Definite and indefinite articles a, an, the examples. Grammar definite and indefinite articles student worksheet name. The definite article how to use the in english in english, we simply use the, for the masculine, feminine or neutral, or even for the singular or plural. We call the the definite article and aan the indefinite article. I was born on a thursday special difficulties we do not use the indefinite article. There are certain situations in which a noun takes no article. Students are asked to state which article would match each noun.
In spanish, the definite article has 4 forms, depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular or plural. Definite, indefinite and zero article esl worksheet by. Think of a and an as meaning any or one among many. Articles indefinite and definite articles basic english. Then have them read the passage on socially developed robots and fill in the blank with the correct article. Jan 15, 2018 this grammar exercise tests your understanding of the rules regarding the use of the definite and indefinite articles. The worksheet features a total of 40 nouns, 20 for students to practice with definite articles and 20 for students to practice with indefinite articles. Choosing a definite article nouns starting with a vowel or h mute. Definite and indefinite articles what is an article. We use the indefinite article aan to talk about something in general or for the first time.
All uses of definite and indefinite articles are explored below. Articles clarify whether a noun is specific or general, singular or plural. Use an before a word which begins with a vowel sound. Basic excerise on use of a and an and also when the definite article is necessary or not.
Use a an to say what a person or thing is examples. The speaker may believe this for many different reasons, some of which are listed below. Used before a singular noun followed by a restrictive modifier. In charge 1 grammar definite and indefinite articles. The indefinite article a is the same for all genders. It is sometimes also possible to have no article at allthe socalled. Nouns in english are preceded by the definite article when the speaker believes that the listener already knows what he is referring to. Definite and indefinite articles exercise english grammar. This game allows students to practice the use of definite and indefinite articles. This worksheet focuses on article agreement in spanish.
To refer to a form of entertainment in general, use the definite article. We use a an when the listener doesnt know what thing we mean. Definite and indefinite articles singular definite singular indefinite plural definite plural indefinite the boy the house the idea a boy a house an idea the boys the houses the ideas boys houses ideas 7 exercise 21 fill in the blank with either the definite or indefinite article, whichever makes the. To refer to a particular event, use the indefinite article. Indefinite article aan if the noun is singular and countable, and this is the first time you have mentioned it, then you will usually need the indefinite article. Articles worksheets are in pdf format and consist of a worksheet and answer sheet to check your results. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns.
Definite articles in spanish pdf worksheet spanishlearninglab. The word the is one of the most common words in english. I like the books you gave me books is a plural noun. A profession here means any profession so the noun is indefinite. Use a before a word which begins with a consonant sound. An article refers to a noun a person, place, or thing and specifies its definiteness.
Definite and indefinite articles flashcards quizlet. Definite article the is called definite article in english. This grammar exercise tests your understanding of the rules regarding the use of the definite and indefinite articles. The indefinite article a, an is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known. Sophie has taken oliver on a special trip for his birthday.
The writing center definite and indefinite articles guides. Download this pdf version of the rules for spanish definite and indefinte articles to use as a study reference. English esl definite and indefinite articles worksheets. Indefinite article a, an used before singular nouns that are unspecified. Read the following paragraph and circle the correct article. A definite pronoun would be a pronoun that refers to something specific, so a personal pronoun would also be a definite pronoun. Indefinite article there are 2 types of the indefinite article. Students are expected to fill in the blanks in the text with a, an, the where it is necessary. For exercises, you can reveal the answers first submit worksheet and print the page to have the exercise and the answers. English practice downloadable pdf grammar and vocabulary worksheets. We use an if the following word starts with a spoken vowel. Definite and indefinite articles pdf worksheets english. The definitive guide to spanish definite and indefinite articles. While any pronoun that refers to a specific person or thing would be a definite pronoun, it can be helpful to refer to a list of indefinite pronouns if you need to use pronouns.
The definite article learnenglish teens british council. We use the definite article the to talk about something specific i. The definitive guide to spanish definite and indefinite. It is sometimes also possible to have no article at allthe socalled zero article. Esl grammar definite, indefinite, and no article in english. Indefinite pronouns do not refer to anything specific, so words like someone and everybody are indefinite. Indefinite pronouns do not refer to anything specific, so words like someone and everybody are indefinite pronouns. Here, were talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me. The soviet union was the first country to send a man into space. By contrast, we can use the definite article the with all nouns. The definite article the english grammar exercises. More details on the definite article are given below.
What is the difference between definite and indefinite pronouns. Refer back to the personal pronouns page to see examples. A and an are called indefinite articles but where to apply them. Prior to the 1940s, the teaching of esl was not regarded as a profession in the united states. An introduction to spanish definite and indefinite articles. We use the when talking about something definite or something specific. A perfect place to start is to think of the most frequently occurring word in the english language, the definite article. How to use definite and indefinite articles differences. Pdf perlmutter 1970 argued that the indefinite article is categorically different from the definite article and proposed that it is a clitic version. Did you see the film on television or at the cinema. Articles in english grammar university of adelaide. A student must note that the choice between a and an is determined primarily by sound. English, the is referred to as the definite article, and aan as the indefinite article.
Articles are used before nouns or noun equivalents and are a type of adjective. This section begins with basic lessons on both the definite articles and indefinite articles and. This can happen with all nouns but normally not singular countable nouns. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, the definite article correctly. Nationalities or religions we use the article with names of days i am a housewife, she is a journalist kate is a catholic. We say that the is a definite article because it defines something specific. The spanish article definite and indefinite article. Definite article, indefinite article, mixed article, zero article it is a set of 3 exercises to practise the definte and indefinite articles. Jun 29, 2019 indefinite articles a, an in the sense of one and any definite articles the in the sense of this and that rules of articles the use of indefinite articles a, an rule 1. Definite article and indefinite article grammar englishclub.
The difference between definite articles and indefinite articles is that the definite article is used when referring to a specific person, place, idea, or thing, i. As you watch the video, look at the examples of the definite article. As for the second exercise, simply fill in the blanks in the text about nicaraguas passion for music with the appropriate definite articles in spanish. The indefinite article does not restrict the meaning of a noun, but rather, refers to a type or a group.
Art003 definite and indefinite articles elementary. Rules of articles in english grammar with examples pdf. The definite article the is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. In the first exercise, students should write down the definite article corresponding to the instrument on top of the boxes, for example. Notice that we use the indefinite article aan only with singular countable nouns. Where to apply the definite and indefinite articles a, an, the, explained here with the help of examples and exercises. The cheese in that shop is great s things in general i love cheese s people from countries the french s streets.
Art004 articles fill in the correct article a, an or the. Esl grammar definite, indefinite, and no article in. Definite and indefinite articles singular definite singular indefinite plural definite plural indefinite the boy the house the idea a boy a house an idea the boys the houses the ideas boys houses ideas 7 exercise 21 fill in the blank with either the definite or indefinite article, whichever makes the best sense. Remembering some simple rules can ensure choosing the proper article when speaking or writing in english. Certain nouns refer to either a placeobject or to an activity. The indefinite article a can be used in the numerical sense of one. To decide if an article is needed before a noun or which one to choose, ask yourself the following question. The indefinite article a can be used in the vague sense of a certain. Suddenly you realize you are about to bump into someone, but 3.
The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. Indefinite articles a rticles are a unique type of adjective that, while short, communicate some important information about a noun. Simply, see the following rules for the proper usage. No article is used when the noncount noun or plural noun is with an indefinite reference.
Art004 definite and indefinite articles intermediate. Aan called the indefinite article, the is the definite one. The definite article is used to restrict the meaning of a noun to make it refer to something that is known by both the speaker and the listener. In the first exercise, students circle the correct form in each sentence and then they write a, an, the or zero article in the sentences and match them with the pictures. On the contrary, aan are indefinite articles because they indicates something nonspecific. Grammar exercise definite and indefinite articles do the exercise below on definite and indefinite articles and click on the answer button to check your answers.
When they refer to an activity, do not use the definite. Indefinite pronouns can also be singular or plural. Definite and indefinite articles a, an, the tip sheets. Indefinite articles a, an in the sense of one and any definite articles the in the sense of this and that rules of articles the use of indefinite articles a, an rule 1. The definite or zero article exercise zero the s church. The indefinite article shows that a noun refers to a general thing, not something specific. The trees in the park are green the article is needed because you have specified which trees you are talking about. Sometimes no article is used, referred to as 0 article. You cant use it before nouns like milk, advice, information uncountable nouns or. It is used in a definite sense we know which books. Used with nouns to form adverbial phrases of quantity, amount, or degree.
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