The uses of article “a/an” Abstract

The uses of article “a/an” Abstract

The uses of article “a/an”

Abstract

In studying a foreign language, learners could not pay attention to only its pronunciation, vocabulary but also its grammar The learners, in fact, have to meet grammatical problem very much such as: tense, verb, adj…Particularly

articles The correct use of articles a/an is complex and difficult problem in

English grammar It requires learners to have a very good knowledge of articles and how to use them Therefore, in my study, I describe research to ward article

a/an in English We present definition and types of articles, some basic use of a/

an, and classification in terms of meaning.

Outline

I Introduction

II Findings

1 Definition and types of articles.

2 Basic use of a/an.

3 Classification in terms of meaning.

III Recommendations

IV Conclusion

References

I Introduction

Nowadays, English has become more and more popular in Viet Nam in general and in many universities in particular For many students learning English is vital need

To learn English well, grammar plays a very important role of which articles are a rather small but crucial grammatical unit in defining nouns and

showing how the noun is being used Although article a/an is a small

elements, they have caused a lot of trouble and confusion for learners when using them As a Vietnamese learner of English for a long time, I sometimes

have difficulties in using article a/an That is reason I choose this topic for

may study The study concentrates on finding of out English learners difficulties in learning articles and basing on this to give learners some necessary ones which I have learned from teacher, friend ,books…to help

them overcome the difficulties and use of article a/an more effectively And

in my study, I focus on definition basic use of article a/an and classification

in terms of meaning

II Finding

1 Definition and types of articles

Many grammarians such as A.J Thomson, Alexander, Cobuild…have many different definition

According to Cobuild (1990) articles are a small member of determiners that are used with noun or noun phrases and have function of identifying on classifying the nouns or noun phrases (p.43)

Another definition of English articles is that articles are, in fact, limiting adjectives, but they are generally treated as a separate part of speech

An indefinite article is used before singular nouns that refer to any member of group (Raimes,1988, P 45)

There are three main articles:

The indefinite articles a/an

The definite articles the

The zero article (o)

2 Basic use of a/an

a/.∂./in front of consonant sound: p, t, k, m, n, …and with alphabet B, C,

D, G, K, Q, T,U, V, W, Y,Z, (H)

Eg: a hat, a pen, a K

An/∂n/ in front of vowel sound o e, i, a, u and with alphabet A, E, F, H,

I, L, M, N, O, R, S, X…

Eg: an umbrella, an orange, an F

A/an has an indefinite meaning (person, animals or thing referred to may be not know to the listener or readers, so A/an has the sense of any or I

can’t tell you which, or it doesn’t matter which)

A/an can combine only with singular noun

3 Classification in terms of meaning

3.1 A/an +a noun: referring to something /person in general

Eg:

A cat is a domestic animal

An architect is a person who designs buildings

3.2 By means of label: a/an +noun after the verb be.

In order to give more information about someone, something or talk about the profession (Alexander, 1988, P 36)

Eg:

His father is an engineer

She is a doctor

3.3 A/an +adjective = noun to describe the people ( Que, Phan Van and

Minh, Hoang Tuyet,2006, P.18)

Eg:

She is American = She is an American

He is conservative = He is a conservative

3.4 Indicating

Occupation: He wants to be a teacher

Religion and nationalities: He is an English man

Politics: My grandmother is a Republican

Origins: I am a Vietnamese

3.5 Representative/ example/ typical or group of class

“To refer to a thing or a person of individual type to makes a general

statement about all people or things of that type” ( J, Maurer, 1997, P.25) Eg:

A child needs love ( all Children need love)

3.6 Referring to a “certain person”

A/an +tiles (Ms, Mr, Mrs):a certain person who you don’t known ( Que, Phan Van and Tuyet, Hoang Minh, 2006, P.19)

Eg:

A Mr Hung phone you

A Mss Lan wants to see you in the hall

3.7 Quantity: a/an = only one

Not specifying any particular person or thing

Eg:

I’d like a cake

When expressing this in the plural person, we use some or any

Eg:

I’d like some cakes/ I don’t like any cakes

Referring to “only one”

Eg:

I have a new car

3.8 A/an when it is mentioned for the first time and represents no particular person or thing (Chalker, S, 1984, P.28)

Eg:

He has just bough a book

There were a man and a woman in the garden

3.9 A/an with reference to measurement: referring to one unit of

measure in terms of another To emphasize each, We used per instead of

a/an ( Que, Phan Van and Minh, Hoang Tuyet,2006, P18)

Price in relation to weight : 5p a/per kilo

Distance in relation to speed: 60km an/per hour

Distance/ fuel consumption: 30miles a/per gallon

Frequency/time: Four times a day

3.10 A/an after What and such (Alexander, L.G, 1988, P 37)

A/an used with countable nouns after What in exclamations

Eg:

What a shame!

What a lot ! used for exclamation

Eg:

What a lot of lucky

A/an after such when we wish to emphasize degree

Eg:

She is such an intelligent!

3.11 A/an with pairs of nouns

Eg:

a cup and saucer

3.12 A/an with references to illnesses/ condition ( Thu, N.T, 2003, P.20) The indefinite article is compulsory: to have a cold A headache

The indefinite article is optional: to catch a cold, to have a stomach

With illnesses which are plural in form (measles, mumps ) no articles is

used: My sister are bed with mumps

With illnesses which are defined as uncountable (flu, hepatitis…) no

articles used: I was bed in flu for ten days.

IV Recommendations

In order to used articles a/an in English effectively, the first things is that

learners have to understand concept of countability of nouns which articles modify

According to Jack, C.R (1985) The learners understand the used of indefinite avoid mistakes when using an indefinite articles with uncountable nouns and avoid using indefinite articles before nouns when they can count (

P 47)

We can not use the indefinite articles before a plural

Eg:

He found a holy place in the forest near his school (incorrect) → He found holy places in the forest near his school (correct)

A countable noun always takes an article before it

Eg:

She is student (incorrect)

→ She is a student (correct)

We can not use the indefinite article before an un countable noun like money

Eg:

She has a money in her bag (incorrect)

→She has money in her bag (correct)

The confusion in the use of articles:

An is used instead of A: Before a singular countable noun with

consonant or a vowel with a consonant sound

Eg:

She is studying at an University in Hanoi (incorrect)

→She is studying at a University in Hanoi (correct)

A is used instead of an: Before a singular countable noun with a

vowel or consonant with a vowel sound

Eg:

He is a honest person (incorrect)

→He is an honest person (correct)

A/an is used instead of one in emphatic case

Eg:

It was a book we borrowed, not two (incorrect)

→It was one book we borrowed, not two (correct)

According to Jack (1985) A/an can be interchangeably each other when

we refer to whole numbers, fractions, money, weight, measure… (P.32) Eg:

a (one) hundred, thousand…

a ( one) quarter, third…

a (one) pound, dollar …

a ( one) kilo, meter…

IV Conclusion

The used articles, especially article a/an are rather a challenge for learners and for us also Because of the complexities in using, article a/an may lead the

misunderstanding and difficulties to learners Therefore, the study is carried out

to find out these problems and help learners understand and use them more flexible By pointing out the definition and types of articles, basic use of article

a/an and classification in terms meaning in English, I hope that this studying will help the learners have overview of article a/an

1 Alexander, L.G.(1988) Longman English Grammar NewYork: Longman

Group Limited

2 Chalker, S (1984) Current English Grammar Macmillan published Ltd.

3 Cobuild, C (1990) English Grammar LonDon: Collins publisher

4 Maurer, J (1997) Focus on Grammar –An Advanced NXB Thanh pho

Ho Chi Minh

5 Que, Phan Van & Minh, Hoang Tuyet (2006) Fundamentals of Practical

English Grammer Hanoi Open University.

6 Thu, N T (2003) Ngu Phap Tieng Anh NXB Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh.

From website:

http://www.unc.du/depts/wcweb/handout/articles.html

http://www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/esl.html