GRAMMAR REVIEW: ARTICLES BUILDING SUPPORTING SKILLS CAMBRIDGE PREPARATION FOR THE TOEFL® IBT TEST

 

CAMBRIDGE PREPARATION FOR THE TOEFL® IBT TEST BUILDING SUPPORTING SKILLS GRAMMAR REVIEW: ARTICLES

 

Articles can be indefinite or definite. The indefinite article a is used before a consonant sound, and the indefinite article an is used before a vowel sound. Some words that begin with the letter u have an initial consonant sound and some have an initial vowel sound: a university     but       an umbrella The letter h is sometimes not pronounced: a horse     but     an hour The indefinite article Use the indefinite article a/an in he vases listed below: 1 Before singular count nouns when the noun is mentioned for the first time: I see a house 2 When the singular form is used to make a general statement  about all people or things of that type: A concert pianist spends many hours practicing (All concert pianists spend many hours practicing). 3 In expressions of price, speed, and ratio: 60 miles an hour four times a day 4 A and an are not used before plural nouns and before noncount nouns: Flowers were growing along the riverbanks, I wanted advice.   The definite article Use the definite article the in the cases listed below: 1 Before a noun that has already been mentioned, or when it is clear in the situation which thing or person is referred to: I saw a man. The man was wearing a hat. The books on the shelf are first editions. I went to the bank. (a particular bank) 2 Before a singular noun that refers to a species or group: The tiger lives in Asia. (Tigers, as species, live in Asia) 3 Before adjectives used as nouns The children collected money to donate to a charity for the poor. (the poor-poor people) 4 When there is only one of something: The sun shone down on the earth This is the best horse in the race.   The definite article with proper nouns The definite article the is usually used with canals, deserts, forests, oceans, rivers, seas, and plural islands, lakes, and mountains: The is not usually used with planets and singular islands, lakes, mountains, and parks: The is usually used when the name of a country or state includes the word of, the type of government, or a plural form: The is not usually used with the names of countries and states, continents, or cities.   Choosing the correct article The expression a number of means several or many and takes a plural verb. The expression the number of refers to the group and takes a singular verb: The following nouns have different meanings depending on whether or not they are used with an article: Look at how the meaning of bed changes: Articles are not used with possessive adjectives (my, your, ect.), possessive pronouns (mine, yours, etc.), or demonstratives (this, that, these, and those): Noncount nouns are used without an article to refer to something in general. However, sometimes an article used to show a specific meaning.   Exercise G22 Use exercise G22 to practice your skills in article usage EXERCISE G22 Checking article usage If the underlined article is used incorrectly, write the correct article in the blank. 1 Countless tourists throng to the Greek islands. ________ 2 The tomato originated in Central America. ________

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