When do you need to use an article with a noun phrase?
An important and rather complex area in English grammar is the use of the article.
Not all languages have articles and in a number of languages, the rules governing
article use are different from those in English so some international students
may find that they tend to make mistakes in this area. It can sometimes also
be difficult to decide when the article is not needed in front of a noun.
In these activities you will review nouns and the use of the article in English
and practise adding articles to a text.
Activity 1: Recognising nouns with articles
Look at this extract from a formal text about computer hardware. Select the nouns and press the 'bold' button to highlight them. To undo what you have highlighted select the 'normal' button. Then check your answers.
Notebook computers, also known as laptops,
have the advantage of being easy to transport from one
location to another and since they can be battery or
AC powered, their design allows them to be used effectively
in a temporary space such as on a train
or an aeroplane, or in a meeting. They
can, however, also be used as desktop computers providing
that they are used in conjunction with the appropriate
hardware to enable them to function effectively in this
capacity.
Now identify which ones have an article with them in
the text, and which do not and drag and drop them into the appropriate box.
For those with an article, think about why the particular article is used
in each case. For those without an article, decide why the article is not
needed. Then read the comment.
the advantage: a singular countable
noun used in a specific sense, i.e. the advantage of being easy to transport
etc.
a train: train is a singular countable noun and the use
of the
indefinite article is used to refer to any example of a train.
an aeroplane: aeroplane is a singular countable noun and
the use of the indefinite article refers to any example of an aeroplane.
'An' is used because the initial sound of the noun is pronounced as a vowel.
a meeting: meeting is a countable noun in this context
and is singular. It is used with the indefinite article and refers to any
meeting.
the appropriate hardware: hardware is an uncountable noun and used with the
definite article in the paragraph. The appropriate hardware refers to
hardware that is known/identifiable from shared world knowledge.
Nouns without an article
Notebook computers: a plural
countable noun used in a general sense so no article is necessary.
laptops: a plural countable noun used in a general sense
so no article is necessary.
one location: a number is used instead of an article because
this is part of a fixed expression, 'one (+N) to another'.
space: The noun, space, is countable and singular
in this context. It is used with the indefinite article, a, which refers
to any example of a temporary space.
desktop computers: The noun is countable and plural and
so no article is used. It also refers to desktop computers in general, which
means that no article should be used.
in conjunction with: there are a number of fixed expressions
like 'in conjunction with' that include a noun with no article even though
it may be countable and singular. They need to be learned.
this capacity: capacity is normally an uncountable noun
although here it suggests countability. Another determiner, this,
is used as an alternative to an article.
Activity 2: Deciding when to use an article
This activity will help you to establish whether or not an article should
be used with a noun and, if so, what that article should be. Explore the following
flow chart which shows the key questions you need to consider and their related
answers.
Think of an idea you would like to express in writing and note the key words
it contains in the box, highlighting the nouns:
| advances - scientific understanding
| have led to | improvement - weather forecasting
|
Apply the questions in the flow chart below to one of
the nouns that you have identified in the sentence that you would like to
write. Read the first question and select the answer in the flow chart. The
rest of the flow chart will appear as you click on your choices. At the end
you will find out whether or not your noun requires an article in front of
it.
Here is the complete flow chart:
Chart (pdf, 90KB). You may wish
to print this document.
You can also use the chart to help you decide whether an article is necessary
or not for the nouns in the following three sentences:
Write one of the following in each gap in the sentences
below: a definite article 'the', an indefinite article 'a' or 'an', leave
blank for no article or write (pl) if no article is required but the noun
should be a plural.
E-commerce is defined as
sale of
good(s) ,
product(s), or
service(s) on
website(s).
The correct answer is:
E-commerce is defined as
sale of
goods ,
products, or
services on
website.
E-commerce (uncountable, general) is defined as the sale
of (countable, specific, defined 'the x of y) goods, products,
or services (countable, general, indefinite) on a website
(countable, specific, indefinite).
1.
HotelClub website has
e-commerce feature(s). It includes
shopping basket(s) which
customer(s) can use to select
as they shop. Before they buy
selected items, they review the contents of
basket to check that they are acceptable.
The HotelClub website has (pl) e-commerce
features. It includes a shopping basket
which (pl) customers can use to select
as they shop. Before they buy the selected items, they
review the contents of the basket to check that they are
acceptable.
2.
Communication refers to
dialogue that websites have with their users, while
community is about
interaction that the users have with each other. 'Shop with
friend' is
virtual shopping experience which allows two or more users to view a site
together, discuss
products and decide whether or not to buy.
Communication refers to the dialogue that websites
have with their users, while community is about the interaction
that the users have with each other. "Shop with a friend"
is a virtual shopping experience which allows two or
more users to view a site together, discuss the products
and decide whether or not to buy.
3.
colour scheme of a site is one of
most important factors to be decided. Different
colour(s) may suggest different
value(s) or
attribute(s). For example, light blue may suggest
softness and
freshness.
The colour scheme of a site is one of the most
important factors to be decided. Different (pl) colours
may suggest different (pl) values or (pl)
attributes. For example, light blue may suggest softness
and freshness.
Activity 3: Adding articles to a text
Now test yourself by completing the text in this exercise
from which all the articles have been removed.
