Article SlideShare (Lexical Categories)
- 1. LEXICAL CATEGORIES (Article) BY: IHTSHAM SHAFIQUE MA English Linguistics
- 2. Contents Definite & indefinite Articles Use of Definite Article Use of indefinite Article Omission of Article Common Errors & Exercise
- 3. Article The adjective a, an, and the are usually called articles, they are also called Demonstrative adjective and modifiers in Phrase or clause. There are Two types of articles as following; Definite Article The is called definite Article because it is used to specify or point out any thing or person. Example: The Policeman stopped him in the middle of the Road . The book you want, is out of stock. (in the first example the italicized The is used with a noun policeman which shows a particular person and secondly The is used with Road to specify it. In the second example definite article is used to describe the book which a customer is demanding)
- 4. Indefinite Article A and An are called indefinite articles because these are normally leaving indefinite the person or thing. Simply the don’t refer to a definite person or thing. Their function is not to define but to generalize. Examples: (1) A clerk ….. That is any clerk (2) There is a university in this city. (this is the weakened form of numeral one) A is used before a word beginning with a consonant sound not a consonant latter. We must understand the sound of that phoneme. E.g. A book, A boy, A yard, A useful cow, A hole etc. An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound. E.g. An honest person, an axe, an Umbrella, an orange, an heir etc.
- 5. Use of Indefinite Articles The choice between a and an is determined by the sound of initial letter of the word. A is used with the word beginning with a consonant sound. An is used with the word beginning with a vowel sound. Indefinite articles are used in its original numerical sense of one. E.g. Twelve eggs make a dozen. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. To single out an individual as a representative of the whole class. E.g. A horse is a useful animal. To convert a proper noun into common noun. E.g. Iqbal was a Shakespeare of his time.
- 6. Use of Definite Article When we talk about a particular person. The doctor, the school The thing or person which is already referred to means mentioned in the context. The laptop you want to purchase is out of order. When a singular noun is used as a representative of a whole class. The rose is the sweetest of all flowers. Before some proper nouns The Holy Quran, The Suez Canal Before Oceans, Seas & Rivers The Pacific, The Red Sea, The Nile Before mountains, deserts, Group of Island The Alp, The Sahara, The west Indies Before the name of certain books The bible, The lliad Before the names of things unique in this universe. The Sun. The Moon, The earth
- 7. Before a proper noun when is qualified by an adjective. The Great Alfred, The immortal Iqbal With superlatives. The darkest night, The best book With Ordinals. He was the first man to arrive. The ninth Chapter of the book Before musical instruments. He can play the flute. The Guitar is on the table. Before an adjective when the noun is understood. The poor, The Rich, The Brave. As an Adverb with comparatives. The more the merrier. The higher you go the cooler it is. Before some nouns to indicate professions. He joined the Bar. He Joined the Church. Before the names of newspapers. The news, The Nation.
- 8. Omission of the Article (1) Usually, the article is omitted before the names of substances and abstract noun, specially with uncountable, when they are used in a general sense. Example: sugar is best for your health. Gold is a precious metal. wisdom is the blessing of God. In a particular sense the article is used especially when qualified by an adjective or adjectival phrase. E.g. The wisdom of Solomon is great. I can’t forget the kindness of her grandmother. (2) when the plural countable nouns are used in a general sense, we can't use the article before it. E.g. Men like dry Fruits. Children are playing football.
- 9. (3) Before the most proper nouns like names of people, names of countries continents and cities (e.g., Asia, Pakistan, Lahore) Names of individual mountains (e.g., Mount Everest) Before the individual island, lakes, hills etc. The article would be omitted. (4) Before names of meals. ( in General sense) E.g., Dinner is ready. Do you have Lunch (5) Before languages article is omitted. We are studying English. But we can use The with languages as; The Punjabi language, The German Language. (6) Before school, college, church, hospital, market, bed the article is omitted when they are used their primary purpose. (7) Before the names of relations like, father, aunt, uncle and also cook and nurse.
- 10. Common Errors In The Use Of Article Examples; I have a blue and white jacket. I have a blue and a white jacket. In the first example, it means that I have jacket which is partly blue and partly white. While in the second example it means that I have two jackets, one blue and other white. Hence, when two or more adjectives qualify the same noun, the article is used before the first adjective only. When they Qualify different nouns, the article is used before each adjective.
- 11. Common Errors: (2) The clerk and manager is present in the office. The clerk and the manager are present in the office. In the first example the same person is indicated as a clerk and manager, while in second one the clerk and the manager are two different persons. Hence, when two or more nouns refer to the same person or thing, the article must be used only before the first one. When two or more nouns refer to different persons or things, the article is used before each.
- 12. Exercise: Do You see ________ Blue Airline? ______ sun shines brightly. Rustam is ______ young Parsee. ______ school will close due to pandemic. Let's discuss _____ matter seriously. Dutch is____ easy language. ________ English language is considered as a foreign language.