Today we will:

• Look at indefinite and definite articles

• Practice using the articles; indefinite and definite.

• Practice 2 skills - Reading and Writing

Hello again. My friends are so lucky - they always seem to have the time and money to go on holiday to some really nice places. Rob's just put a message on Facebook...

"Hi! I'm in Sydney, Australia. Wow, what a great place this is. I've been to a concert at the famous Opera House. I went to Bondi Beach but I couldn't go in the sea because a lifeguard said he'd seen a shark. I went on an amazing trip to the Blue Mountains - it's only an hour away on the bus - and I got to stroke a koala bear. The trip's cost an arm and a leg but it's well worth it."

An arm and a leg? That sounds painful! Oh I'd love to go to Australia. How about you - where would you like to go to?

There are 10 instances of 'a/an'

Hello again. My friends are so lucky - they always seem to have the time and money to go on holiday to some really nice places. Rob's just put a message on Facebook...

"Hi! I'm in Sydney, Australia. Wow, what a great place this is. I've been to the concert at the famous Opera House. I went to Bondi Beach but I couldn't go in the sea because a lifeguard said he'd seen a shark. I went on an amazing trip to the Blue Mountains - it's only an hour away on the bus - and I got to stroke a koala bear. The trip's cost an arm and a leg but it's well worth it."

An arm and a leg? That sounds painful! Oh I'd love to go to Australia. How about you - where would you like to go to?

When do we use the indefinite article?

• a or an means one person or thing.

• Before singular nouns:

  I've been to a concert. (No a with plural - I've been to three concerts)

  We had a great day 

  We saw an elephant. (No an with plural - We saw many elephants)

• Before the name of a job:

  My sister wants to be an engineer.

A vs. An

• We use a before consonants:

  a chair,

  a horse,

  a laptop

• We use an before vowels (a, e, i, o, u):

  an architect,

  an idea,

  an umbrella

A vs. An - Exceptions

• When the h is silent at the beginning of a word we use an not a:

  an hour

  an honour

• When the u or eu is pronounced /j/ or 'you' we use a not an:

  an uncle - /ʌ/ or 'uh'

  a university - /j/ or 'you'

  a user - /j/ or 'you'

  a euro - /j/ or 'you'

Articles + Adjectives

Adjectives go between a or an and the noun

• a blue unicorn - a before consonants

• an ugly duckling - an before vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

• an honest mistake - an before a silent h

• a unique idea - a when the u is pronounced /j/ or 'you'

• a euphoric experience - a when the eu is pronounced /j/ or 'you'

Let's Review - indefinite articles

• a or an means one person or thing.

• We use a/an before singular nouns.

• We use a/an before the name of a job.

• We use a:

  before consonants

  when the u / eu is pronounced /j/ or 'you'

• Adjectives go between a/an and the noun, and the first letter of the adjective determines the article needed.

• We use an:

  before vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

  before a silent h

When do we use the definite article?

• Before singular nouns that we have already mentioned with a/an:

  I've been to a concert. The concert was very loud.

  We saw an elephant. The elephant was standing under some trees.

• Before singular, plural or uncountable nouns when we say exactly which person or thing we mean:

  I love the coffee shop next to the cinema. (referring to a specific coffee shop)

  The people in my new office are really nice. (referring to a specific group of people)

  Where's the brown sugar? (referring to a specific bag of brown sugar)

When do we use the definite article?

• We DON'T use the before plural and uncountable nouns when we are talking about things in general:

  Children need plenty of exercise and fresh air.

  (children in general; exercise in general; fresh air in general)

  Sugar isn't very good for you.

  (sugar in general)

• Adjectives go between the and the noun

  The big yellow lorry fell over.

When do we use the definite article?

• We also use the before singular, plural or uncountable nouns when it is clear which person or thing we mean:

  I'm going to the supermarket. (the one we always go to)

  The children are upstairs. (our children)

  Could you shut the door? (the door of this room)

• We also use the before singular nouns when there is only one of the noun:

  The sun is shining and there aren't any clouds in the sky.

Let's Review - definite articles

• Before singular nouns that we have already mentioned with a/an

• Before singular, plural or uncountable nouns when we say exactly which person or thing we mean

• We DON'T use the before plural and uncountable nouns when we are talking about things in general

• Adjectives go between the and the noun

• We also use the before singular, plural or uncountable nouns when it is clear which person or thing we mean

• We also use the before singular nouns when there is only one of the noun

That is the end of the class, but can the following student's remain in the class:
Liu Jiaming
Li Haohan
For everyone else, I will see you tomorrow