One of the topics that cause the greatest difficulties for learners of the language is the articles in the English language. The difficulty of understanding this topic for a Russian-speaking person is that in our language there are neither articles nor similar parts of speech. Sometimes it happens that a person who begins to learn English, it is almost impossible to explain from the standpoint of logic, what is the article, and when it should be used. Therefore, those who want to master the English language will have to remember many cases of using articles. However, it is not as difficult as it seems.
Consider the
indefinite articles in English. These are a and an, before vowels and consonants. According to one version, the indefinite articles in the English language came from the word “one”, which means “one”. It is not known exactly how close this version is to the truth. However, with its help it is enough to simply remember the main cases of the use of indefinite articles. The most general rule, in fact, is one thing: the indefinite article can be easily put where it is easy to enter the word “one”, “any”, “some”, that is, with all nouns that are in the singular in the sentence. For example, a donkey is a donkey, a telephone is a telephone, a dream is a dream. Or an armchair - an armchair, an hour - an hour. But this is not all that you need to know in order to properly use this insidious part of speech, which causes so many difficulties.
So, let’s take a closer look at how to use the articles in English. The rules are as follows:
1) Uncertain articles should be used if the subject appears in the conversation for the first time and the interlocutor still does not know anything about the subject:
A book is so interesting - A book is so interesting (Some kind of book that a person has not yet read).
2) If something is considered as one of a number of similar ones, for example, if we mean that a person works in one of many small shops, at
one of many factories or lives in one of the small cities:
I don't like to live in a town - I don't like living in a city (In one of the small towns).
3) If we talk about an object as a representative of the whole class, for example:
A squirrel is a sweet animal - A squirrel is a cute animal (As one of the cute animals).
4) After the words quite, such, rather, what (but only in exclamatory sentences), and also after the turn of there + to be that stand before countable nouns (uncountable nouns are those that can be counted individually. For example, a house, an apple , window, copybook, and uncountable - those that cannot be counted, for example, water, milk, sugar:
He was such a severe man! “He was such a strict man!”
There is a pond near our house. - There is a lake near our house.
5) In such phrases as once a week, once a month, once a year, and also when the indefinite article is equal in meaning to the numeral one, the only one.
She'll be your wife in a year. “She will be your wife in a year.”
And also in combinations of a number (of), a few, a great deal (of), a little, a great manybe at a loss, etc.
Sorry, I can't explain, I am in a hurry. - Sorry, I can’t explain. I'm in a hurry.
It can be seen from the above examples that the articles in English constitute that layer of grammar, which is not just necessary to be studied, but vitally necessary. As can be seen from the examples, the articles in the English language carry a significant semantic load. That is why it is impossible to miss them, which many of our compatriots sin. Do not forget that in addition to the articles a, an in English there is a definite article the, which also has its own nuances of use.