Zero article with plural nouns exercises pdf

With plural countable nouns when they represent all the elements. When we talk about general things we usually use plural or uncountable nouns with no article. The definite article is sometimes omitted before words such as prison, school, bed, and in standard nonamerican dialects hospital, hence. Once a noun has been identified as countable or uncountable, the user must then decide whether an article is necessary. Because im me, i instantly think cat, so lets go with that for a moment. Noncountable every singular, countable noun in english must have an article, whereas noncountable nouns and plural nouns do not require an article, as in. The first time a noun is introduced use aan, then when you refer to that same noun again use the.

In general, no article is used with proper nouns, mass nouns where the reference is indefinite, or plural count nouns where the reference is indefinite. Indefinite article there are 2 types of the indefinite article. Do we use the definite article the with the following nouns. Exercises articles with countable and uncountable nouns. The college of saint rose writing center, 2010 articles and. This activity helps students to learn to use a with singular countable nouns and no article with plural nouns and uncountable nouns. In formal writing and literary works the article aan may be used with some uncountable abstract nouns to show an unusual or temporary aspect of something. Using english articlesusing english articles aan the zero. It is used about books generally, not specific books, so it takes no article. The article aan to show temporary or unusual aspect in part 4. Unit 44 alan and one we use a before nouns and noun phrases that begin with a consonant sound. Uncountable nouns are the names of materials, liquids and other things which we do not see as separate objects. In general, no article is used with proper nouns, mass nouns where the reference is indefinite, or plural count nouns where the. This is a complex area and correct use of articles is one of the most difficult things to get right in english.

Also, no article is generally used when referring to means of transport by plane. Most of esl students have trouble with the articles. We can use the indefinite article aan with singular countable nouns. I was born on a thursday special difficulties we do not use the indefinite article. In english, plurals of nouns are normally indicated by the ending s or es, or in a few cases by en, as in children and oxen. Pair nouns always have a plural form and never take the indefinite article a or an. Bbc world service learning english grammar challenge. When using a plural noun, these two articles are unnecessary. Zero plural definition and examples in english grammar. Blood is thicker than water blood and water are singular, uncountable nouns. The rules for using articles in english are quite complex, so for students whose first language is not english, when to use an article, and which article to use can cause problems. However, there are a few basic ground rules which we can try to follow and i will. Nationalities or religions we use the article with names of days i am a housewife, she is a journalist kate is a catholic.

Test yourself with our free english language quiz about definite article or zero article. Some vernacular varieties of english do not use plural endings in measurement phrases such as three mile and ten pound. Pair nouns are thought of as having two separate parts. Pair nouns and the indefinite article mastering articles. Aug 07, 2016 zero plural marker nouns 7 august 2016. The definite article is used when we are being specific and the indefinite article is used when we are being nonspecific. The zero article also applies to other kinds of nouns.

Here are some example sentences showing the zero article in context. The zero article is also known as the zero determiner. Plane crashes on house, keep area clean, insert battery. Determiners with countable and uncountable nouns some, any, no, many, much, few, little etc. Indefinite articles cannot be used with plural nouns 2. Plural nouns can be used with the definite article or no article at all. Nouns that refer to qualities or concepts do not take an article. Cat is what is referred to as a count noun, a noun that can be counted. A collection of english esl worksheets for home learning, online practice, distance learning and english classes to teach about plurals, plurals.

Theyll help you to put into practice all the key notions of the english grammar previously shown in the grammar lessons part of the website, and if you are a beginner. English esl plurals worksheets most downloaded 177 results. We call the the definite article and aan the indefinite. Jun 26, 2019 in english grammar, the term zero article refers to an occasion in speech or writing where a noun or noun phrase is not preceded by an article a, an, or the. The definite article za or an indefinite article the can be used with both singular and plural forms a or an one, only used with singular nouns depending on the first sound of the noun. In this articles teaching activity, students play a card game where they make general statements with and without articles. A zero plural marker is a noun that appears singular but is actually a plural. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns.

Use any for negatives and questions where you doubt what youfor negatives and questions where you doubt what you rere asking for. English esl plural nouns worksheets most downloaded 6. Articles worksheets are in pdf format and consist of a worksheet and answer sheet to check your results. We use no article with plural countable nouns when we are.

English esl plural nouns worksheets most downloaded 6 results. A plural countable noun cannot be used with indefinite articles. Each noun is also either a count noun countable or. Explanations and examples along with tests and exercises online to practise english articles. Grammar challenge the zero article practice activities. Definite and indefinite articles what is an article. Worksheets printable exercises, handouts to print pdf. For instance, we normally do not put an article in front of a proper noun a word or group of words that name a specific. The construct indefinite article adjective number plural nouns is used to refer to apply an adjective to a single group containing a specified number of things. Explanations along with many examples of how to use articles in english. Written by bob wilson robert clifford mcnair wilson 2007 singular and plural exercise fill the gaps with the words in brackets using the correct form. The cheese in that shop is great s things in general i love cheese s people from countries the french s streets.

Finally, the use of the zero article with two or more coordinated nouns e. A comprehensive site for free english courses and exercises. Remember that a noun names a person, place or thing. Sometimes it is possible to have a noun phrase with no article the socalled zero article. Oct 29, 2017 exercises articles with countable and uncountable nouns. There are 2 different activities in which students are asked to put the definite article before the noun. Zero article is a speaking behavior where the article the or a is not used. Nouns with a singular form and a singular or plural meaning collective nouns nouns which are always plural. The indefinite articles a and an are used to modify singular nouns. English grammar exercises online with answers pdf on this page you will find various free grammar worksheets of increasing difficulty that can be completed directly online, or at home. The definite or zero article exercise zero the s church. Articles countable and uncountable nouns worksheet.

Elementary intermediate advanced art003 definite and indefinite articles elementary. Tourists prefer warmer climates for their summer holidays. Plural nouns can take either a definite article or no article at all. When there are multiple, the word cat becomes cats. For example a marvelous 100 days refers to a marvelous group of days which contained, in total, 100 d.

The college of saint rose writing center, 2010 articles and nouns. Using a, an, or the use the article a for a single noun that begins with a consonant or a word that begins with u, that is pronounced like you, that is not a. What about the indefinite article and plural nouns. The college of saint rose writing center, 2010 articles and nouns an article is a word that identifies or modifies a noun. Read each sentences and decide whether it is correct or not. Use of the definite article the in english exercise.

Using articles articles are used to indicate whether a noun refers to a specific or a general item. Give each group of three or four a set of article cards and a set of noun cards. This is a very simple worksheet for revising articles and countable and uncountable nouns. We use a an when the listener doesnt know what thing we mean. The zero article occurs in noun phrases containing noncount and plural count nouns, as shown in table 1, but it also occurs with singular count nouns. Using a, an, or the use the article a for a single noun that begins with a consonant or a word that begins with u, that is pronounced like you, that is not a specific item or it is unknown. Mar 18, 2011 countable nouns are the names of separate people or objects which we can count. No article is used when making generalization with plural countable nouns and singular. It is also unnecessary to use an indefinite article if there is an adjective in front of a plural noun.