Daffodil International University
Educational => Learning English => Grammar => Topic started by: Mustafizur rRhman on May 29, 2013, 03:55:13 PM
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USE OF ARTICLE
USES OF ‘A’
• If the first letter of the word is a Consonant-use ‘A’: a girl, a boy, a joker.
• If the first letter of the word is a vowel but that sounds like- ‘U’ or ‘EW’
then use – ‘a’: a useful book, a university etc.
• Before ‘One’-use ‘a’: a one taka note, a one eyed man.
• If an abbreviation starts sounding as a consonant-use ‘a’: a BA, a PhD.
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USES OF ‘An’
• If the first letter of the word is a Vowel-use ‘an’: example: An orange, an apple.
• If the first letter of the word is ‘H’ but that does not sound/remain silent then use – ‘an’ before the word: an heir, an honest man.
• If an abbreviation starts sounding as a Vowel -use ‘an’: an MA, an FRCS.
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WHERE TO USE ‘A’ AND ‘AN’ not ‘The’
• Before indefinite person and materials use a/an.
Exam: Give me a pen. Buy me an ice-cream.
* Before these words-few, little, lot of, good many, good deal, great many use ‘a’.
Exam: He earns a lot of money, Give me a little water.
• Before these words-couple, dozen, hundred, thousand, million- use ‘a’: He bought a dozen pens.
• If the sentence structure is- ‘Too/so +adjective +noun’ -use a/an before the noun: He is so intelligent a teacher.
• What/how/such + a/an+ exclamatory expression +singular countable noun.
Exam: What a fool, such a boy.
• To indicate unknown person before Mr/Mrs/Miss use ‘a’.
• Exam: A Mr. Rohit came to me yesterday.
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When not to use a/an or omission of a/an:
* Before uncountable noun don't use a/an. # incorrect= a water, a rice.
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USE OF DEFINITE ARTICLE
USE OF ‘THE’
1]. Any number or gender if it is a definite one then use ‘The’-The boy, the girls.
2]. Use ‘The’ before something great, unparallel, distinguish-The earth, the sky.
3]. Use ‘the’ before ‘ordinal numeral adjective-
He is the first boy, This is the sixth class.
4]. Use ‘the’ before Superlative degree-Bechum is the best player in the world.
5]. Use ‘the’ before the name of sea, river, mountain, desert-
The Pan Pacific, The Jamuna, The Sahara, The Himalayas.
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6]. Use ‘the’ before the name of Holy books and daily newspaper-
The Holy Quran, The Daily Star.
7]. Use ‘the’ before singular designation-The Prime Minister.
8]. Use ‘The’ before the names of musical instruments-the flute, the piano.
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Omission of ‘The’
1]. Do not use the before the names of food-I need to take launch now.
2].Do not use the before the name of any sport
- He plays cricket.
3]. Do not us the before the name of any language
-English is spoken by all the students of daffodil International University.