Definite

1
Definite Indefinite Articles

• Which should we use?
• When should we use it?

A
An
The
Fast Track IV Margarita C. González
2
Thought Organization in English
In an Essay or Article
General Statements
Introduction
Specific Statements
Body of Essay
General Statements in Different Words
Conclusion
3
Introducing a topic

• Talk about an idea in general terms
• Talk about the idea specifically

4
When there is only one item

• The Earth is a sphere, and it is the planet we
  live in.

5
Article Rules
6
Review of Main Points

• Is this the first time we introduce a noun?
• Is it a count noun?
• Is it plural?
• Is it singular?
• Is it a non-count noun?
• Has this noun already been mentioned before in
  the text?
• Is there only one item of this kind?

7
WorldWide Web Sites

• http//titania.cobuild.collins.co.uk/form.html
  Cobuild Corpus Sampler
• http//thetis.bl.uk British National Corpus
• http//sara.natcorp.ox.ac.uk/loopup2.html BNC
• http//un2sg4.unige.ch/athena/html/athome.html
  The Modern English Collection
• http//etext.lib.virginia.edu/modeng/modeng0.brows
  e.html Athena a site that blends texts
  pertaining to science and art
• http//www.ceth.rutghers.edu/informationservices/e
  ctrdir.html