Articles
Articles
a / an
1. It's a nice house.
She's a lawyer.
2. I saw an old man with a dog.
3. What an awful day!
4. I have classes three times a week.
We use a / an with singular countable nouns:
1. when we say what something is or what somebody does.
2. the first time we mention a thing / person.
3. in exclamations with What...!
4. in expressions of frequency.
the
1. I saw an old man with a dog. The dog was barking.
2. The bell rang and my father opened the door.
3. The moon goes round the Earth.
4. I'm going to the cinema tonight.
5. It's the best restaurant in town.
We use the:
1. when we talk about something we've already mentioned.
2. when it's clear what we're referring to.
3. when there's only one of something.
4. with places ina town, e.g. cinema, theatre.
5. with superlatives.
no articles
1. Girls often learn to read earlier than boys.
Love is more important than money.
2. She's not at home today.
I get back from work at 5.30.
3. I never have breakfast.
I'm going to the theatre on Tuesday.
4. See you next week.
We don't use an article:
1. when we are speaking in general (with plural and uncountable nouns), e.g.
I love flowers.
(flowers in general)
I love the flowers in my garden.
(the especific flowers in that place)
2. with some nouns, e.g.
home
work
school
church
(after at / to / from)
3. before meals, days, and months.
4. before next / last + day, week, etc.
I don't like pizza.
I don't like the pizza you make.
(situação específica)
-----
Men love football.
The men in my office love basketball.
(situação específica)
-----
Once upon a time, there was a princess.
(não sei quem é a princesa)
The princess lived in a castle.
( a princesa de quem estava falando)
The castle was strong.
Exercise 1
I love weddings
Jess is a nurse in a hospital. The hospital is a long way from her house.
What a horrible day! We'll have to eat our picnic in the car.
What a horrible day!
(singular countable noun)
---
What horrible people!
What noisy people!
(plural)
My wife likes love stories, but I prefer war films.
We go to the theatre about once a month.
I'm having dinner with some friends next Friday.
My boyfriend is a chef. I think he's the best cook.
I'm not sure if I closed the windows before I left home this morning.
In general, I like dogs, but I don't like the dogs that live next door to me.
I got to school late every day last week.
I think happiness is more important than money.
Exercise 2
What does the guidebook say about Pizzeria Marco?
It says that it's a great restaurant.
How often do you go to the gym?
About three times a week. But I never go on Fridays.
What time does the train leave?
In 40 minutes. Can you drop me off at the station on your way to work?
What an amazing dress!
Thanks. I bought it in a sales last month.
What's the most interesting place to visit in your town?
Probably the castle. It's the oldest building.
What shall we do next weekend?
Let's invite Toni for lunch. We could eat in the garden.
Do you like cats?
Not really. I prefer dogs. I think they're the best pets.
Is your mum a housewife?
No, she's a teacher. She's always tired when she finishes work.
Have you ever had a problem in your relationship?
Yes, but we solved the problem and we got married.
When is the metting?
They've chanded the date. It's on Tuesday now.