NOUNS ( and pronouns ) .......................................................... BACK to INDEX

Nouns, by themselves, normally need articles in front of them.

Either the definite article, the ... which indicates a specific thing or person

or, the indefinite article, a or an...... which could refer to any thing or person

The book, a book .... the hat, a hat .... the dog, a dog ... the egg, an egg

If the noun is in the plural, the indefinite article becomes some. The definite article stays the same.

The books, some books ... the hats, some hats .... the dogs, some dogs

GENERAL STATEMENTS

Articles are not needed in a general statement about a noun , e.g.

Books are for reading... Water is for drinking. .You can see lights. I can hear cats purring.

But : The books are for reading. The water is for drinking. You can see the lights. I can hear the cats purr. The sentences now refer to particular books, water, lights and cats. They can be made more specific by the use of These, This, That, etc., ... see below.

COMMON ADJECTIVES ... replace articles in general statements, as do numbers... and

EACH, EVERY, ALL

He gave me black shoes.. We can not read small writing. There were seven coins. Each page is different. ... All pages are different. .. Every dog has its day.

Words like

THIS, THESE and THAT, THOSE ( Demonstrative adjectives )

replace the definite article, when being very specific.

Take this book to the teacher. . These men over here. .. That cup on the table.

MANY, MORE, MOST, ( Comparative adjectives )

Many books have been burnt. ..More people came in. .. Most dogs come when called.

MY,YOUR, HIS, HER, OUR, THEIR ( Possessive adjectives ) also replace the article.

I lost my purse. They could not see their books. .. He did not tell his father.

REMEMBER. Nouns normally need articles, or other words to replace them.

The cat sat on the bed. .. A big bird flew through the window. .. A man and his dog. Fourteen children in one room. Six eggs in a basket on the table. Men often like strong beer.

PRONOUNS

A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun, particularly when it is known what is being talked about. It does not need an article. e.g.

I, me, you, he, him, she, her, it, we, us, you, they, them

The form of word used depends on whether it is the subject, or object of a sentence, or is a recipient of something.

The dog was indoors. It was asleep. ..The men are hungry. Give the food to them.
He gave it to her. .. I wanted him to give it to you.