Quick Notes

Quick Notes

English Chapter 3: Reading Skills
3.1 Articles
 
Articles are important because they provide information on a subject.
 
  There are three types of articles:  
 
(a)   Indefinite article
(b)   Definite article
(c)   Zero article
 
     

 
 
5.1  Indefinite Articles
 
  • There are two articles in this category: 'a' and 'an'.
 
Article 'a' is used before a countable noun that starts with a consonant sound.  Article 'an' is used before a countable noun that starts with a vowel sound (any of these sounds: a,e,i,o, or u). 

Examples:

(a) a bicycle

(b) a year

(c) a useful tool

(d) a university

Note: University is read as 'Yew-ni-ver-si-ty', thus it starts with a 'yew' sound not a 'u' sound. 

Examples:

(a) an umbrella

(b) an event

(c) an orange

(d) an hour 

Note: Even though 'hour' starts with the letter 'h', which is a consonant, the word is read as A-WER. The 'h' sound is not pronounced.) 

 
 
5.2  Definite Article
 
The definite article 'the' is used to refer to:
 
 Use Examples
(a) A particular item that can be in the singular or plural form.
  1. The bicycle I lost was a present from my dad. (singular noun)
  2. The buffaloes in the field belong to Encik Salleh. (plural noun)
(b) Something which is one of a kind.
  1. Satellite 110 circled around the earth ten times.
  2. The sun rises in the east.
(c) Specific places such as buildings, seas, oceans, and rivers.
  1. Yesterday afternoon, the fire broke out at the Jaya Shopping Complex.
  2. The Red Sea is the saltiest ocean in the world. 

 
 
5.3  Zero Article
 
Do not use any article when you refer to a plural object in general. 
 
Countable Nouns Is zero article possible? Which article to use?
YES THE
tiger

Tigers are wild animals.

(Meaning: all tigers)

The tigers are fed twice a day.

(Specific tigers)
flower

Brightly coloured flowers attract butterflies.

(Meaning: all flowers with bright colours attract butterflies)

The flowers in the vase are not real.

(Specific flowers)