CHAPTER 11 – ARTICLES INDEFINITE AND DEFINITE ARTICLES INDEFINITE ARTICLES: A, AN, SOME introducing a Noun Use A/AN to introduce a singular count noun for the first time.. Use SO
Trang 1CHAPTER 11 – ARTICLES INDEFINITE AND DEFINITE ARTICLES
INDEFINITE ARTICLES: A, AN, SOME introducing a Noun
Use A/AN to introduce a singular count noun for the first time THERE IS/THERE ARE often begins a sentence or clause that introduces a noun with an indefinite article
For example:
Woman: Did you see a little boy walk by here five minutes ago.
Police officer: I’m not sure What does he look like?
Woman: He has brown hair, and there’s a big soccer ball on his sweatshirt.
Use SOME or no article to introduce plural count nouns or noncount nouns.
For example:
I need some batteries for my camera.( I need batteries for my camera.)
I called for some information (I called for information.)
Sometimes the speaker does not have a specific noun in mind
For example:
1 A: I’m looking for a new car, but I don’t know what kind.
B: Are you looking for a big car or a small car?
DEFINITE ARTICLE: THE identifying a Noun
(Use THE to refer to a noun that both you and a listener can identify This is possible when you and the listener share information about the noun.)
Use the definite article THE to talk about a noun for the second time
For example: 1 I bought Koji a sweater and a watch for his birthday However, the sweater
doesn’t fit and the watch doesn’t work!
Use the definite article THE for objects that you can see or hear
For example: 1 Could you pass the butter, please?
2 That must be a big fire I can hear the sirens from here!
Use the definite article THE when the speaker and the listener have a specific noun because they share common information
For example:
1 A: Oh, no! The copy machine is broken again!
B: I can’t believe it!
2 Please wash the car (Father to son)
3 Have you finished the report? (Boss to Employee)
Use the definite article when other information in the sentence identifies the noun
For example: 1 Turn off the light near the door.
2 Please hand me the book about England.
Trang 2 Use the definite article with certain nouns (store, doctor, hospital, movies, bank, park, TV, telephone) that are familiar to you and a listener in everyday life
For example: 1 A: I’m going to the doctor this morning Can I borrow your car?
B: Sure.
2 A: Hello I’m here to see Ms Stephens.
B: I’m sorry, she’s on the telephone Would you like to sit down and wait?
Use the definite article for a noun that is unique (the only one)
For example: 1 The earth revolves around the sun.
2 Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
CHAPTER 12: QUANTITY EXPRESSIONS
GENERAL QUANTITY EXPRESSIONS
A - GENERAL QUANTITY EXPRESSIONS WITH COUNT NOUNS: many, several, a few,
few
B – GENERAL QUANTITY EXPRESSIONS WITH NONCOUNT NOUNS: a great deal of,
much, a little, little
C – GENERAL QUANTITY EXPRESSIONS WITH COUNT NOUNS AND NONCOUNT NOUNS: a lot of = lots of, plenty of, some, any, no
MANY vs MUCH: Use MANY in affirmative, negative statements and questions Use
MUCH in negative statements and questions MUCH is not usually used alone in affirmative statements Use A LOT OF instead
For example:
1 I have many friends / I don’t have many friends./ Do you have many friends?
2 We don’t get much rain here / Do you get much rain here? / We get a lot of rain here.
A FEW/FEW vs A LITTLE/ LITTLE:
+ A FEW and A LITTLE give a positive idea; they indicate that something exists, is present + FEW and LITTLE give a negative idea; they indicate that something is largely absent.
Expressing NONE: Use NO, NOT ANY to express NONE NO is used in affirmative
statements, but it has a negative meaning NOT ANY is used to form a negative statement
For example:
1 There is no sugar in this dessert ( There isn’t any sugar in this dessert.)
2 There are no eggs in this recipe ( There aren’t any eggs in this recipe.)
Trang 3 Emphasizing Amounts:
+ Use TOO and SO before MANY/MUCH to emphasize a larger amount TOO usually has a
negative meaning
For example: 1 There are so many choices on this menu Isn’t it wonderful?
2 There are too many choices on this menu I can’t decide what to eat.
3 She’s made so much money this year She’s happy about it.
4 She’s made too much money this year She’ll have to pay a lot in taxes + Use ONLY before A FEW or A LITTLE to emphasize an even smaller amount Use QUITE with A FEW (not A LITTLE) to emphasize a larger amount.
For example: 1 Only a few houses are available (There are a small number of houses.)
2 Quite a few houses are available (There are a large number of houses.)
3 Would you like some milk in your coffee? Only a little, please.
SPECIFIC QUANTITY EXPRESSIONS
Expressing specific amounts:
+ Specific quantity expressions can be used with plural count nouns or noncount nouns.
Plural Count nouns: a box of matches, a cup of raisins
Nouncount nouns: a box of cereal, a cup of sugar.
+ Specific quantity expressions make noncount nouns countable.
One bowl of milk six ounces of beef two cans of soup four gallons of gas
+ The expression a piece of can be used with a number of noncount nouns to express a specific
amount
A piece of cake/bread/furniture/clothing/advice/news…
+ Some different types of specific quantity expressions.
Containers:
a carton of eggs/milk a jar of mayonnaise a bag of potato chips
A can of soda a box of cereal
Portions:
A slice of bread a piece of candy/cake a bowl of soup
A glass of milk a cup of coffee
Groups:
A bunch of bananas a dozen eggs a herd of cattle a flock of birds
A school of fish
Measurements:
A quart/gallon of juice an inch/foot/yard of cloth
a cup/teaspoon/tablespoon of salt an ounce/pound of butter
Shapes:
A grain of rice/sand a pile/stack of leaves a drop of water a stick of butter