Collins cobuild english guides3 articles

COLLINS COBUILD ENGLISH GUIDES 3: ICLES Roger Berry - THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM ~ COLLINS COBUHD HarperColIinsPublishers HarperCollins Publishers 77-85 Fulham Palace Road London &JB we COBUILD is a trademark of William Collins Sons " Co Ltd C HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 1991 First published 1993 Beprintedl993, 1994, 1996,1996 10 6 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the Publisher ISBN 00 370661-7 Computer typeset by Tradespools Ltd, Frome, Somerset Printed and bound in Great Britain by Caledonian Intemational Book Manufacturing Ltd, Glasgow, G64 NOTE Entered words that we have reason to believe constitute trademarks have been designated as such However, neither the presence nor absence of such designation should be regarded as affecting the legal status of any trademark 1b Vesna and Lukie.Luke The author would like to thank the following people: Steve Starkey for his advice on American usage; Dave Willis for his thoughtful comments on the text; Jim Ronald for compiling the index; Annette Capel, Loma Heaslip, and Charlie Ranstead at HarperCollins; and above all Stephen Bullon and Elizabeth Manning at COBUILD for their patience in seeing this project through Contents Foreword Introducdon Pronuncladon Guide Chapter 1:The forms of the articles v vi vIH 1.1 The definite and indefinite articles 1.2 The definite article 1.3 The indefinite article 1.4 Stressed forms Chapter 2: ArtIcles and nouns 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Introduction Count nouns Uncount nouns Uncount nouns whose equivalents in other languages are count nouns 2.5 Plural nouns 2.6 Nouns which can be count or uncount 2.7 Converting uncount nouns to count nouns meaning'a unit of' 2.8 Converting uncount nouns to count nouns meaning 'a type of' 2.9 Convertin~ count nouns to uncount nouns 2.10 Nouns which can be count or uncount with different meanings 2.11 Using counting expressions such as 'a piece of and 'a bit of with uncount nouns Chapter 3: Using the indefinite article 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 16 Introduction Using the indefinite article to introduce something Referring to any thing or person of a particular type Using the indefinite article to describe things arid people The indefinite article and 'one' Using the indefinite article to express rates Using the indefinite article with abstract uncount nouns Chapter 4: Speclftc uses of the definite article 4.1 Introduction: different uses of the definite article 4.2 Referring to a particular thing using the definite article or indefinite article 4.3 Referring back to something mentioned before 4.4 Something mentioned before: using another noun 4.5 Things associated with a previous mention 4.6 Surrounding situation 4.7 Wider situations 4.8 Referring to uni~ue items 4.9 Nouns with quabfication 4.10 Nouns qualified byan 'of-phrase 4.11 Superlative adjectives 4.12 Unique adjectives 4.13 Using the definite article at the beginning of stories 4.14 Stressed 'the' meaning 'best' 22 Chapter 5:ArtIcleswith generic reference 5.1 Introduction: different types of generic reference 5.2 Singular count nouns with the indefinite article 5.3 Sin~Jar count nouns with the definite article 5.4 Nationality words with the definite article 5.5 Adjectiveswith the definite article 5.6 'Man' Chapter 6: ArtIcleuse with certain groups of words 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Media and communications 6.3 Means of transport 6.4 Forms of entertainment 6.5 Institutions in society 6.6 Shops and other businesses 6.7 Musical instruments 6.8 Geographical oppositions 6.9 Directions 6.10 Periods of time 6.11 Illnesses 6.12 Meals 6.13 Parts of the body 6.14 Special roles 6.15 Grammatical terms Chapter 7: Articles and proper nouns 7.1 Introduction: proper nouns 7.2 Geographical and place names with the definite article 7.3 Geographical and place names without an article 7.4 Names of buildings and institutions 7.5 Names of streets and roads 7.6 Names of ships, trains, and spacecraft 7.7 Names of sporting events 7.8 Names of festivals 7.9 Names of organizations 7.10 Names of newspapers and periodicals 7.11 Names of political institutions 7.12 Names of musical groups 7.13 Personal names 7.14 Converting proper nouns Chapter 8: Articles in the noun group 8.1 Introduction: the noun group 8.2 Combining articles with other determiners 8.3 Combining determiners with the definite article 8.4 Combining determiners with the indefinite article 8.5 'A few' and 'a little' 8.6 Nouns as modifiers 8.7 Word order with 'so', 'how', 'too', 'as', and 'that' 8.8 Leaving out articles 8.9 The definite article with adjectives meaning 'something ' 8.10 The definite article with comparative adjectives and adverbs Exercises Answer Key Index 35 40 54 66 74 109 114 Foreword The articles in English are so Important for the learner of the language that we have decided to publish a whole book about them The is by far the commonest word in English, and with a and an makes up 8.5% of all text This GuidetoArticles is one of a series of COBUILD ENGUSH GUIDES to particular areas of difficulty for learners of English Many other languages have articles or similar sons of demonstratives and their meanings are very similar to their English equivalents It is the usage which is different - when to use an article, and when a possessive; when to be sure to put an article in, and when it is more natural to leave it out For example in titles In French or Italian you must put a definite article in front of all titles like Professor when you use them with a name, unless you are actually talking to the person In English you usually not When questions of usage arise, the Importance of the COBUllD evidence becomes clear This evidence comes from The Bank of English, a collection of modem English speech and writing drawn from a variety of sources The computer files of The Bank of English currently contain approximately 200 million words The different kinds of usage can be retrieved and their Importance assessed; up-todate tendencies can be observed Allthe examples in this book (there are nearly 600) come from this huge database, and this naturally occurring data gives a real authority to the statements (Whydid I write a realauthority and not just realauthority? Check on page 20.) If you not find answers to your problems with the articles in this book, or if you have any comments or suggestions about how to improve CoBUILD publications, please write to me John Sinclair Editor in Chief: CoBUllD ENGUSH GUIDES Professor of Modem English Language University of Birmingham Introduction Why are articles Important? Youprobably realize already how important the articles are in English.Not only are they among the commonest words in English, they are often vital for successful communication They tell you what assumptions people make about their listeners when they speak If a stranger comes up to you on a university campus and asks 'Where's the bookstore?', they think there is only one there, and they assume you think this too Changing one article for another, or leaving one out, can often cause misunderstanding, for example if you say 'I like English' (the language), when you mean 'I like the English' (the people) Articles also give you structural information; they tell you that a noun is following in the sentence For example, if someone asks 'What's that over there?' there is a big difference between answering 'Well ' and 'Awell' So it is not true to say that articles not affect meaning Exercises which simply leave gaps for articles to be put in are misleading; they suggest that the 'meaning' is already there, and that articles are just an obstacle for learners This is not so: articles can help you to make meaning clearer or to choose between meanings Mistakes with articles not always cause misunderstanding, but they can let the rest of your English down Many people who are very good at English still have problems with articles It is normal and justifiable to be concerned about being accurate Is learning how to use the articles difficult? Of course, learning to use articles properly isn't the easiest part of English; there isn't a simple rule as there is for knowing when to use third person' -s' Articles are not a grammatical item added after the content has been established; they are determined by meaning However, article usage is regular, and it can be learnt; all native speakers of English learn it But working your way through this book isn't the only answer; you must read and listen to English whenever you can, and try to understand it This will strengthen the insights you gain from working with this book There are some situations where the choice of article is mostly automatic, for example with proper nouns But most of the time it depends on what you are trying to say, and so you need to have a deeper understanding of the rules; even with proper nouns there are some generalizations that can help you This difference between convention and creativity is very important for article usage vi How can this book help? This book has been designed to help you in three ways: I There are explanations in simple English, with as few technical terms as possible Rules of usage are given which are not misleading, as has often been the case There are warnings in the text, to show particular areas where some learners need to be careful; these are based on an analysis of errors There is also information about the few differences between British and American English There are examples of real English, taken from the Bank of English; these illustrate the explanations and show you how articles are really used There are exercises based on the explanations which will give you practice in various areas of article use and allow you to try out what you have read The exercises have been designed to be as varied as possible (they aren't all of the type where you have to fill in gaps) and challenging (they aren't all mechanical, and it's possible to get them wrong) How to use this book This book is organised into a number of chapters and sections so that you can deal with one area at a time So if you want to find out when to use 'a' and when to use can', look at Chapter Ion the forms of the articles Chapter tells you how to use articles with proper nouns Chapters and deal with what are possibly the most important areas: the creative uses of the indefinite and definite articles At the end of most sections there is a cross- reference to the exercises which practise the section There is an answer key after the exercises Youcan use this book as a course, going through the points one by one (you will probably find you are already familiar with some) and doing the exercises; or you can use it for reference, dealing with questions and problems when they occur For this purpose, there is an index, which will tell you where to find: • information on how to use articles with particular types of words, for example adjectives or the names of geographical features like deserts and so on; • information on particular words which are mentioned in the text because they are important for article use, for example 'television'; • an explanation of a technical term, for example 'generic' Roger Berry Hong Kong 1993 vii Pronunciation Guide vowel sounds: u: heart, start, calm ce act, mass, lap al dive, cry, mind ara fire, tyre, buyer au out, down, loud aua flour, tower, sour e met, lend, pen er say, main, weight ea fair, care, wear I fit, win, list i: feed, me, beat I~ near, beard, clear D lot, lost, spot eu note, phone, coat J: more, cord, claw JI boy, coin, joint u could, stood, hood u: you, use, choose u~ lure, pure, cure 3: turn, third, word A but, fund, must ~ the weak vowel in butter, about, forgotten the weak vowel in very, create u the first weak vowel in tuition consonant sounds: b d f g h j k I m n p bed, rub done, red fit, if good.dog hat yellow king, pick lip, bill mat.ram not, tin pay, lip r run s t v w soon, bus talk, bet van, love win x loch Z zoo, buzz J ship, wish measure IJ sing tJ cheap, witch thin, myth a then, loathe d3 joy, bridge Stressed syllables are indicated by an underline under the vowel symbol for the stressed syllable Corpus Acknowledgements We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in The Bank of English We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd, the BBC World Service, and National Public Radio of Washington for providing valuable data viii The fonns of the articles 1.1 The definite and indefinite articles This book deals with two words These are the definite article, the, and the indefinite article, a or an The rug was stained 1havean ideashe had ~ weightproblem This chapter explains how these words are written and spoken; that is, the form of the words Section 1.2discusses the definite article in writing and speech, and section 1.3 discusses the indefinite article in writing and speech Section 1.4 deals with the way the articles are pronounced when they are stressed The forms of the articles and the rules for using them are not complicated However, you may find it difficult to recognize the articles in spoken English; this is particularly true of the indefinite article Usually it is unstressed and so it occurs in very short syllables You may need to become familiar with the rhythm of English in order to notice these short unstressed syllables 1.2 The definite article The definite article, the, has only one form in writing Here are the broadproblemsand the broadsolutions There are two pronunciations: IOal which is used before consonant sounds, and IOil which is used before vowel sounds The same name was given to this island IOal The emphasis is on discipline IOil WARNING It is the sound, not the spelling, of the next word which matters The word 'one' has a consonant sound at the start: IWAllI even though there is a vowel there in writing Some words beginning with the letter 'u' have a consonant sound Ijl first in pronunciation For example, 'unit' is pronounced Ij!!.:nrt/ The following words begin with the letter 'u' but the is pronounced lOaI before them because they begin with the sound /j/ Exercises: Articles in the noun group Exercise (section 8.8) The sentences below are correct as they are However, some of the underlined articles can be left out Put a ring around these optional articles The first one has been done for you 1) In some cases you can use! definite or ® indefinite article 2) This will affect the normal relationship between! husband and! wife 3) We bought! television and! vacuum cleaner 4) Storms affected the north and the west of the country 5) He has! brother and! sister 6) The mother and the baby are doing well 7) We ought to clear up this mess Give me ! dustpan and ! brush 8) The path led across the hills and the valleys of the county 9) You'll need! knife and! fork to eat that Exercise (section 8.9) Complete each of the sentences below Use the definite article together with the most appropriate adjective from the list Use each adjective only once The first one has been done for you bizarre exotic 1) impossible inevitable obvious supernatural unexpected unknown Kawaguchi's behaviour, always erratic, now bordered on the bizarre 2) 'So Vesco had a gun,' said Martello, stating 3) I think he has a taste for 4) They had driven off into , towards a place that officiallydid not exist 5) No one can achieve 6) They were interested in and looking forUFOs 7) Expect 8) Nature always seems cruel and heartless when we are faced with : death 107 Exercises: Articles in the noun group Exercise (section 8.10) Make seven complete (and sensible!) sentences by matching the beginning of each one on the left with the most appropriate ending on the right The first one has been done for you 1) The slower you eat.c-c-e c-c, 2) The further it is from the sun, 3) The wider your circle of friends, The stronger the walls of a horse's foot, 5) The larger the biscuit, 6) The lower the power of the satellite signal, 7) The more intense the exercise, 4) 108 a) the greater the likelihood of meeting someone with whom you have a lot in common b) the shorter the length of time you'll be able to keep doing it c) the longer the baking time d) the more you will think you have eaten e) the slower it travels t) the fewer the nails needed to hold the shoe in place g) the larger the dish diameter required Answer Key Chapter Chapter Exercise Exercise laa/: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14 lai/: 1,3,4,9, 10 1)a 2) 3) a 4) 5) 6) an 7) a 8) 9) 10) 11) a 12) 13) a 14) 15) 16) a 17) 18) 19) 20) - Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) an a an A,an a.a.an a An.a Exercise Pronounced with an initial consonant sound; use 'the' laal or 'a' l s}: BBC,finger, hand, head.Ieg, neck, nose, one-man band, toe, UK,uniform, unit, university, useful idea Pronounced with an initial vowel sound; use 'the' lail or 'an'/an/: arm, ear, eye, FBIagent, honest man, honour, MP, ugly man, umbrella, uncle Exercise 1) The laal b - a lal d (daughter) 2) The lai/l- an lanl h (father) 3) The lail m - an lanl s (sister) 4) The/ai/x-a/a/u (cousin) 5) The laal y - a lal w (nephew) 6) The lail i-an lanl o (grandson) 7) The laal g - an lanl a (aunt) 8) The lail f - a 1;)1 p (parents) 9) The laal t - an I;)nl e (niece) 10) The I{)il n - an I;)nl r (mother) Exercise 1) plural 2) plural 3) 'dresses' - count 'trousers' - plural 4) plural 5) plural 6) 'glasses' - plural 'gloves' - count 7) plural 8) plural Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) type type unit unit type type unit type unit type Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) yes no yes yes no yes no 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) yes no no yes no Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) cheeses woods metals wines beers Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) vehicle bird insect dog cat flower Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) memory study areason arubber afaith amemory rubber faith astudy reason Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) an iron Language abeauty experience atln work law aspeech Play Charity Exercise l) a drop of 2) alumpof 3) a piece ofla lump of 4) apalrof 5} apleceof 6) a piece of/an item of 7) apairof 8) apieceof 109 Answer Key 9) a grain of 10) a piece of/an item of 11) a piece of/an item of 12) a grain of Chapter Exercise 1) one 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) it one it it one one Exercise 1) a playwright 2) a composer 3) a scientist 4) a film star 5) a cartoon character 6) an explorer 7) anartist 8) a philosopher 9) awriter Exercise 1) yes 2) no 3) no 4) yes 5) no 6) no 7) no 8) yes 9) no 10) yes, yes, yes Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 4Opakilo 600 miles an hour $2,500a month twice a week hours a day 80 kilometres an hour Chapter Exercise 1)a 2) a 3) a 4) the 5) the 6) a 7) The 8) a 9) a 110 10) the 11) a 12) the 13) a 14) the 15) the Exercise 1) eggs 2) milk 3) butter 4) the butter 5) it 6) themilk 7) it/the butter 8) the eggs 9) them 5) the post office, a church 6) thepark Exercise 1) the 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) a The, the a a -/the the, the an the the Exercise 1) the Exercise 1) same 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) different same same different same Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) the shelves the answer the students/the pupils the stairs/the steps the questions thepages Theheels thetyres Theprice the picture Exercise 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) The a the a the a the a the Exercise 10 1) the arrival of the stars 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) The opening of the shop the disappearance of a boy the loss of all his money the birth of a baby girl the existence of the painting 7) the destruction of the city 8) the discovery of the body 9) The defeat of the rebels the floor, the wall, the windows, the light, the door Exercise 11 Exercise 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) I)e 2) j 3) g 4) f 5) c 6) b 7) i 8) a 9) h 10) d Exercise 1) the police station 2) the railway station 3) the hospital 4) the theatre, the cinema 1) the largest the hardest the highest the longest The heaviest the nearest, the closest The oldest Exercise 12 I) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) thefirst the wrong, the right thesame The next/The first theonly aright thelast thesame alast thelast Answer Key ChapterS Exercise Exercise5 Exercise The unemployed The healthy Thelame Therich Theblind Thepoor Thedeaf The uneducated The hungry 10) The homeless 1) a pub/the pub 2) a hairdresser's/the hairdresser's 3) the doctor's 4) a post office/the post office 5) the dentist's 6) apub 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) generic particular generic particular particular generic generic Exercise 1) Aldtchen 2) Abridge 3) An umbrella 4) Achurch 5) Anegg 6) A university 7) Adictionary 8) Amarket 9) Athief 10) Abomb Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) the giraffe thewhale thelion the gorilla the elephant thecamel thedog 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) Chapter Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) the radio television/the television a newspaper theradio a telephone/a phone a television thepost the phone/the telephone the papers/the n~paper Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Thetrain the ferry the boat thebus the underground, a bus, a taxi Exercise Exercise the heart the bedroom, the living1) ballet room 2) the theatre 3) thechild 3) television 4) The doctor 4) acinema 5) The telephone 5) theopera 6) the classroom, the teacher, 6) Film the learner/the student/the 7) the movies pupil 1) 2) Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) cars theheart Awriter/The writer thewheel Atortoise whales/the whale Achair Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) The English The Germans The Chinese The Greeks The Russians Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) the hospital church bed the university the bed prison the church university Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) the guitar aguitar thepiano aflute theviolin Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) the jungle acountry the jungle, the plains the desert the country the seaside, the mountams Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) thesouth thenorth theright the south-east/the south TheWest the left, the right Exercise thespring summer, winter the day, night Tuesday Thepast asummer the morning 8) the eighties 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) Exercise 10 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) malaria acold flu/theflu a headache cancer/a cancer achill stomach cancer hepatitis Exercise 11 her hair 2) the cheek 3) the face 4) his hand, her shoulder 1) 111 Answer Key 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) hercheek herann hishand theleg thefoot Exercise 12 I) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) yes yes yes yes no yes yes no yes yes Exercise 13 I) the definite article 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) the plural (form) a verb/a modal, a noun the indefinite article the (third person) singular the past tense/the simple past, the past participle Chapter Exercise I) the North Channel 2) 3) 4) 5) the Cheviot Hills the Adantic (Ocean) the North Sea the Orkney Islands/the Orkneys 6) the Hebrides 7),8) Mull, Skye 9), 10) Ben Nevis, Ben Macdui 11) the Grampian Mountains/ the Grampians 12) the Southern Uplands 13) the North-West Highlands 14), 15), 16) the Tay, the Spey, the Clyde 17), 18) Loch Ness, Loch Lomond 19) Glasgow 20) the Clyd( 21) Edinburgh 22) the Firth of Forth Exercise 1) TheUSA 2) The Pacific (Ocean), the Atlantic (Ocean) 3) The Thames 4) The Sahara (Desert) 112 5) China/The People's Republic of China 6) The Suez Canal 7) Asia 8) The Straits of Gibraltar/The Mediterranean (Sea) 9) The Himalayas Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) The National Gallery The Houses of Parliament the Mall, Birdcage Walk The Savoy Hotel theMaII PaIIMall Piccadilly, Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Haymarket Downing Street Charing Cross Station Charing Cross Road Whitehall Exercise 1) Janet Dunlop 2) a John Spence 3) Prince Phillp, the Duke of Edinburgh 4) The Roosevelts 5) a Parkinson 6) the Richard Nixon 7) Jones, Smith 8) The Watermans Exercise a particular 'version' of a product made by aworkby a branch of a person like a product made by a particular 'version' of a company like acopyof 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) Exercise ChapterS 1) the World Cup Exercise 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Christmas Wunbledon Mother's Day anEaster The Olympic Games Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) yes no yes no no yes The United Nations ICI the Conservative Party Cathay Pacific UNESCO the European Community the General Electric Company, GEC 8) Barclays Bank 9) theBBC 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) Exercise Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) Newsweek Pravda the Spectator Today, the Sun, the Guardian 5) TheTimes Exercise 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Whitehall the Finance Ministry The House of Lords The Kremlin Parliament the Senate Exercise 1) manya both the other sucha all the many five times the quitea thefew theone car morning kitchen London, fire brigade steel school silk Adantic government, trade United Nations, inspection 12) clothes Answer Key Exercise I) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) so stupid a boy such a brilliant essay too good a chance what a difficult task how likely a possibility as serious a threat/a threat as serious Exercise 3) We bought a television and a vacuum cleaner 4) Storms affected the north and west of the country, 5) He has a brother and sister 6) Mother and baby are doing well 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) the unknown the impossible the supernatural the unexpected the inevitable Exercise 7) We ought to clear up this l)d mess Give me a dustpan 2) e and brush 8) The path led across the hills 3) a 4) f and valleys of the county 9) You'll need a knife and fork 5) c 6) g to eat that 7) b In the following sentences, the articles which are optional have been left out I) In some cases you can use a definite or indefinite article Exercise 2) This will affect the normal 1) the bizarre relationship between 2) the obvious husband and wife 3) the exotic 113 Index Items in bold are technical terms, Items in roman are categories of words that are discussed in the text Items in italic are lexical words that are discussed in the text or are included in the lists Numbers refer to the chapter and section abIJrevIadolll 1.3 ~ counlllOUlll2.2 ~ uaanml DOIIIII2.3, 2.6, 2.7,3.7,4.9 ambition 2.6 blind 5.5 boat 6.3 body pans 6.13 bone 2.6 boss 6.14 both 8.3 bottom 4.10 box 6.2 brandy 2.7,2.8 brave 5.5 InwIIcftlSl 6.12 buildings 7.4 bus 6.3 business 2.10 by bus, train, air,ere 6.3 ct.Jb6.3 cabbtJBe 2.6 eaU 2.6 American English usage 6.2, 6.3, 6.5,6.10,6.11 captain 6.14 accommodation address 2.2 2.10 adjecdvel unique adjectives 4.12 superlative adjectives 4.11 with the for genericreference 5.5 with the meaning 'something ' 8.9 comparative adjectives 8.10 advice 2.4 afternoon 6.10 5.5 AIDS 6.11 air 2.10, 6.3 all 8.3 anaemia 6.11 analysis 2.6 appendicitis 6.11 arms 2.5, 6.3 as 8.7 attack 2.6 author 6.14 btlck 4.10,6.13 btlckllche 6.11 bag 2.11 btJrBaIe 2.4 baker's 6.6 bank 6.6 barber's 6.6 bays 7.3 beGuty 2.10 bed 6.5 beer 2.7,2.8 beginning 4.10 behaviour 2.4 beu man 6.14 bicycle, bike 6.3 binoculars 2.5 114 bit: a bit of 2.9, 2.11 bizarre 8.9 amcer 6.11 car 6.3 centreforward 6.14 chairman 6.14 chairperson 6.14 change 2.6 charily 2.10 charm 2.10 clu!ese 2.8 chkken 2.6 chickenpox 6.11 chill 6.11 chocolate 2.6 cholera 6.11 chureh 6.5 cities 7.3 city 6.8 cltwroom 5.3 clotha 2.5 cloud 2.6 oou2.7, 2.8 Coke 2.7 cold 2.10,6.11 col 6.5 communication process communication process 5.3 communications 6.2 concrete nouns 2.2 conflict 2.6 congratulations 2.5 contents 2.5 continents 7.3 controversy 2.6 converting nouns converting count nouns 2.9 converting proper nouns 7.14 converting uncount nouns 2.7, 2.8,2.11 cord 2.6 cough 6.11 counting expressions 2.11 countnouns abstract count nouns 2.2 concrete nouns 2.2 count/uncount nouns 2.6, 2.10 converted uncount nouns 2.7, 2.8, 2.11 converting count nouns 2.9 with qualification 4.9, 4.10 generic reference 5.1-5.3 converting proper nouns to count nouns 7.14 countJuncount nouns 2.1,2.6,2.10 countries 7.3 country, countryside 6.8 court 6.5 customs 2.5 day 6.10 days of the week 6.10 dead 5.5 deaf 5.5 death 2.6 definite article pronunciation 1.2, 1.4,4.14 stressed forms 1.4,4.14, 7.13 specific reference 4.1,5.1 generic reference 4.1,5.1,5.3-5.5 situational use 4.2, 4.6-4.8 referring back (anaphora) 4.2-4.5 in a noun group 4.2,4.9,4.10,4.11 in using another noun 4.4 showing association between items 4.5 surrounding situation 4.6 wider situation 4.7 unique items 4.8 nouns with qualification 4.9, 4.10 egg with adjectives 4.11,4.12,8.9,8.10 referring forward (cataphora) 4.13 transport 6.3 entertainment 6.4 institutions 6.5, 7.4 shops, businesses 6.6 musical instruments 6.7 geographical oppositions 6.8 directions 6.9 time periods 6.10 illnesses 6.11 meals 6.12 body parts 6.13 special roles 6.14 grammatical terms 6.15 proper nouns 7.1-7.14 as part of noun group 8.1-8.10 omission of definite article 8.8 dentist's 6.6 desert 6.8 deserts 7.2 desire 2.6 detergent 2.8 detenniners the noun group 8.1-8.7 combining with the 8.3 combining with a 8.4 a few and a little 8.5 devil 4.8 diabetes 6.11 diarrhoea 6.11 difficulty 2.6 dinner 2.10,6.12 directions 6.9 director 6.14 disabled 5.5 disagreement 2.6 divorce 2.6 doctor 5.3 doctor's 6.6 doubt 2.6 drinks 2.7,2.8 earache 6.11 earnings 2.5 earth 4.8 east 6.9 edge 4.10 educated 5.5 education 2.10 effect 2.2 effects 2.5 egg 2.6 115 jungle elderly elderly 5.5 election 2.2 employee 5.3 employer 5.3 end 4.10 hair 2.4 hairdresser's 6.6 half 8.3, 8.4 handicapped 5.5 entertainment 6.4 headache 6.11 health 2.4 equator 4.8 equipment 2.4 escape 2.6 evening 6.10 exotic 8.9 experience 2.10 failure 2.6 faith 2.10 famine 2.6 fear 2.6 ferry 6.3 festivals 7.8 few,afew 8.3,8.5 first 4.12 fish 2.6 flu 6.11 fog 2.6 fo'lowing 4.12 forest 6.8 fractions 3.5, 8.3, 8.4 free 5.5 front 4.10 fruit 2.6 funds 2.5 furniture 2.4 future 6.10 game 2.10,2.11 generic reference different types 5.1 count nouns with a/an 5.2 count nouns with the 5.3 nationality words 5.4 adjectives with the 5.5 man 5.6 geographical names 7.2, 7.3 geographical opposites 6.8 geographical regions 7.2 gin 2.7 glass 2.10 glasses 2.5 goalkeeper 6.14 goods 2.5 grammar 2.10 grammatical terms 6.15 greengrocer's 6.6 habitual 1.3 116 head 6.13,6.14 health care 5.3 height 4.10 heir 1.2 heiress 1.2 heirloom 1.2 hepatitis 6.11 herpes 6.11 historical 1.3 history 1.3, 2.10 homeless 5.5 homework 2.4 honest 1.2 honestly 1.2 honesty 1.2 honorary 1.2 honour 1.2 honourable 1.2 honourably 1.2 hope 2.6 hospital 6.5 hotel 1.3 hour 1.2, 2.2 hourly 1.2 hovercraft 6.3 how 8.7 hungry 5.5 idea 2.2 illnesses 6.11 impossible 8.9 improvement 2.6 incredible 8.9 industrial relations 5.3 inevitable 8.9 influenza 6.11 information 2.4 injured 5.5 institutions in society 6.5, 7.4 investment 2.6 iron 2.10 islands 7.2,7.3 issue 2.2 jail 6.5 jam 2.8 jeans 2.5 jungle 6.8 ~ing king 6.14 knickers 2.5 knowledge 2.4 lager 2.7, 2.8 lakes 7.3 lamb 2.10 land 6.8 language 2.10 laryngitis 6.11 last 4.12 laugh 2.11 laughter 2.11 law 2.10 leader 6.14 learner 5.3 left 6.9 leggings 2.5 length 4.10 lettuce 2.6 leukaemia 6.11 life 2.6 light 2.10 listener 5.3 little, a little 8.3, 8.5 living 5.5 looks 2.5 luggage 2.8,2.11 lunch 6.12 machine 2.11 machinery 2.4, 2.11 mail 6.2 main 4.12 malaria 6.11 man 5.6 manager 6.14 many 8.3, 8.4 marriage 2.6 massnouns uncount nouns 2.1, 2.3 count/uncount nouns 2.6,2.10 converting uncount nouns 2.7, 2.8 with counting expressions 2.11 meals 6.12 meaning 2.6 measles 6.11 meat 2.8 media 6.2 medicine 2.8 memory 2.10 metal 2.8 method 2.2 middle 4.10 noun group minute 2.2 modlften8.1, 8.6 money 2.4 month 2.2 months 6.10 moon 4.8 mountains 6.8, 7.2, 7.3 mumps 6.11 murder 2.6 muscle 2.6 music 2.4 musical groups 7.12 musical instruments 6.7 names proper nouns 7.1-7.14 personal names 7.13,7.14 nationalities 5.4 needy 5.5 new 8.9 news 2.4, 6.2 newspaper 6.2 newspapers 7.10 next 4.12 no article 2.1,5.6,8.8 noise 2.6 north 6.9 north pole 4.8 noun group introduction 8.1 articles with other determiners 8.2 determiners with the 8.3 determiners with a 8.4 afew and a little 8.5 nouns as modifiers 8.6 so, how, too, as, that 8.7 the with adjectives 8.9,8.10 nouns count nouns 2.2,2.6,2.9,2.10, 5.2,5.3 concrete nouns 2.2 abstract nouns 2.2, 2.3, 3.7 uncount nouns 2.3, 2.4, 2.6-8, 2.10,2.11 mass nouns 2.3,2.6-2.8,2.10,2.11 plural nouns 2.5 count/uncount nouns 2.6,2.10 converting uncount nouns 2.7, 2.8,2.11 converting count nouns 2.9 qualified nouns 4.9,4.10 proper nouns 7.1-14 noun group 8.1-10 117 numbers numbers 3.5, 8.3, 8.4 nurse 5.3 obvious 8.9 oceans 7.2 odds 2.5 old 5.5,8.9 omission of articles 8.8 one 3.3,3.5, 8.3 onion 2.6 only 4.12 opponunity 2.6 opposite 4.12 oppressed 5.5 organizations 7.9 other 8.3 pain 2.6 paint 2.8 pants 2.5 paper, papers 2.5,2.10,6.2 particulars 2.5 parts of the body 5.3,6.13 past 6.10 patient 5.3 per 3.6 perfume 2.8 periodicals 7.9 personal names 7.13 phone 6.2 pie 2.6 piece: a piece of 2.9, 2.11 plains 6.8 plan 2.2 plane 6.3 planets 4.8 play 2.10,2.11 pneumonia 6.11 poem 2.11 poetry 2.11 political institutions 7.11 poor 5.5 Pope 4.8 possible 8.9 post 6.2 postoffice 6.6 powder 2.6 powerful 5.5 pregnancy 2.6 premises 2.5 present 4.12 president 6.14 press 6.2 price 4.10 118 road prime minister 6.14 principal 4.12 prison 6.5 problem 2.2, 2.11 progress 2.4 pronundadon the 1.2, 1.4,4.14, 7.13 alan 1.2-1.4 proper nouns introduction 7.1 place names 7.2, 7.3 buildings and institutions 7.4 streets and roads 7.5 ships, trains, spacecraft 7.6 sporting events 7.7 festivals 7.8 organizations 7.9 newspapers and periodicals 7.10 political institutions 7.11 musical groups 7.12 personal names 7.13 converting proper nouns 7.14 protest 2.6 pub 6.6 pudding 2.6 pyjamas 2.5 quaUfted nouns 4.9,4.10 quaUfters 8.1 queen 6.14 quite 8.4 rabies 6.11 radio 6.2 rail 6.3 rather 8.4 reader 5.3 reason 2.10 rebellion 2.6 recession 2.6 referring back (anaphora) 4.2-4.5 referring forward (cataphora) 4.13 regards 2.5 remains 2.5 remark 2.2 research 2.4 retreat 2.6 rheumatism 6.11 ribbon 2.6 rich 5.5 ridiculous 8.9 right 4.12, 6.9 rivers 7.2 road 6.3 tuberculosis roads roads 7.5 rock 2.6 room 2.10,2.11 rope 2.6 rubber 2.10 rum 2.7 same 4.12 sauce 2.8 savings 2.5 scheme 2.2 school 6.5 scissors 2.5 sea, seaside 6.3, 6.8 seas 7.2 seasons 6.10 secretary 6.14 several 8.3 sherry 2.7 ship 6.3 ships 7.6 shock 2.2 shopping 2.4 shops 6.6 shorts 2.5 sick 5.5 sUent h 1.2, 1.3 size 4.10 sky 4.8 smallpox 6.11 so 8.7 solar system 4.8 sole 4.12 some 3.2 sound 2.6 soup 2.8 south 6.9 south pole 4.8 space 2.10, 2.11 speaker 5.3 stressed fonns 1.4,4.14, 7.13 string 2.6 strong 5.5 study 2.10 sublime 8.9 subway 6.3 such 8.4 sugar 2.7 suggestion 2.2 suicide 2.6 suitcase 2.11 sun 4.8 superladve adjectives 4.11 supernatural 8.9 surroundings 2.5 surrounding sltuadon 4.6 suspicion 2.6 talk 2.10 taxi 6.3 tea 2.8 teacher 5.3 telephone 6.2 television, telly, 1V 6.2 thanks 2.5 that 8.7 theft 2.6 thread 2.6 tights 2.5 time 2.10 time periods 6.10 tin 2.10 title 4.10 toffee 2.6 tonsillitis 6.11 too 8.7 toothache 6.11 top 4.10 town 6.8 towns 7.3 traffic 2.4 train 6.3 special roles 6.14 spedftc reference 4.1,5.1 spectacles 2.5 trains 7.6 speech 2.10 spirits 2.5 transport 6.3 sporting events 7.7 stalls 2.5 stars 4.8 starving 5.5 stew 2.6 stone 2.6 streams 7.2 streets 7.5 tram 6.3 travel 2.4 treasurer 6.14 troops 2.5 trouble 2.11 trousers 2.5 trust 2.10 tube 6.3 tuberculosis 6.11 119 1V 1V6.2 zero article victory 2.6 villages 7.3 twice 8.3 vodka 2.7 typhoid 6.11 wages 2.5 D, words begInnlngwith u 1.2 war 2.6 ultimate 4.12 weak 5.5 unbelievable 8.9 wealth 2.4 uncount nouns wealthy 5.5 abstract nouns 2.3, 2.6, 2.7, 3.7, 4.9 weather 2.4, 4.8 which are count nouns in other week 2.2 languages 2.4 weight 4.10 count/uncount nouns 2.1,2.6, west 6.9 2.10 what 8.4 converting uncount nouns 2.7, whisky 2.7, 2.8 2.8,2.11 wine 2.8 with counting expressions 2.11 wire 2.6 underground 6.3 wood 2.8,2.10 uneducated 5.5 work 2.10 unemployed 5.5 world 4.8 unexpected 8.9 wounded 5.5 unique adjectives 4.12 writer 5.3 unique Items 4.8 wrong 4.12 universe 4.8 year 2.2 university 6.5 yellow fever 6.11 unknown 8.9 yoghurt 2.7 unreal 8.9 young 5.5 unthinkable 8.9 youth 2.10 usual 4.12 zero article 2.1, 5.6, 8.8 tweezers 2.5 120 .. .COLLINS COBUILD ENGLISH GUIDES 3: ICLES Roger Berry - THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM ~ COLLINS COBUHD HarperColIinsPublishers HarperCollins Publishers 77-85 Fulham Palace Road London &JB we COBUILD. .. 8.5% of all text This GuidetoArticles is one of a series of COBUILD ENGUSH GUIDES to particular areas of difficulty for learners of English Many other languages have articles or similar sons of... GUIDES Professor of Modem English Language University of Birmingham Introduction Why are articles Important? Youprobably realize already how important the articles are in English. Not only are they