Article Chart
| Specific(This one, that one)
(This/that group) Which one? Which ones? |
Non-SpecificAny one
Any group One of many One of many groups |
GenericIn general | ||
| CountSingular | The appleThe bird
The child |
An appleA bird
A child |
** | |
| CountPlural | The applesThe birds
The children |
Some applesSome birds
Some children |
ApplesBirds
Children |
|
| Non-count | The waterThe information | Some waterSome information | WaterInformation |
Notes:
Specific articles are used with nouns which have been identified previously. (The speaker and the listener both know which thing/person/substance/idea is being referred to.)
- The teacher is coming up the stairs.
(Both listener and speaker know which teacher and which stairs.)
- Give me the red shirt. (I know which one you are talking about.)
Non-specific articles are used with nouns that have not been identified previously (by both the speaker and the listener.) They are used with items that have not been singled-out yet. (Note: As soon as the items are identified, they require a specific article.)
- I want a candy bar. (Any candy bar will do.)
- Which one do you want? (Asking for specification)
- The one on the right. (I choose that one.)
- Give me some milk. (Any milk is fine.)
- I need some new shoes. (But I haven’t decided which ones to buy yet.)
- I bought some shoes at Valmart. (I know which shoes, but you don’t.)
- These are the shoes that I bought. (Now we both know which ones.)
Non-count and plural nouns are used without articles in the generic sense.
- Cats are afraid of dogs. (in general)
- Water is necessary for survival.
*However, singular count nouns cannot stand alone in a sentence, so an article (usually a or an) is used.
- Oranges contain Vitamin C. (generally)
- Orange contains Vitamin C. (incorrect)
- An orange contains Vitamin C. (okay)
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