THE USE OF THE DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE ARTICLE

Sotto ci sono delle regole per luso corretto dellarticolo in inglese. a notato c!e gli inglesi usano larticolo "eno degli italiani. #uesto accade soprattutto in due circostan$e% i& 'uando il sostanti(o ) nu"era*ile e (iene usato in senso generale ii& 'uando il sostanti(o ) non+nu"era*ile e (iene usato in senso generale ese"pi i& Students "ust pass t!e Englis! e,a" to o*tain - credits. Lessons are !eld in classroo" ./. Custo"ers can pa0 *0 credit card. ese"pi ii& Sound tra(els 1ast in 2ater. 3as is 4ept in "etal c0linders. Ca4e and co11ee 2ill *e ser(ed in t!e *rea4.

The Indefinite Article

Used 1or singular counta*le nouns 1or general "eaning. + t!e 1irst "ention o1 a noun e.g. T!ere is a strong 2ind5 t!e 2ind is o1ten strong !ere + nu"*ers and 1ractions e.g. Its a 'uarter o1 t!e total. + "eans 6e(er0 2it! e,pressions o1 ti"e e.g. Ta4e t!e pills t!ree ti"es a da0 + to descri*e a persons 7o* or situation e.g. S!es an arc!itect5 !es an engineer.

The Definite Article

Used 1or singular counta*le nouns 1or speci1ic "eaning + t!e second "ention o1 a noun e.g. T!ere is a strong 2ind5 the 2ind is o1ten strong !ere + 1or so"et!ing uni'ue e.g. please can 0ou "o(e the tele(ision

no article is used with:

cities5 to2ns5 (illages possessi(e ad7ecti(es la4es sports ; ga"es countries5 regions streets islands continents planets 1esti(als 0ears "eals indi(idual "ountains na"ed s!ops 2eig!ts and "easures I" going on !olida0 to 8 London. Its 8 "0 *rot!ers *irt!da0 ne,t 2ee4. 8 La4e 9ala is in :ales. I pre1er pla0ing 8 c!ess to 8 1oot*all. I li(e in 8 Cala*ria <but t!e region o1 Cala*ria&. T!e s!op is in 8 .ontague Street. I !ad a !olida0 on 8 Capri. 8 Asia is *igger t!an 8 A1rica. T!ere is no li1e on 8 .ars. It 2ill soon *e 8 C!rist"as. He 2as *orn in 8 =>>?. T!e0 are !a(ing 8 dinner <but t!e Annual Dinner& In =>-@ an Englis! e,pedition con'uered 8 E(erest. I *oug!t "0 s!irt 1ro" 8 Dunn A Sons. Its 8 /-? "etres a*o(e sea le(el. 8 Dogs are not per"itted in t!e par4. 8 O,0gen is essential 1or 8 li1e.

BBBplural counta*le nouns <general sense& BBBuncounta*le nouns <general sense&

the article is used with:
t!e superlati(e nouns representing a class o1 people ; t!ings ordinal nu"*ers t!e ad7ecti(e 6onl0 pro(inces groups o1 islands ne2spapers "usical instru"ents nationalities oceans5 seas5 ri(ers repu*lics points o1 t!e co"pass 1ederations "ountain ranges in(entions species s!ops

Ca"es is the tallest *o0 in our class. :e are !a(ing a c!arit0 s!o2 1or the *lind. T!is is the t!ird "atc! o1 t!e season. S!es the onl0 one 2!o 4no2s. I li(e in the pro(ince o1 Cosen$a. T!e0 are on !olida0 in the .aldi(es. I al2a0s read 6The Independent. He pla0s the 1lute and the o*oe. The Frenc! consu"e a lot o1 2ine. The Ri(er Trent 1lo2s into the Nort! Sea. The Deoples Repu*lic o1 C!ina is in Asia. Ro"e is to the nort! o1 Naples. The United Eingdo" and the Net!erlands. Our 1lig!t crossed the Alps. The *ic0cle 2as in(ented *e1ore the car. The dog is a relati(e o1 the 2ol1. I" going to get so"e aspirins 1ro" the c!e"ists.

Nota: (pronuncia) larticolo deter"inati(o (iene pronunciato 6t!e nor"ale da(anti a consonanti5 "a per 1acilitF di pronuncia thii da(anti alle (ocali. Nor"al"ente si usa larticolo indeter"inati(o 6a da(anti ai consonanti e 6an da(anti alle (ocali5 "a ci sono delle ecce$ioni a 'uesta regola%

unieuone/once use

a uni1or"5 uni(ersit05 unicorn5 uni'ue etc. a euro5 European5 Euc!arist5 eup!e"is" etc. a one+and+onl0 opportunit05 once+in+a+li1eti"e c!ance etc. a use an !our5 !eir5 !onour5 !onest and (ariations o1 t!ese 2ords in all ot!er cases 6a is used *e1ore 6!.

an

E,ercise = Dut t!e correct article% a5 an5 t!e or no article in t!e spaces pro(ided. Facts a*out gorillas GGGG *ig "ale gorilla can 2eig! GGG /?? 4ilogra"s. GGGG gorillas *uild GGG nest to sleep in GGG eac! nig!t. GGGG *ig gorillas !ands are GGGG/.H- "etres 1ro" its s!oulders. GGGG gorillas li(e in GGGG groups and onl0 "o(e a*out one t!ird o1 GGG "ile GGGG da0. GGGG gorillas are a1raid o1 GGGG sna4es. GGGG gorillas ne(er !a(e GGGG 1leas. E,ercise / Dut a5 an5 t!e or no article in t!e spaces pro(ided GGG ro*in is a plu"p *ro2n *ird =I c". long. It !as GGG red 1ace and GGG *reast and GGGG 2!ite *ell0. GGGG "ales and GGGG 1e"ales loo4 ali4e5 *ut GGGG a"ount o1 GGG red on GGGG *reast (aries in GGG indi(idual *irds. GGGG ro*ins li(e all o(er GGG 3reat 9ritain and GGG Ireland5 and are o1ten 1ound in GGG gardens. Eac! "ale or pair !as GGG territor0 2!ic! GGG "ale de1ends. GGGro*ins eat GGG 1ruit5 GGGG2or"s and GGGG insects. GGGG 1e"ale la0s GGGG1our to GGG si, eggs in GGGG nest "ade o1 GGGG "oss and GGGG !air. GGGG eggs are 2!ite 2it! GGGlig!t red spots. E,ercise @ Put a, an, the or no article into the following passage: GGGG Cosen$a is an interesting cit0. It !as al2a0s pla0ed GGG i"portant role in GGGG intellectual and co""ercial li1e o1 GGGG Cala*ria. It is co"pletel0 enclosed *0 GGGG"ountains. To GGGG east t!ere is GGGG Sila and GGG coastal "ountain c!ain separates it 1ro" GGGG sea to GGGG 2est. GGGG Cosen$a is GGGG "eeting point o1 t2o ri(ers5 GGGGCrati and GGGG 9usento. GGGG second5 is5 *0 tradition5 GGG*urial place o1 Alaric GGGG 3ot! 2!o con'uered GGGGRo"e in GGGG I=? AD. E,ercise I To" 2or4s in GGGG !ospital. He goes t!ere si, ti"es GGG 2ee4. To" li(es at GGG Torano Castello. He li(es GGG near to GGG *an4. At GGG end o1 To"s street5 t!ere is GGGG c!urc!5 it is GGG paris! c!urc! and dates *ac4 to GGG ele(ent! centur0. It !as GGG do"e co(ered in GGG tiles. GGG o2l nests in GGG !ole in GGG 2all under GGG do"e. At GGG nig!t 0ou can !ear GGG o2l !ooting. In GGG da0ti"e5 0ou can see GGG cro2s t!at 1l0 to and 1ro" GGG !oles in GGG c!urc! 2alls. GGG Torano Castello is GGG s"all (illage on GGG !ill in GGG Cala*ria. It is a*out GGG @-? "etres a*o(e GGG sea le(el. A*out GGG @??? people li(e in GGG (illage. GGG Torano Castello is a*out GGGG @? 4". 1ro" GGG Cosen$a and is con(enient 1or GGG "otor2a0. To" ta4es GGG "otor2a0 to go to GGG 2or4 at GGG !ospital. He dri(es GGGG 3er"an car5 it is GGG gre0 :. He par4s GGG!is car in GGG !ospital car par4 2!ere !e !as GGG !is o11ice. To" teac!es GGG "edicine to GGG 7unior doctors and GGG nurses. He "a4es GGGG telep!one calls a*road and

2rites GGG 1a,es and GGG e+"ails. To" is "arried to GGG Cala*rian 2o"an called GGG 9ar*ara. 9ar*ara !as GGG degree in GGGG Dolitics. S!e !as GGG t2o *rot!ers and GGG t2o sisters. E,ercise GGGG *ridge o(er GGGG Ri(er Se(ern5 1ro" 2!ic! GGGG to2n ta4es GGGG its na"e5 is GGGG 1irst iron *ridge *uilt in GGGG England. T!is 2as GGGG *eginning o1 GGGGuse o1 GGGG iron in GGG industrial arc!itecture. T!e *ridge is GGG "asterpiece t!at 2as *uilt *et2een GGG =JJJ and GGGG=JJ> 2it! GGGG iron 1ro" GGG Coal*roo4dale 1oundr0. In GGGG =>@IGGG *ridge 2as closed to GGG (e!icles. Toda0 it is GGG i"portant tourist attraction. 9ut t!ere is GGG pro*le"5 GGG ri(er *an4s are "o(ing toget!er and graduall0 1orcingGGGG centre o1 GGGG *ridge up2ards.

Kou can c!ec4 0our ans2ers on t!e ne,t page.

EEK
E,ercise = Dut t!e correct article% a5 an5 t!e or no article in t!e spaces pro(ided. Facts a*out gorillas x *ig "ale gorilla can 2eig! x /?? 4ilogra"s. x gorillas *uild a nest to sleep in x eac! nig!t. x *ig gorillas !ands are x /.H- "etres 1ro" its s!oulders. x gorillas li(e in xG groups and onl0 "o(e a*out one t!ird o1 a "ile a da0. x gorillas are a1raid o1 x sna4es. x gorillas ne(er !a(e x 1leas. E,ercise / Dut a5 an5 t!e or no article in t!e spaces pro(ided The ro*in is a plu"p *ro2n *ird =I c". long. It !as a_ red 1ace and x/aG *reast and Gx/aGG 2!ite *ell0. TheG "ales and x/theGG 1e"ales loo4 ali4e5 *ut the a"ount o1 Gx_G red on Gthe *reast (aries in GxG indi(idual *irds. Gx_G ro*ins li(e all o(er GxG 3reat 9ritain and _x_ Ireland5 and are o1ten 1ound in GxGG gardens. Eac! "ale or pair !as GGaG territor0 2!ic! GtheG "ale de1ends. G x ro*ins eat Gx_ 1ruit5 GxG 2or"s and Gx_G insects. GtheG 1e"ale la0s GGx_G 1our to GxG si, eggs in GGaGG nest "ade o1 GGxGG "oss and GGxGG !air. The eggs are 2!ite 2it! GxG lig!t red spots. E,ercise @ Put a, an, the or no article into the following passage: Gx_ Cosen$a is an interesting cit0. It !as al2a0s pla0ed an i"portant role in the intellectual and co""ercial li1e o1 Gx_ Cala*ria. It is co"pletel0 enclosed *0 _x_ "ountains. To the east t!ere is the Sila and a coastal "ountain c!ain separates it 1ro" the sea to the 2est. GGxGG Cosen$a is GGtheGG "eeting point o1 t2o ri(ers5 the Crati and the 9usento. GtheG second5 is5 *0 tradition5 the *urial place o1 Alaric the 3ot! 2!o con'uered x Ro"e in xG I=? AD. E,ercise I To" 2or4s in a !ospital. He goes t!ere si, ti"es a 2ee4. To" li(es at x Torano Castello. He li(es x near to the *an4. At the end o1 To"s street5 t!ere is a c!urc!5 it is the paris! c!urc! and dates *ac4 to the ele(ent! centur0. It !as a do"e co(ered in x tiles. An o2l nests in a !ole in the 2all under the do"e. At x nig!t 0ou can !ear the o2l !ooting. In the da0ti"e5 0ou can see x cro2s t!at 1l0 to and 1ro" the !oles in the c!urc! 2alls. x Torano Castello is a s"all (illage on a !ill in x Cala*ria. It is a*out x @-? "etres a*o(e x sea le(el. A*out x @??? people li(e in the (illage. x Torano Castello is a*out x @? 4". 1ro" x Cosen$a and is con(enient 1or the "otor2a0. To" ta4es the "otor2a0 to go to x 2or4 at the !ospital. He dri(es a 3er"an car5 it is a gre0 :. He par4s x !is car in a/the !ospital car par4 2!ere !e !as x !is o11ice. To" teac!es x "edicine to x/the 7unior doctors and x/the nurses. He "a4es x telep!one calls a*road and 2rites x 1a,es and x e+"ails. To"

is "arried to a Cala*rian 2o"an called x 9ar*ara. 9ar*ara !as a degree in x Dolitics. S!e !as x t2o *rot!ers and x t2o sisters. E,ercise The *ridge o(er the Ri(er Se(ern5 1ro" 2!ic! the to2n ta4es x its na"e5 is the 1irst iron *ridge *uilt in x England. T!is 2as the *eginning o1 the use o1 x iron in x industrial arc!itecture. The *ridge is a "asterpiece t!at 2as *uilt *et2een x =JJJ and x =JJ> 2it! x iron 1ro" the Coal*roo4dale 1oundr0. In x =>@I the *ridge 2as closed to x (e!icles. Toda0 it is an i"portant tourist attraction. 9ut t!ere is a pro*le"5 the ri(er *an4s are "o(ing toget!er and graduall0 1orcing the centre o1 the *ridge up2ards.