Page 123 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

T h e a n d a / a n ( 1 ) : ' t h e o n l y o n e '
‘the
one'
only
a/an
and
The
(1):
We use a/an with aa singular noun when we describe someone or something or to say whatwhat type
type
when
or
We
someone
noun
we
singular
with
describe
use
something
say
or
to
a/an
of thing someone oror somethingsomething is:
of
someone
is:
thing
• ¢ English has become an international language.
has
language.
English
international
an
become
• ¢ Sydney is a beautiful city.
beautiful
city.
is
Sydney
a
we
there
is
if
unique
ButBut if we say that someone or something is unique - that there is only one, or thatthat itit is the onlyonly
someone
the
or
that
that
is
something
-
only
is
or
one,
say
one of its kind - we use the (or sometimes zero article, i.e. no article), but not a/an:
we
the
sometimes
use
article),
not
but
kind
-
(or
i.e.
one
a/an:
of
its
article,
zero
no
• ¢ English has become the international language of business.
has
international
business.
of
language
the
English
become
• ¢ Sydney is the capital city of New South Wales.
Sydney
of
capital
South
is
Wales.
city
New
the
We use a/an to say what a person's job is, was, or will be:
say
a
what
to
person's
is,
was,
We
job
will
be:
use
or
a/an
she
n yp • ° She was a company director when she retired.
retired.
when
company
She
director
was
a
• ¢ Against her parents' wishes, she wants to be a journalist.
be
parents'
she
journalist.
a
her
wishes,
wants
Against
to
However, when we give a person's job title, or their unique position, we use the zero article,
zero
unique
position,
a
we use the oror
title,
article,
their
or
job
we
give
person's
when
However,
Compare:
a/an.
notnot a/an. Compare:
(the)
been appointed
head of the company, and
She's
• * She's been appointed (the) head of the company. and
(= there may be more than one production manager)
I'm a production manager at Fino.
• ¢ I'm a production manager at Fino. (= there may be more than one production manager)
After the position of, the post of, or the role of we use zero article before a job title:
After the position of, the post of, or the role of we use zero article before a job title:
on the position of Head
Simons has taken
of Department.
• ¢ Dr Simons has taken on the position of Head of Department.
Dr
superlative adjective
We use the before a superlative adjective (the biggest, the most expensive, etc.) whenwhen the
We
etc.)
the
biggest,
use
most
the
(the
expensive,
before
the
a
superlative adjective is followedfollowed byby a nounnoun oror defining phrase:
phrase:
superlative
adjective
is
a
defining
• ¢ He is the finest young player aroundaround at the moment.
at
player
is
the
He
young
finest
moment.
the
• ¢ This painting's the most unusual in the collection.
unusual
the
in
This
the
most
collection.
painting's
particularly
style,
an
often
the,
out
informal
However,
However, we cancan often leave out the, particularly inin an informal style, when there is no noun oror
when
noun
there
we
is
no
leave
defining phrase afterafter the superlative adjective.
adjective.
phrase
superlative
defining
the
• ¢ A: Why did you decide to stay in this hotel?
hotel?
Why
A:
you
this
decide
did
in
to
stay
B: It was (the) cheapest. / It was the cheapest I couldcould
B: It was (the) cheapest. / It was the cheapest I find.
find.
adjective
'extremely'
before
a
'very'
WhenWhen mostmost before anan adjective means 'very' oror 'extremely' we can use a (with countable
we
can
countable
(with
means
use
singulars) oror zero article (with plurals andand uncountables) - rather thanthan the - when there is no
uncountables)
(with
when
-
is
singulars)
article
-
there
no
the
rather
plurals
zero
following noun. Most is used in this way particularly in a rather formal spokenspoken style. InIn
rather
formal
style.
following
in
particularly
a
used
noun.
is
Most
this
in
way
such
generally
instead:
use
'very'
as
a word
everyday conversation we
everyday conversation we generally use a word such as 'very' instead:
• ¢ He was a most peculiar-looking man. (= a very peculiar-looking man)
a
He
peculiar-looking
a
very
man.
(=
man)
most
peculiar-looking
was
• ¢ It was most expensive petrol. (= extremely expensive)
extremely
(=
expensive)
was
most
expensive
petrol.
It
We use the when we know that there is only one of a particular thing. For example:
We use the when we know that there is only one of a particular thing. For example:
the sun
the North Pole
• * thesun the world the arms trade the jet age the international market
theworld
the North Pole
the jet age
the international market
@ Treadan ?P cold a wind describe a particular north. the wind painting. a/an. Compare:
the travel industry
the arms trade
the travel industry
same applies to the
refer to them
in
a general way:
following things when we
The
The same applies to the following things when we refer to them in a general way:
the public
the atmosphere
the weather
the climate
the human race
• ¢ the weather
thehumanrace
thesea
the sea_ the public
the atmosphere’
theclimate
the sky
the future
the ground
the environment
the past
thewind
theground
the environment
the past
thefuture
thesky
use
if we want to
instance
of these we
However,
However, if we want to describe a particular instance of these we use a/an. Compare:
•
She could hear the wind whistling through the trees outside,
the
could
through
andand
¢
hear
the
wind
whistling
outside.
trees
She
There's a cold wind blowing from the north.
•
a
+
the
There's
blowing
from
future?
What are your plans
for the
•
your
are
andand
the
What
plans
for
future?
¢
•
She dreamt of a future where she could spend more time painting.
future
She
where
spend
more
she
time
dreamt
of
could
¢
More on articles
The and a/an (2) =
cn atides=
Moe