!"#"$%&'()*+$#,'"-.'/"+0&-'1--'2""3'52"6'789:'
;*<<3%-='#*&'">>0<>0%"#&'"0#%)$&')"-'*"?&'"-'%@><0#"-#'%@>")#'<-'"'-<+-A3'@&"-%-=B'"-.')"-'
"$3<'"CC&)#'#*&'0&"."D%$%#6'<C'6<+0'E0%#%-=F''G?&06'-<+-'0&H+%0&3'"'.&)%3%<-'"D<+#'"0#%)$&'+3"=&'
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">>0<>0%"#&'"0#%)$&'E%#*')<@@<-'-<+-3F(
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Two%easy%steps%to%help %determine%the%correct%usage%of%articles%with%common%nouns:%
STEP%1.'M&# &0@%-&'E*&#*&0'&")*')<@@<-'-<+-'%3'specific'<0'unspecificF'
• 1'specific%noun'%3'"'-<+-'E%#*'"'>0&?%<+3$ 6'.&C%-&.'%.&-#%C6F'N<0'&O"@>$&B'%#'*"3'"$0&".6
D&&- '@&-#%<-&.'%-'#*&'#&O#B'%#'%3'+-%H+&B'<0'%#'%3'C<$$<E&.'D6'@<.%C6%-='%-C<0@"#%<-'#*"#
@"4&3'%#'3>&)%C%)F
Rule:&Specific%nouns%are%prec eded%by%the.&
• 1-'unspecific%noun'%3'"'-<+-'#*"#'.<&3'-<#'*"?&'"'+-%H+&'%.&-#%#6F'1..%#%<-"$$6B'%#')<+$.
D&'"'-<+-'#*"#'%3'D&%-='@&-#%<-&.'C<0'#*&'C%03#'#%@&'%-'#*&'#&O#F'
STEP%2.%M&#&0@%-&'E*&# *&0'#*&'unspecific%noun'%3'countable'<0'uncountableF'
'''P<&2&9($'($%&'='4#(>0!11&1(?4$'9:!0(2'9(.'9&(:#2'9.!$:'#FQ%
• 1'countable%unspecific%noun'%3'" '-<+-'#*"#')"-'D &')$"33%C%&.'"3'singular'<0'pluralF
Rule:&Unspecific,%countable%singular%nouns%are%preceded%by%a%or%an.%
Rule:&Unspecific,%countable%plural%nouns%are%not%preceded%by%an%article.%
• 1-'uncountable%unspecific%noun'%3'"'-<+-'#*"#' )"-'<-$6'D&')$"33%C%&.'"3'singularF
Rule:&Unspecific,%uncountable%nouns%are%not%preceded%by%an%article.%
Graduate%Writing%Lab%
R"$&';&-#&0'C<0' J&")*%-='"-.'/&"0-%-='
The%Use%of%Articles%with%Common%Nou ns%
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Flow%chart%describing%how%to%choose%the%correct%article%
'
'
Summary%of%rules%and%examples%
Rule:&Spe cific%nouns%are%preceded%by%the.&
Examples:& &
& & @%&(/9&1&#$&7(%&9(/9'/'1!0($'(%&9(3'..:$$&&A(The&proposal('4$0:#&7(%&9(9&1&!93%A(
& & The&wine&$%!$(B(C'48%$(:1('#($%&($!C0&A(
( ( The&sun&9:1&1(:#($% &(&!1$(!#7(1&$1(:#($%&(5&1$A((
( ( B$($''D(.&($%9&&(%'491($'(2:#:1%(the&assigned&r eading(2'9(30!11($'7!EA((
(
Rule:&Unspecific,%countable%singular%nouns%are%p receded%by%a%or%an.&
Examples:& &
& & B(#&&7($'(C4E(a&dress(2'9($%&(2!#3E(/ !9$EA((
& & B(15&9F&7(.E(3!9($'(!F':7(%:$$:#8(an&animal(:#($%&(9'!7A(
( ( G&(8'$(0'1$(5%&#(%&(.!7&(a&wrong&tur nA((
(
Rule:&Unspecific,%countable%plural%nouns%are%not%preceded%by%an%article.%
Examples:& &
& & Dogs&3!#(C&($9!:#&7($'(!3$(:#(moviesA(
( ( Tornadoes(3!#(!$$!:#(5:#7(1/&&71('2(.'9&($%!#(HII(.:0&1(/&9(%'49A(
( ( J'4(1%' 407(!0 5!E1(5&!9(!(1&!$C&0$(5%&#(9:7:#8(:#(automobilesA(
(
Rule:&Unspecific,%unc ountable%nouns%are%not%preceded%by%an%article.%
Examples:& &
& & B(8!:#&7(knowledge&!C'4$($%&(8'F&9#.&#$(749:#8(.E(:#$&9#1%:/(!$($%&(K%:$&(G '41&A(
( ( Success(:1('2$&#(7&$&9.:#&7(CE(wealthA'
Additional%examples:%
L!D:#8(money(:1(:./'9$!#$($'(.!#E(parents(:#($%&:9(HI1A(
@%&(79'F&($'(workA(
M!9!3D(NC!.!(5!1(9&O&0&3$&7(president(:#(PIQPA(
B(&#R'E(79:#D:#8(soda(.'9&($%!#(B(&#R'E(79:#D:#8(waterA(
Practice%examples:%
N%$$'%-'#*&')< 00&)#'"0#%)$&L'!"!#B'$%&B'<0'#'#&()*+F'
LE(1:1$&9(:1(SSS(7&#$:1$ (!#7(.E(C9'$%&9(:1(SSS(!3 9'C!$A(
(J'4(#&&7(SSS(/!11/'9$($'($9!F&0 ('4$('2(SSS(3' 4#$9EA(
K&(5&#$($'(SSS(.'F:&(E&1$&97!E(C&3!41&(:$(8'$(SSS(8''7(9&F:&51A(
L&9349E(:1(SSS(30'1&1 $(/0!#&$($'(SSS(14#A%
Exercise%for%Practice:%Fill%in%the%articles!%
R&3#&0."6'E*&-'E&'E&-#'%-#<''''''')<+0#6"0.'<C'<+0'D +%$.%-='C<0'$+-)*B'E&'3"E'''''''<E$'%-'''''''#0&&F''
S&'*".'-&?&0'3 &&-''''''<E$'D&C<0&T''J*%3'>"0#%)+$"0'<E$'E"3'>0&##6'D%='"-.'3&&@&.'#<'D&'3$&&>6'K'
*&'*".'&"#&-'''''''@<+3&'"-.'E"3'C&&$%-='C+$$F''G?&-'#*<+=*'#*&0&'"0&'$<#3'<C'UUU'@%)&'"-.'UUU'D%0.3'%-''''
UUU')<+0#6"0.B'V'.<+D#'*&'E%$$'0& #+0-'K'E&'.%3#+0D&.'UUU'-">#%@&'#<<'@+)*T''(#%$$B'V'*<>&'''''''D%=B'
3$&&>6'<E$'@%=*#'?%3%#'"="%-F''VC'*&'.<&3-A#B'V'@%=*#'=<'#<'''''',<<'#<'3&&''''''<E$'+>')$<3&F'
Sources%and%Further%Reading/Practice:%%
*##>LWWEEEF&-=$%3*>"=&F)<@W"0#%)$&3W%-.&OF*#@'
*##>LWWE0%#% -=F+@-F&.+W3E3W"33W>.CWH+%)4#%>3W"0#%)$&3)*"0#F>.C'
*##>LWW&3$FC%3F&.+W=0"@@"0W0+$&3W"0#%)$&F*#@'
*##>LWWEEEF=0"@@"0$6F)<@W*"-.D<<4W=0"@@"0W"0#%)$&3W'
*##>3LWW<E$F&-=$%3*F>+0.+&F&.+W<E$W0&3<+0)&W:X8W89W'
*##>3LWW$&"0-&-=$%3*FD0%#%3*)<+-)%$F<0=W&-W&-=$%3*Y=0"@@"0W.&#&0 @%-&03Y"-.YH+"-#%C%&03W.&C%-%#&Y"0#%)$&'
*##>3LWW$&"0-&-=$%3*FD0%#%3*)<+-)%$F <0= W&-W&-=$%3*Y=0"@@"0W.&#&0@%-&03Y"-.Y H+"-#%C%& 03W%-.&C%-%# &Y"0#%)$&Y"-.'
