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Definite and Indefinite Articles

An African Safari

Focus on Grammar 5

Part III, Unit 8

By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells

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Trip to Kenya

Dear Marta,

We took ____ most wonderful trip last

month. We went on ____ great safari.

____ safari was in Kenya and we saw

____ lions and ____hippos up close!

____ experience was great. ____

only problem was my husband was

bitten by ____ mosquito, but since we

had taken malaria medicine before

we came, ____ Dr. Matuka said

he would be okay.

Love, Gloria

Look at the

letter. Fill in

the blanks

with

a, an, the or �no article.

Explain your

answers to

a partner.

You will check

your answers

at the end of

the

presentation.

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Indefinite Article 1

When we don’t have a particular person, place, or thing in mind, we use non-specific nouns. Use the indefinite article a/an with non-specific singular count nouns.

I’d love to hold a baby lion.

any baby lion;

no particular lion

in mind

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Indefinite Article 2

A noun is often indefinite the first time a speaker mentions it. It is usually definite after the first mention.

1^st Mention

2^nd Mention

We went on a safari last year.

The safari was very educational.

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Zero Article 1

Use zero article (no article) with non-specific plural count nouns and non-specific non-count nouns.

Meerkats are very interesting animals to watch.

Hippos feel at home in water.

Non-Specific

Non-Count Noun

→ Zero Article

Non-Specific

Plural Count Noun

→ Zero Article

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Generic Nouns

A noun is generic when it represents all members of a class or category. There are three ways to use count nouns generically.

2. A cheetah is a predatory animal.

1. Cheetahs are predatory animals.

zero article + plural count noun

3. Water is essential for all animals to survive.

indefinite article + count noun

zero article + non-count noun

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Zero Article 2

Use zero article before the names of people or their titles, names of most countries, and habitual locations.

Kanika spends four days a week at work and two days a week in school.

Ambassador Mukasa was born in Tanzania but spent most of his life in Kenya.

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Practice 1

Look at the sentences. Complete them with an indefinite article or no article. Explain your answers to a partner.

Example: _____ zebra came right up to me!

We stayed in _____ nice lodge. _____ game reserves usually have lodges nearby.
That kind of bird is usually found in _____ Zambia.
Have you ever seen _____ elephant up close?
This is _____ great vacation.
I would love to be _____ game warden.
A: Do you often see _____ warthogs at game reserves?

B: Oh, yes. There are some right over there.

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Definite Article 1

A noun is definite when we know the particular person, place, or thing being talked about. Use the definite article the with non-count nouns and singular and plural nouns that are definite.

The vultures have found something to eat.

Yeah, I see them. Let’s get closer and take a picture.

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Definite Article 2

Use the definite article with nouns that describe something unique.

Nanyuki, Kenya, is located on the equator.

There is only

one equator.

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Definite Article 3

An adjective can often make a noun represent something unique. Examples of such adjectives are right, wrong, first, only, and the comparative and superlative forms.

The first giraffe is eating.

That is the tallest giraffe I’ve ever seen!

Unique

Adjective

Superlative