2. Summer semester English 2
Grammar topics:
ARTICLES
RELATIVE CLAUSES AND PRONOUNS
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES 1, 2 & 3
MODAL VERBS
GERUND & INFINITIVE

3. Articles

4. Use of articles basically  adjectives  modify nouns
English has two articles: a/an and the
can be absent in non-specific cases and are indicated by the Ø (zero article)
a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns
the is used to refer to specific or particular nouns
the = definite article
a/an = indefinite article

5. ARTICLES ARE USED WITH:
COMMON NOUN OR NOUN PHRASE
Uncountable
Countable
Singular
Plural
the
(specific)
zero (Ø) (generic)
a/an
(non-specific)
the
(specific)
the Ø

6. INDEFINITE ARTICLE
when first mentioning or introducing new people, places or objects
There is an ERASMUS student from Spain at the faculty.
when categorising
A car is a vehicle.
when indicating membership in a group
I am a teacher.
My colleague is an Irishman.

7. A vs. AN
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog
an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university; a uniform
this rule also applies when you use acronyms:
a UN charter
an NGO

8. Definite article
when identifying something or refering to a specific thing
1. Back reference:
They came back from the ride.
I spent some time with the man inside.
2. Shared knowledge:
You could be calmly sitting on the beach, dozing in the sun and looking at the ocean.

9. The proper nouns below require ‘the’
Categories
Museums and galleries
Buildings
Highways
Seas and oceans
Rivers and deserts
Periods and events in history
Bridges
Countries with United, Union, Kingdom, Republic
Island groups ending in (e)s
Examples
the Asian Civilization Museum
the University Cultural Centre
the Pan-Island Expressway
the South China Sea
the Mississippi, the Gobi desert
the Middle Ages
the Manhattan Bridge
the United States, the People’s Republic of China
the Philippines

10. These categories of proper nouns do not require ‘the’
People’s names
Cities
Singular names of countries
Months/days
Streets
Religious buildings
Mountains
Parks
Lakes
Examples
Ian McMillan
Birmingham, Prague
France, Australia
May, Tuesday
Oxford Street, Holland Road
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Mount Fuji
Hyde Park
Lake Victoria

11. WTIH ‘the’
the centre, the top, the middle, the bottom, the left, the right, the end of, the beginning of …
the same, the main …
the best, the worst, the first ... → superlatives & ordinal numbers
the sun, the moon, the world, the sky, the sea, the country…
the police, the fire brigade, the army…
the piano, the guitar, the trumpet, the flute …
the radio (but television, without ‘the’)
the doctor, the toilet, the bank, the theatre, the post office, the dentist, the cinema …

12. OMISSION OF ARTICLES
with proper nouns such as places, people and companies
I met a young man from Norway.
Tom Brown had a job with Microsoft.
the indefinite article means ‘one’, so it can’t be used with plurals or uncountable nouns
There are plenty of ideas.
The love of money is the root of all evil.
in general statements
Men are a mistery to women.
Time is money.
names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Croatian
names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
names of academic subjects: mathematics, history, computer science

13. … also without ‘the’ breakfast, lunch, dinner
go to work, get to work, be at work, start work, finish work…
got to school, be at school, start school, leave school…
go to university, be at university…
go to church, be in chuch (or mass)
go to bed, be in bed
go to hospital, be in hospital
go to prison, be in prison
go home, get home, arrive home, come home, walk home, leave home, be at home, stay at home

14. THANKS A MILLION – VIDEO AUSTRALIAN SITE WITH THE WHOLE LESSON
ANY QUESTIONS?
THANKS A MILLION – VIDEO AUSTRALIAN SITE WITH THE WHOLE LESSON