Topic Category: ENG - GRAM

In grammar, the definite article is the word the. It is used in front of a noun when referring to a specific example. (e.g. the boy, the ball, the sky, etc.)

We use the definite article at times and other times we do not, depending on the context. (e.g. The man goes to church. The man is going to the church.) in the first example the definite article is not used and is the second sentence it is used.

Examples

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE	L’ARTICLE DEFINI
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]the sky[/responsivevoice]
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”]the girl[/responsivevoice]
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]the book[/responsivevoice]
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”]the workers[/responsivevoice]
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]the teachers[/responsivevoice]

The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun when its identity is not known. A general rule to know which indefinite article to use is:

a	Use a before a singular noun that begins with a consonant sound.
an	Use an before a singular noun beginning with a vowel sound.

a	an
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”]a house[/responsivevoice]	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”]an apple[/responsivevoice]
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]a dog[/responsivevoice]	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]an idea[/responsivevoice]
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”]a man[/responsivevoice]	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]an owl[/responsivevoice]
[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]a yearbook[/responsivevoice]	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]an honour[/responsivevoice]

The basic structure of a sentence is a subject, a verb and an object. The other parts may include a definite article, a preposition, and a personal pronoun.

A simple sentence has one subject, a verb and an object. (e.g. John had a wallet.)

A compound sentence has at least two main clauses. (e.g. John had a wallet and his neighbour had a knapsack. (Main clause and Main clause)

Susan	gave	the	present	to	him.
Subject	verb	definite article	object	preposition	personal pronoun
Sujet	verbe	article défini	objet	préposition	pronom personnel

Sentences may be classified according to the purpose and should be punctuated.

DECLARATIVE	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”]Cathy reported the mistake.[/responsivevoice]	Statement
INTERROGATIVE	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]Did Cathy report the mistake?[/responsivevoice]	Question
IMPERATIVE	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”]Report the mistake.[/responsivevoice]	Command or Request
EXCLAMATORY	[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”]What a mistake![/responsivevoice]	Exclamation

A noun is a word that refers to a person, a place, a thing, an idea, etc.

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] A person – Joseph  [/responsivevoice]

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”] A place – Toronto [/responsivevoice] 

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] A thing  – lamp [/responsivevoice]

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”] An animal  – dog  [/responsivevoice]

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] An idea – thought [/responsivevoice]

TYPES OF NOUNS

Proper Noun – Mrs. Smith

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”] Mrs. Smith [/responsivevoice]

Concrete Noun – A woman

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] A woman  [/responsivevoice]

Concrete Noun – The car

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”] The car  [/responsivevoice]

Abstract Noun – Kindness

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] Kindness  [/responsivevoice]

 Collective Noun – Our family

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”] Our family  [/responsivevoice]

 Mass Noun – Much time

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] Much time  [/responsivevoice]

 Count Noun – Eight dollars

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”] Eight dollars  [/responsivevoice]

A noun can change from the singular to the plural.

Singular refers to one person or thing  – Example – child

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] child [/responsivevoice]

Plural means more than one  – Example – children

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Male” buttontext=”Play”] children [/responsivevoice] 

SINGULAR NOUN		PLURAL NOUN
woman		women
child		children
man		men
family		families
city		cities
office		offices
tree		trees

Examples of nouns in sentences

[responsivevoice voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Play”] The woman carried the baby. [/responsivevoice]

Examples of nouns in sentences

Women are very kind.

The man was upset.

The men like to travel.

My family is moving away.

The families are getting together.

The city is very popular.

Cities keep the lights on each night.

The tree has many apples.

Some trees keep their leaves longer.