a(n), the and some

To start you thinking:

What's your first language?

Do you use articles like a and the in your language?
Does your language make a difference between a car and the car?
Does your language make a difference between I like coffee and I want some coffee?

Many languages do not use articles at all.
Many languages use articles very differently from English.
That's why we have this lesson.

write

Task 1: translate this into your language.

I gave him a cup. He put the cup down.

Does your language make a difference between a cup and the cup?

Task 2: translate this into your language.

I gave him some sugar. He put the sugar in his tea.

Does your language make a difference between some sugar and the sugar?

Now click here.

No differences? Your language probably does not have articles.
Some differences? Your language has some articles.
Four differences? Your language has articles.

Task 3:

Now look at this and think:
Why?

Give me a blue pencil, please.
Give me the black pencil, please.

We say a blue pencil but we say the black pencil. Why?
Click here when you have an answer.

The answer is:
There is ONLY ONE black pencil. We know which pencil it is.
There are THREE blue pencils. It does not matter which pencil you give me.

Rule 1: When there is only one of something, we usually say the.

Task 4: Right or Wrong? Click on the when you want the answer.

Give me a grey pen, please.	Wrong. There is only ONE grey pen so the we say: Give me the grey pen, please.
He drives a red car.	Right. There are LOTS OF red cars. We don't know which car he drives.
His car is the yellow one.	Right. There is only ONE yellow car in the picture. We know which car is his car.
Take a blue bag.	Wrong. There's only one blue bag in the picture. We say Take the blue bag.
The lion is very tired	Right. There is only ONE tired lion.
Pass me a red book.	Wrong. There is only one red book. We say: Pass me the red book.

What's the difference?

Task 5:

think:
What is the difference?

I spoke to a manager. I spoke to the manager.	In sentence 1., there is more than one manager. In sentence 2., there is only one manager.
I went to a park. I went to the park.	In sentence 1., it is not important which park. In sentence 2., we both know the park.
I talked to a policeman. I talked to the policeman.	In sentence 1., I don't know which policeman. Perhaps there are lots of policemen. In sentence 2., we both know the policeman.
I took an aspirin. I took the aspirin.	In sentence 1., there are lots of aspirins. In sentence 2., there was only one aspirin.
He is a teacher. He is the teacher.	In sentence 1., his job is a teacher. I don't know what he teaches. In sentence 2., I know him and I know the class he teaches.

a(n) or some?

Task 6:

Look at these

		Would you like a biscuit and some sugar?
		I have a pen and some paper with me.
	I found a wallet with some money in it.

I can count biscuits: 1 biscuit, 2 biscuits etc.
I can't count sugar.
I can count pens: 1 pen, 10 pens etc.
I can't count paper (but I can count pages).
I can count wallets: 1 wallet, 6 wallets etc.
I can't count money (but I can count dollars, pounds, Euros etc.).

Rule 2: When we can't count it, we use some.

Task 7:

Now look at these

		There are some books on the floor. There is some sugar in the bowl.
		I have some pencils and some paper.

Rule 3: When we can count it and have more than one, we use some.

Task 8: Take a test.

Task 9:

Now read this
Why do we use a and the in this story?

A red car stopped and the driver opened the window.
"I'm a tourist here and I'm lost," he said. "Is there a petrol station near here?"
"I don't know," I said, "I'm a tourist too!"
"Oh. I need some petrol badly," the driver said. "The car is nearly empty."
A police officer came to the car.
"You can't park here, sir." said the officer.
"I don't want to park the car," the driver said. "I need some petrol. Is there a petrol station in the town?"
"Yes," said the police officer. "There is one in the next street on the left."

Click here when you have an answer.

story 3

Rule 4: The first time we talk about it, we use a(n). The second time, we use the.

Task 10:

We now have 4 rules. Can you write them with an example for each one?
Don't look back! Click here when you have written the 4 rules.

Rule 1: When there is only one of something, we usually say the.
For example: I live in a small house. The house has two bedrooms.
Rule 2: When we can't count it, we use some.
For example, we say, some money, some milk, some information not a money, a milk, an information.
Rule 3: When we can count it and have more than one, we use some.
For example, I always have some pens and some paper on my desk.
Rule 4: The known-unknown rule. The first time we talk about it, we use a(n). The second time, we use the.
For example, I saw a man. The man was reading a book. The book was a love story. The story was in French.

Task 11:

Now look out of your window.
What can you see?
Make sentences like these:

I can see a car. The car is on the corner.
I can see a man. The man is standing by the car.
I can see a garden. The garden is in front of a house. The house is over the road.

Make 5 sentences.

Task 12: Take the last test.