell Mount Washington Long Island In the Structure section, there are three main types of errors involving articles: INCORRECT ARTICLE CHOICE One of the most common errors is the use of a in place of an or vice versa. Fortunately, this is also the easiest type of error to detect. Another error is a or an used in place of the, or the in place of a or an. Sample Items A eclipse (A) of the sun (B) may be either (C) total or partial (D). The correct answer is (A). An must be used before a noun beginning with a vowel sound such as eclipse. Rose Bird was a first (A) woman in the history (B) of California to serve (C) on the (D) State Supreme Court. The correct answer is (A). In a phrase with an ordinal number (such as first), the definite article the must be used. INCORRECT OMISSION OR INCLUSION OF AN ARTICLE Sometimes an article is used when none is needed or one is omitted when one is required. Sample Items Slag consists of waste (A) materials and impurities that (B) rise to top (C) of melted metals (D). The correct answer is (C). The definite article the should not be omitted from the phrase the top of. The most (A) asteroids are (B) beyond the (C) orbit of the planet (D) Mars. The correct answer is (A). Definite articles are used only before quantity expressions that contain of phrases. (Most asteroids or Most of the asteroids are both correct in this sentence.) USE OF A DEFINITE ARTICLE IN PLACE OF A POSSESSIVE A definite article may be incorrectly used in place of a possessive word—its, his, her, or their. Sample Item The Ozark Mountains of (A) Arkansas are (B) famous (C) for the (D) rugged beauty. The correct answer is (D). The should correctly read their because the sentence refers to the beauty belonging to the Ozark Mountains. EXERCISE 26.1 Focus: Identifying the correct and incorrect use of articles Directions: Underline the forms that correctly complete the sentence. 1 Only about (the one/one) percent of (the water/water) on Earth is (the fresh/fresh) water. 2 (The mineral/Mineral) phosphate is (the most/most) common ingredient of all types of (the fertilizers/ fertilizers). 3 (The/A) process of refining minerals requires (a/an) huge amount of (an electrical/electrical) energy. 4 (A humor/Humor) runs through (the American/American) literature from (the earliest/earliest) times until (the present/present). 5 (The ozone/Ozone) layer acts as (a/an) umbrella against (the most/most) of (the Sun’s/Sun’s) dangerous rays. 6 In (the early/early) 1800s, Sequoia, (a Cherokee/Cherokee) leader, created (the/a) first written form of (a North/North) American Indian language. 7 (The Goddard/Goddard) family of (the New/New) England produced some of (the/a) finest furniture made in (the United/United) States in (the seventeenth/seventeenth) century. 8 (The popcorn/Popcorn) has (a/the) same food value as any other kind of (a corn/corn). EXERCISE 26.2 Focus: Identifying and correcting errors with articles (Note: One or two items in this exercise do not focus on article errors. These are marked in the answer key with an asterisk.) Directions: Decide which of the four underlined words or phrases—(A), (B), (C), or (D)—would not be considered correct, and write the letter of the expression in the blank. _________ 1 The most (A) butterfly eggs are coated with a (B) sticky substance that holds them (C) to plants (D). _________ 2 A number of (A) large insurance companies (B) have the (C) headquarters in (D) Hartford, Connecticut. _________ 3 To be effective (A), an (B) advertisement must first (C) attract an attention (D). _________ 4 Virgin Islands National Park features a underwater (A) preserve with coral (B) reefs and colourful (C) tropical fish (D). _________ 5 Arthritis, a painful (A) swelling of the (B) joints, is often associated with elderly (C) people, but it can afflict young (D) as well. _________ 6 Wilmington is an only (A) large city (B) in the (C) state of (D) Delaware. _________ 7 About the third (A) of the earth’s (B) land (C) surface is covered by relatively flat plains (D). _________ 8 In the 1920s (A), gasoline (B) companies began giving away free (C) road maps to the customers (D). _________ 9 The Tropic (A) of Cancer is imaginary (B) line that marks the northern (C) boundary of the earth’s (D) tropical zone. _________ 10 Hereford cows (A) are one of most common (B) breeds of cattle (C) raised for the beef (D). _________ 11 American soprano Kathleen Battle taught music (A) in elementary school before beginning (B) the career (C) as a professional (D) singer. _________ 12 In 1891, first (A) state law to help local (B) communities pay for highways (C) was passed in (D) New Jersey. _________ 13 Lumber (A) is dried and seasoned (B) in an heated (C) chamber called a (D) dry kiln. _________ 14 Grandfather Mountain, a highest (A) mountain in the (B) Blue Ridge mountain range (C) , is in (D) North Carolina. _________ 15 The eardrum (A) is the only (B) organ in a human (C) body that is capable of detecting changes in air (D) pressure. _________ 16 It was around (A) 1925 that a accurate (B), convenient system for recording (C) the choreography of ballet (D) was developed.

ANSWER KEY