You are looking at the wrong article. It is in the ‘The’ section because it is a reference to ‘the kitchen’.
A bee - could be any bee.
the kitchen - is the only kitchen in the house where the speaker is.
Because the reader (and ‘he’) doesn’t yet know whether this is the jacket referred to earlier. It could be a different jacket - we have yet to find out. I imagine that ‘he’ will now investigate the jacket.
Dear Torsten and Alan,
I have a question regarding the use of the article ‘a’ before the word ‘pity’. It is related to the following explanation and example, which I came across in the article on the articles:
“In exclamations before singular, countable nouns. “What a pity! What a sunny day!””.
In th above quoted example mentioned in the article, the word pity is preceded by the article ‘a’. Now, my question is, when we do not use the article ‘a’ for abstract nouns then can we use it for ‘pity’. Isn’t pity an abstract noun? I am confused. Please relieve me from my ambiguity.
Also, please correct me, if I made any mistake in this reply. Is my English correct?
Regards,
Sharmi S
Good question, Sharmi S,
When ‘pity’ refers to feelings of sorrow and compassion Usually over the suffering and misfortunes of others), then no article is used:
“Her voice was full of pity.”
However, when ‘pity’ indicates a cause for regret or disappointment, then an article is required:
“What a pity that English can’t be more straightforward.”
Don’t ask me how the difference came about, though!
Dear Allan,
I read again everything, your essay about the articles and every feedback. I was very happy because I was familiar with the articles and I can say that I learned them.
What Yankee disapproves about the pronunciation I agree with her - though I am not a native, but this ‘ei’ rasps my feelings. I never heard neither from you or Mr. Torsten Daerr or Tom Kain to pronounce the ‘a’ in this way and so often. But I know the language is always changes and the pronunciation also. But I don’t like this pronunciation, maybe I am subjective.
I had had a French Teacher who was above 70 and taught very well and she said to us that she is listening to the French Radio every day because she want to be abreast with the developing language. The language is a living matter.
Still I agree with Yankee because this isn’t good to hear whether it is emphatic or not emphatic it is always “ei”
Best regards:
Kati Svaby
After reading I noticed 2 mistakes what I would like to correct. Iam sorry.
1.I heard neither from you or Mr. Torsten Daerr or Tom Kain…/ Double negation that exists in Hungarian/
2…because she wants to be abreast with…/singular 3.person I omitted “s” /
Will u please explain me why there is A in the first sentence and THE in the second (in my opinioin they are identical):
Are there any cases you would use THE dinner or is it always without an article?
Why there is THE terror in this eyes (in the text about Charly the Brave), isn’t it a general notion the same as knowledge (knowledge is power without any article)?
Hi,
I try to answer your question.
1. A horse a noble animal.-horse is a singular countable noun and when you mention for the first time you have to use an indefinite article.
horse -with “the”
The horse I ride on every day is a noble animal.-You know this horse, probably you don’t mention for the first time that’s why you use definite article.
At last: horses - countable nouns in plural you never use indefinite articles but definit articles you can use.
The donkey is a very stubborn animal.
The + a singular noun can represent all of the donkeys.
Dinner I’ve never seen it with any article./ Except before it was an adjective before it then with indefinite article:/ For exp: go out for dinner; Have you had dinner yet. I never eat a big dinner. But I think if I say : The dinner was very good.-it is correct Because the dinner can be countable and uncountable noun so a noun can be used with the.
knowledge is a uncountable noun you never use it with indefinite article. Theoretically you can use with definite article but I’ve never seen only with possessive adjectives: /my, your, his, her, its, our, yours, theirs/
For exp:to my knowledge/ without my knowledge etc.
The terror
Hi,
This text went away without sending. I continue:
The terror in this text is an undergone sentiment what the person knows that’s why he uses a definite article.
I hope this helps you.
Take care:
Kati Svaby
Knowledge can be used with possessive adjectives /my, your, his, her its -our, your, their/
For exp:to my knowledge; without my knowledge; My knowledge of English is poor. etc. We would ask our teacher to tell us an example sentence with " The knowledge"
By:
Kati
Hello,
I looked for things from curiosity as you raised this question and what I found I would like to share with you.
From English Grammar in Use/grammar book/
breakfast, lunch, dinner
We do not normally use the with the names of meals.
-What did you have breakfast?
-We had lunch a very nice restaurant.
-What time is dinner?
But we use a if there is an adjective before them:
The most of in illustrative sentences is the most frequent:
the possession adjective + dinner:
For example:
-Give the dog its dinner.
The dinner with definite article can find only occasionally:
-The ministerial dinner that announces the near close of parliamentary session. … The dinner became an annual fest. / I think we have to use the because the dinner became a custom./
Knowledge - I found one expression with the
in the knowledge that
-She started to photograph the documents, safe in the knowledge that /= knowing that/ she wouldn’t be disturbed for at least an hour.
I found two with possessive adjectives:
-to my knowledge= as far as I know
-without my knowledge = not having informed me.
And a sea of expression without article.
/I think seen these senteces if we use an adjective with an uncountable noun it becomes restrictive and that’s why we have to use article./
By:
Kati
Thank u for this nice web-site!
Will u please tell me: which is correct The Beach Disco or Beach Disco?
I know that we use The before the restaurants and hotels. But what about discos and clubs? Are there any rules?
Thank u!!!
Thank u very much for the answers!
Could u plese also clarify if this is correct: there isn’t an airport in the city? (i mean the sentence altogether, because I have doubts…)
‘The Beach Disco’ or ‘Beach Disco’ - either might be correct, depending on the context.
There isn’t an airport in the city. <-- This is a correct sentence. The city does not have an airport / any airports.
F.e. in the sentence: there is The Beach Disco next to our hotel or there is The Sharks Disco on this island? Thank u!!!
It still depends on context:
The Beach Disco is next to our hotel. (Where ‘Beach Disco’ is a proper noun – the name of that particular disco.)
There is a beach disco next to our hotel. (A disco on the beach.)
The Sharks Disco is on this island. (Proper noun where ‘the’ may or may not be part of the name.)
Sharks Disco is on this island. (Proper noun where ‘the’ isn’t part of the name.)
Is there a Sharks Disco on this island? (Where there is a chain of ‘Sharks Discos’)
I would like to recommend that the main point in the story should be mark by deffernt color because in order to be understood by student,what I mean the artices
another think is that realy I would like to get your help because I will be taking my exam in TOEFL in next Janury ,and there is a tech will help me to success in exam although I have a TOEFL BOOK what do think I must do to solve this problem
Could u please explain which article shall I use with the word WEATHER?
Is there any cases of usage A weather? Thank u!!!
I’m not saying that this is always the rule, but right now, I can only think of examples of the indirect article being used where there is an adjective:
A wet weather front is moving in.
There will be a spell of warmer weather.
Where weather directly follows the article, I can only think of use of the direct article.
The weather is very changeable.
Dear Torsten,
After a brief total lack of contact with the Forum I have again some contacts but not everywhere.
I wanted to continue on my TOEIC tests, it would be the next Toeic M.76 but I can ‘t open this page. I tried the TOEIC 1. -what I did already earlier but this page either didn’ work. I could see only a blank.
I tried a listening test without success - I saw any of my listening tests don’t answer.
It is written: The content is temporally not available.
I don’t know why my movement on the forum is limited.
Could you solve this problem.
Thank you in advance:
Kati
Svaby