Chapter two

The Articles

The uses of the articles

A(n) means per:

60 mph means sixty miles per hour, but we often say sixty miles an hour.

e.g. once a week, twice a month,The speed of this car was 160 miles

an hour

Known and specified

The means one member of the class to represent the whole class

Form: the + singulare.g. The Hawaiian goose is in danger of extinction.

(abstract thinking) The Hawaiian geese are in danger of extinction.

(concrete thinking) The + adjective means the whole class of people

described by the adjectivee.g. we have made special arrangements for the

handicapped and the disabledTo refer to one such person, you would say: the

handicapped person

Other uses for the

Titles and dates using ordinal numberse.g. Elizabeth II = Queen Elizabeth the

Second13 April = April the thirteenth, the thirteenth

of AprilN.B. There are cases where ordinal

numbers are used without the when we are talking about prizes and competitions

e.g. The Spanish contestant was in second place

Cases where the is left out

• The is not used in the pattern: title + namee.g. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, President Nilson• The is sometimes omitted in fixed expressions

especially in these forms:Verb + NOUN: to take place , to make friendsPreposition + NOUN: on time, for exampleN.B. There are some exceptions:• We say at night but in the morning• The may be omitted with the names of the

seasons: in (the) spring, before (the) winter.

Cases where the is left out

Expressions on the pattern TO + NOUN and

IN/AT+NOUN which refer to the activity or function associated with the noun:

To go to school= to be in full time education

Therefore we say:

The student went to school (an everyday action) but

the woman went to the school ( may be she will talk to the teacher)

Other examples: to go to prison, to be in bed, to be at school

Exceptions: to the office, to the theatre

BY+ NOUN is used to express the method of travellinge.g. to go by bus, by air, by taxi, by carSometimes we use the pattern ON+ NOUNe.g. on foot, on horseback

Deliberate omission of articles

The articles are left out whenever you want to save space, time, or money as in:

Headlines: POLICE QUESTION YOUTH AFTER BRITISH

MUSEUMEXPLOSION = The police are questioning a youth following an explosion which took place in or near the British museum

Deliberate omission of articles

Telegrams: REGRET MEETING CANCELLED STOP

SUGGEST DATE BEFORE NEXT AGM STOP LETTER= We regret that the meeting has been cancelled. We suggest that a date should be chosen before the next AGM. We will send you a letter about this matter right away.

Deliberate omission of articles

Notices and labels:DO NOT LEAN OUT OF WINDOWRING BELL AND WAIT

Demonstratives• Form of the demonstratives• Singular and plural This, that (singular)These, those (plural)• THIS etc. + NOUN: This house, these

houses/ that day, those days• THIS/THAT + ONEWhich piece do you want? I want this one / I

want that one.In the plural: I want these. ( without one)

Form of the demonstratives

This etc. as pronoun

These are my books; those must be to someone else.

This etc. + ADJECTIVE + NOUN

e.g. this old house, that certain feeling

This etc. + NOUN + OF mine –yours- ours

e.g. that old car of yours

Meaning of the demonstratives

• This identifies sth near to the speaker; it is associated with here.

• That identifies sth farther from the speaker; it is associated with theirs.

• Meanings:• Physical location

e.g. All students are here? ( inside the classroom)

The book is not here but there

Meaning of the demonstratives

• Sphere of interest: demonstratives are often used not simply to describe things which are physically located near or farther from the speaker, but to identify things which are inside or outside the speaker`s personal universe or sphere of interest

• This: here, towards, come, near to, bring

• That: there, away from, go, far from,take

Meaning of the demonstratives

• E.g. I can`t stand this rainy weather (here)

• What is that object in the sky?(there)

• This key chain looks interesting(holding)

• This key chain looks interesting ( pointing)

• Do you want this one or this one?

• Do you want this one or that one?

• Listen to this joke ( near)

• Just listen to that noisy motorbike

Other uses

• This is sometimes used instead of a(n) in the sense of known but not yet specified, when people are telling you about an experience they have had.

e.g.

We met this marvellous man when we were in Bristol. He took us to this fantastic restaurant in this funny old house…

Other uses

• Referring forward and referring backward• This is used to refer sth which has been

already said, or is about to be said

The way to get justice is like this: go and get a policeman.

The policeman stopped the woman to get her license but this led her to be in prison.

• That can only be backward.

“Prove it?” “That`s easy.”

Other uses

• That/those in comparative statements

The feathers of owls are softer than those of other birds.

• Those who

I don’t believe those people who back terrorism.

• This in time expressions: this morning,year

• Emphatic use of that