1. Definite and Indefinite Articles3
Definite and Indefinite Articles
An African Safari
Focus on Grammar 5
Part III, Unit 8
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Trip to Kenya Dear Marta, We took ____ most wonderful trip last
Look at the
letter. Fill in
the blanks
with
a, an, the or no article.
Explain your
answers to
a partner.
You will check
your answers
at the end of
the
presentation.
Dear Marta,
We took ____ most wonderful trip last
month. We went on ____ great safari.
____ safari was in Kenya and we saw
____ lions and ____hippos up close!
____ experience was great. ____
only problem was my husband was
bitten by ____ mosquito, but since we
had taken malaria medicine before
we came, ____ Dr. Matuka said
he would be okay.
Love, Gloria

3. I’d love to hold a baby lion.
Indefinite Article 1
When we don’t have a particular person, place, or thing in mind, we use non-specific nouns. Use the indefinite article a/an with non-specific singular count nouns.
I’d love to hold a baby lion.
any baby lion;
no particular lion
in mind

4. Indefinite Article 2
A noun is often indefinite the first time a speaker mentions it. It is usually definite after the first mention.
1st Mention
We went on a safari last year.
2nd Mention
The safari was very educational.

5. Zero Article 1 Hippos feel at home in water.
Use zero article (no article) with non-specific plural count nouns and non-specific non-count nouns.
Non-Specific
Plural Count Noun
 Zero Article
Hippos feel at home in water.
Meerkats are very interesting animals to watch.
Non-Specific
Non-Count Noun
 Zero Article

6. Generic Nouns
A noun is generic when it represents all members of a class or category. There are three ways to use count nouns generically.
zero article + plural count noun
1. Cheetahs are predatory animals.
indefinite article + count noun
2. A cheetah is a predatory animal.
zero article + non-count noun
3. Water is essential for all animals to survive.

7. Zero Article 2
Use zero article before the names of people or their titles, names of most countries, and habitual locations.
Kanika spends four days a week at work and two days a week in school.
Ambassador Mukasa was born in Tanzania but spent most of his life in Kenya.

8. Practice 1 Example: _____ zebra came right up to me! A
Look at the sentences. Complete them with an indefinite article or no article. Explain your answers to a partner.
Practice 1
Example: _____ zebra came right up to me! A
We stayed in _____ nice lodge. _____ game reserves usually have lodges nearby.
That kind of bird is usually found in _____ Zambia.
Have you ever seen _____ elephant up close?
This is _____ great vacation.
I would love to be _____ game warden.
A: Do you often see _____ warthogs at game reserves?
B: Oh, yes. There are some right over there. a an a a

9. Definite Article 1 The vultures have found something to eat.
A noun is definite when we know the particular person, place, or thing being talked about. Use the definite article the with non-count nouns and singular and plural nouns that are definite.
The vultures have found something to eat.
Yeah, I see them. Let’s get closer and take a picture.

10. Nanyuki, Kenya, is located on the equator.
Definite Article 2
Use the definite article with nouns that describe something unique.
Nanyuki, Kenya, is located on the equator.
There is only
one equator.

11. Definite Article 3 That is the tallest giraffe I’ve ever seen!
An adjective can often make a noun represent something unique. Examples of such adjectives are right, wrong, first, only, and the comparative and superlative forms.
Superlative
Adjective
Unique
Adjective
That is the tallest giraffe I’ve ever seen!
The first giraffe is eating.

12. Kenya is located along the Indian Ocean.
Definite Article 4
The definite article is used with the names of public places, some countries, and many geographical regions or features.
My friends from the Netherlands are visiting Tanzania this year.
I went to the library to learn more about Kenya.
Kenya is located along the Indian Ocean.

13. Practice 2 Dear Marta, We took ____ most wonderful trip last
Look at the letter again and fill in the blanks. Did your ideas on article usage change? Check your answers.
Practice 2
Dear Marta,
We took ____ most wonderful trip last
month. We went on ____ great safari.
____ safari was in Kenya and we saw
____ lions and ____hippos up close!
____ experience was great. ____
only problem was my husband was
bitten by ____ mosquito, but since we
had taken malaria medicine before
we came, ____ Dr. Matuka said
he would be okay.
Love, Gloria
the a
The
The
The a

14. References
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