English Grammer in Use

ُEnglish grammer part 1

Articles:
The indefinite article: ”a, an”
§ The form a used before a word beginning with consonant or vowel sounded like consonant.
Ex: a man, a woman , a table, a university
§ The form an is used before words beginning with a vowel (a, e , I , o, u) or words beginning with a mute h
Ex: an hour , an honourable man, an actor , an animal.
The indefinite articles a, an is used:
§ Before a singular noun which is countable (of which there is more than one) when it represents no particular person or thing:
Ex: There is a policeman at the door .
§ Before a singular countable noun which is used as an example of a class of things :
Ex: A car must be insured =all cars/ any car must…..
A child needs love= all children need/ any child needs….
§ With a noun complement. This includes names of professions:
Ex: He is a doctor. She is a teacher. He became an actor.
§ In certain numerical expressions :
Ex: a couple, a dozen, half a dozen , an eighth, a thousand …….
§ In expression of price, speed ,ratio
Ex: 5p a kilo, sixty kilometers an hour, four time a day

a few = a small number, or what the speaker considers as a small number
a little = a small amount , or what the speaker considers as a small amount .
Few and little can also be used without article but then have an almost negative meaning
Ex: few people know this.(it is almost unknown).
§ In exclamations before singular, countable noun :
Ex : what a pretty girl ! . such a pity !
But not with plural: what pretty girls !. what big dogs!
The indefinite article is not used:
§ Before plural nouns: dogs , boys ,girls ,cars
§ Before uncountable nouns .
The following nouns are singular and uncountable in English:
Advice, information, news , baggage , luggage, furniture, glass, wood, iron, stone , paper cloth, wine , coffee, tea etc..
They are often preceded by some , any , a little ,a lot of, apiece of etc…
Ex: I’ll give you a piece of advice. There isn’t any news .
Would you like some coffee.
§ Before abstract nouns : beauty , happiness, fear , hope , death etc..
except when they are used in a particular sense
Ex: He was pale with fear .
Some children suffer from a fear of the dark.

TO BE CONTINUED>>>