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Articles
Summary of Practices
Articles—Diagnostic Quiz
Article Diagnostic: identify specific points that need review
This is a grammar diagnostic page with study links.
Quiz 1: beginning – intermediate
Quiz 2: intermediate – advanced
Articles—A Unspecific / Specific (any one vs. a particular one)
A – Unspecific One: refer to a noun as "any one is an example of all"
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
A specific one vs. an unspecific one
Speaking Generally or Specifically
Practice 1 – complete paragraph
Practice 2 – identify use
Practice 3 – multiple choice
Practice 4 – multiple choice
Related page: A Determiner
Making a violin requires more than technical knowledge. (unspecific – any one)
We gave a violin to the music school. (specific)
A – One in Particular: refer to a noun as an introduction to it
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
A comet appears to have a tail as it streaks through the sky.(unspecific)
A comet was seen in the western sky last night. (specific)
A vs. An: blend the article sound before the noun
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
This is a global business. /ˈg/
This is an electronic business. /ɪ/
The company has an NIH grant. /ˈɛn/
The director has a university e-mail address. /yu/
The director has an unlisted e-mail address. /ʌn/
Articles—"All" Plural Form
Plural–All in General: refer to a noun collectively or in mass
Beginning– Intermediate ESL
Plural Form vs. The + Plural Noun
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
Practice 3 – "History of Furniture" Edit
Dogs are descended from wolves. (all)
The dog is descended from the wolf. (the class)
The dogs are mine. (definite ones)
The – One Identified: refer to a known one or known ones
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
The w/ Count & Noncount Nouons
Practice 1 – complete paragraph
Practice 2 – multiple choice
Related page: A Determiner
Salami is very salty. (in general)
The salami I just tasted is very salty. (this one)
Crackers are salty. (in general)
The crackers you bought are salty. (these ones)
The – Classification: refer to typical characteristics and behavior (indefinite)
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
The lion sleeps much of the day. (indefinite– all in general)
A lion sleeps much of the day. (any one as an example)
The – Second Mention: refer to something known by earlier mentioned (already introduced)
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Practice 1 – complete the sentence
Practice 2 – complete the paragraph
Practice 3 – complete the paragraph
Related page: Article Practice 1
This is a puzzle piece. The piece fits into a puzzle.
(first mention) (second mention)
The – Included Part: refer to something known as an expected part within an earlier mentioned item
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
This is a puzzle. The pieces are inside the box.
(first mention) — (an expected part of an already mentioned item)
The – Later Mention: refer to a noun known by information after it (modifiers)
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Practice 1 – by name – multiple choice
Practice 2 – by phrase – multiple choice
Practice 3 – by clause – multiple choice
The part on top is here. (identified by modifier)
The part that I am holding is a corner. (ident. by clause)
The part you see is a corner. (ident. by clause)
The – Shared Knowledge: refer to a noun known by shared knowledge—situational, cultural or unique
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
Hand me the piece. (ident. by both see or know it)
Hand me the last piece. (ident. by being unique, the only one)
The – Group Characteristic: refer to a group by a shared attribute
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Group Names – the blind, the homeless, the young
Nationality Names– the English, the French
Selected-Quality Names – the wheat, the blue
Unique-Quality Names – the former, the tallest
Practice 1 – complete sentence
Practice 2 – complete sentence
Practice 3 – complete paragraph
The blind need accessible walkways.
The English were proud of their team.
Do you want a large or small coffee. I'll have the large.
The latter will be much better. In fact, it's the best.
The – Nationality: (Demonyms) country, language/origin, people and person word forms
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
He is an Englishman. (unspecific)
He is English. (adjective of nationality)
The English are northern people. (specific nationality)
The – Landmarks: recognize buildings and landmarks that are marked with the
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
The Golden Gate Bridge is a beautiful landmark. (specific)
The – Geography: recognize natural land forms that are marked with the
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I live on the Peninsula.
I live in the coastal hills.
The – Country Names: recognize when to use the with country names
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Articles – Kind of Union (state, republic, kingdom)
Practice – multiple choice
She lives in Bolivia. (no article)
He is from the Kingdom of Tonga. (kind of union)
I live in the United States of America.
He lives in the Netherlands. (plural)
He lives in The Gambia. (exception–capital)
The – Superlatives: state a unique degree of a noun; don't forget the.
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
He is the most convincing actor of all.
He is the least likable character in the film.
It was the saddest movie ever.
Another / The other: specify one more or the rest
Beginning– Intermediate ESL
Practice 1 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 3 – edit paragraph
See Quantifiers.
She ate one. (a cookie)
Then she ate another. (one more)
Then she ate the others. (the rest of the group)
She ate other cookies. (not these)
Most / Most of the: specify a majority in a group
Intermediate– Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Most students ask questions.
Most of the students in my English class ask questions.
A number of the students ask questions.
The number of the students who ask questions is low.
The – Identified Nouns: recognize when to switch from a to the
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Identified v Unidentified Nouns
Practice 1 – correct / incorrect
Practice 2 – complete the sentence (MC)
Practice 3 – edit the paragraph
The kids who are starting college this fall across nation were born in 1994.
They do not remember .....
Article Use Prac: practice article use in a restaurant review
Intermediate–Advanced ESL
A Restaurant Review
Practice 1 – paragraph fill in
Practice 2 – paragraph fill in
"Chez Panisse Café " is a less-expensive alternative to Alice Waters' restaurant "Chez Panisse".
The more, the more: express that two things vary together
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
The more we saw, the less we could believe.
The bigger, the better.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
(The more important or powerful a person is, the more difficult it is for him/her when losing power or importance.)