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Parts of speech: Difference between revisions
→indefinite articles & count, noncount & generic nouns
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;" | {| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;" | ||
|+ Rules for Articles Use w/ Count & Noncount Nouns, Abstract/Generic Nouns, & Nouns with Superlatives | |||
|- | |||
| '''ARTICLE RULE'''||'''COUNT NOUNS''' ||'''NONCOUNT NOUNS''' | | '''ARTICLE RULE'''||'''COUNT NOUNS''' ||'''NONCOUNT NOUNS''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Introducing a noun or | | '''Introducing a noun or unknown Noun''' | ||
| Takes the indefinite article (a, an) | | Takes the indefinite article (a, an) | ||
* "A man I met the other day" | * "A man I met the other day" | ||
* = | * = who is "man" is not yet known | ||
| | * so the indefinite article is used | ||
* to express that introduction/ unspecific reference | |||
| If unknown = no article | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Referring to | | '''Referring to an already known noun''' | ||
| Takes the definite article (the) | | Takes the definite article (the) | ||
* "The man I told you about earlier" | * "The man I told you about earlier" | ||
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* "The water in the lake is warm!" | * "The water in the lake is warm!" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Referring to a generic category | | '''Referring to a generic category''' | ||
| | | No article | ||
* "I love pickles" | * "I love pickles" | ||
* i.e., "pickles" can be counted | * i.e., "pickles" can be counted | ||
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* "Water is good for you" | * "Water is good for you" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Abstract noun (not literal) | | '''Abstract noun (figurative, not literal)''' | ||
* or an adjective used as a noun | |||
| | * to describe a general idea or condition | ||
| | | Definite article (the) | ||
* "The ghost in the machine" | |||
* "The decency in her actions" | |||
| No article | |||
* "Ambition can be dangerous" | |||
* "Friendship is wonderful" | |||
|- | |||
| '''Nouns with Superlative adjectives''' | |||
* superlatives express the highest degree | |||
* therefore superlatives create a singular noun | |||
| Definite article (the) | |||
* "the best coffee", "the highest mountain" | |||
| Superlatives always modify singular nouns | |||
* i.e, "the best" = one not multiple things | |||
|- | |- | ||
| '''Different uses of count, non-count, etc. nouns''' | |||
* some nouns can be expressed in all these categories | |||
* thereby the use or non-use of an article shapes its meaning | |||
| colspan="2" | "coffee" for example: | |||
* "The coffee is strong!" (a specific coffee) | |||
* "I like strong coffee" (coffee in general) | |||
* "I like a coffee that is strong" (a kind of coffee that I like) | |||
|} | |} | ||
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** ex. "They went on vacation" as opposed to "they went on a vacation" | ** ex. "They went on vacation" as opposed to "they went on a vacation" | ||
** "The mentor gave him good advice" as opposed to "gave him a good advice" | ** "The mentor gave him good advice" as opposed to "gave him a good advice" | ||
* see | * for more on Articles see: | ||
** [https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/using_articles.html Purdue OWL on using articles} | ** [https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/using_articles.html Purdue OWL on using articles} | ||
** [https://www.grammarly.com/blog/articles/ What Are Articles?] | ** [https://www.grammarly.com/blog/articles/ What Are Articles?] | ||