Articles in English

Articles

inEnglish

Who Knows?

Definite or Indefinite

Count / Noncount

Who Knows?

My love is a rose.

A rose

A rose

A rose

A rose

The rose in

the park

A rose

Definite – the sign

Indefinite – a sign

General or Specific?

• I put a book in your room.

• The book is on your desk.

Do you know which book?

We know which book.

Definite / Indefinite

Example Writer knows Reader knows Definite / Indefinite

Can I see the book?

yes yes definite

I saw a one-eared cat.

Yes No indefinite

I heard you wrote a book.

No Yes indefinite

I need to buy a new computer

No No indefinite

5 sources of definiteness

1.Previously mentioned.– I saw a one-eared cat

outside my house. The cat seemed to be very suspicious when I approached it.

2.Superlatives or ranking adjectives make a noun definite.– The best team in the

league is the Gators.


2.Superlatives or ranking adjectives make a noun definite.– The third paragraph

contains the right answer.


3.The noun is a unique person, place, or thing.– The sun rotates around the

earth.– I find many useful sites on

the internet.


4.A modifying phrase or clause makes the noun more definite.– The student in the back

row seems to know all the answers.


4.A modifying phrase or clause makes the noun more definite.– The girl who made the

winning shot lives next door to me.


5.The context of situation makes the identity clear.– I am going to the library.

• Both students at SFCC know which library.


Who Knows?


Count / Noncount

Source: http://www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/esl.html

the milk

a drop of milk

Did you leave the milk on the table?

What does it mean?

• I got the A on the exam.• I got an A on the exam.• The good teachers are at SFC.

Who Knows?


Count / Noncount

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52971398@N00/468886018




Articles in English

Education

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