 A: Hello Julie! What __ beautiful day! How’s everything going?  B: Great! I just bought __ new dress with my friends.  A: __ new dress? Where did you buy it?  B: It’s __ clothing store recommended by my friend. __ one call Charlotte’s House in __ Nittany Mall. I used to go there twice __ month.  A: Really? I didn’t notice it before.  B: It’s __ nice place with __ lots of __ selections. I heard that __ Anne Hathaway likes that shop, too.  A: Who? Which Anne Hathaway?  B: __ one who played a role in __ movie Les Miserables.

 A: Hello Julie! What a beautiful day! How’s everything going?  B: Great! I just bought a new dress with my friends.  A: A new dress? Where did you buy it?  B: It’s a clothing store recommended by my friend. The one call Charlotte’s House in Nittany Mall. I used to go there twice a month.  A: Really? I didn’t notice it before.  B: It’s a nice place with lots of selections. I heard that Anne Hathaway likes that shop, too.  A: Who? Which Anne Hathaway?  B: The one who played a role in the movie Les Miserables.

Nouns CommonProper Count NoncountSg.Pl. Sg.Pl. Definitethe X Indefinitea/anSome/ X

 Any exceptions?

 1. Types:  I like cheese./It’s a cheese with butter.  2. Servings:  Tea has been historically promoted for having a variety of positive health benefits./ Can we have two teas with ice, please?  3. Abstract noncount:  Life can be difficult sometimes. (general notion)/ The police saved a life. (a person)  4. Individual lexical items:  Glass/a glass/ glasses  Any more examples?

 Person’s Names:  Bill drove us to Niagara Falls this week./  The Bill that drove us to Niagara Falls last year drove us there again this week.  Trade Names:  Kodak has been famous for its camera production./  My father gave me a kodak as a birthday gift.  Geographical Names (Place Names):  We go shopping in Nittany Mall every week./  The Nittany Mall is the only mall in this area. (less familiar with this place)

THE is used only when the noun being discussed has a specific, identical referrent( from the speaker/writer’s point of view) within the speaker/writer’s and the listener/reader’s knowledge base.

A: Let’s go to the gym this afternoon! Ok? B: But I have a test, but we can go later. A: All right! See you there. B: But I don’t have a car, so could you please give me a ride? A: Okay!

 Where did you buy it?  B: It’s a clothing store recommended by my friend. The one call Charlotte’s House in Nittany Mall.  A: Who? Which Anne Hathaway?  B: The one who played a role in the movie Les Miserables.

COMMON: Indefinite article(a/an)---- definite article(the by same participant) BUT Definite article(the)-----indefinite article(a/an) (intended to draw the readers into the story, as if reader was already familiar with the story.)

From beyond the screen of bushes which surrounded the spring, Popeye watched the man drinking. A faint path led from the road to the spring. Popeye watched the man--- a tall, thin man, hatless, in worn gray flannel trousers and carrying a tweed coat under his arm---emerge from the path and kneel to drink at the spring.

 Half a gallon  Twice a week  I have to go to school 5 days a week.  = Each week, I need to go to school 5 times.

 *What the nice day!  What a nice day!  * Such the beautiful girl!  Such a beautiful girl!  What a pity!

 There are lots of beautiful clothes in the mall.= There are a lo t of beautiful clothes in the mall  *There are the lot of beautiful clothes in the mall.  A (large) number of  A great deal of

 “A” before the quantifiers few and little to impart a positive rather than a negative sense of quantity  There are a few bookstores in the downtown and it is _____ for me to buy a lot of great novels. (easy/hard)  There are few bookstores in the downtown and it is _____for me to buy a lot of great novels. (easy/hard)

 The zero article (regarding to indefinite articles a/an) It occurs with nonspecific or generic noncount and plural nouns. And the aero article is more general and the indefinite article more individuals.

1. Zero signals noncount, and a/an signals count: The boys ate (a) chicken. 2. Zero signals general, and a/an particular: He sells (a) cheese of uncommon flavor. 3. Zero signals abstract, and a/an concrete: (A) Prison dehumanizes its inmates.

 The null article (regarding to definite article--- the) It occurs with certain singular count and proper nouns.

1. Null article names and the describes: Mr. Phillips was appointed (the) treasurer. 2. Null article is vague, while the is focused: It usually snows here in (the) winter. 3. Bull article in familiar, while the is less familiar.: (The) Lunch was quite uneventful.

 Zero least definite  Some  a/an  The  Null most definite

1. For singular body parts (the + noun) the heart the liver 2. For plural or paired body parts (the + noun+ pl.) the ears the eyes

 The + Noun The flu  a/an + Noun A cold  (the) + noun + pl. (The) chickenpox (x=ks)  Mass Noun influenza= the flu

 V9GQ V9GQ