by R. S. Karunaratne

Articles with countable and uncountable nouns

We use indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ only before countable nouns.

Nelum is eating a mango .
Jeevan is riding a bicycle .
As there was a bus strike we hired a cab to attend the wedding.
The cat caught a mouse .
Nelum is playing with a doll Santa has brought her.

It’s about to rain, take an umbrella with you.
The fisherman caught an octopus in his net.
Samath wants to be an engineer .
The train has an engine imported from India.
This is an adaptation of the original play.

An uncountable noun does not have a plural form.
How much sugar do you take with tea?
Water is flowing under the bridge.
The knife is made of steel .
The new hospital building is closed for want of equipment.

We are going to buy some new furniture .

We use the indefinite articles ‘a’ or ‘an’ in sentences with uncountable nouns in the following way.
Please buy me a bottle of milk .
Father bought me a gold bracelet for Christmas.

We use the definite article ‘the’ with uncountable nouns when it is clear to the listener or reader which things we are referring to.

However, we do not use ‘the’ with uncountable nouns when we talk in general.
Money can be earned in different ways. (General statement) With the money I spent on this car I could have built a house.(Special statement)
Drink water and remain healthy. (General statement)
The water in this bottle is contaminated.(Special statement).

[Activity ]

Delete unnecessary articles in the following sentences and check your answers with the key.

1. Jeyaraj brought me a small brown leather bag from India.
2. Father asked me to buy a milk on my way home.
3. We were struck with a fear when the robbers entered our house.
4. In the past women preferred to wear a silver ornaments.
5. From where do you buy the paint?
6. Although I went to a supermarket I forgot to buy a box of a chocolates.
7. The health is wealth.
8. India is going to be the venue for the Commonwealth Games.
9. The smallpox is a fatal disease.
10. The hotel serves many varieties of the fish.

[Key]

1. Jeyaraj bought me a small brown leather bag from India.
2. Father asked me to buy milk on my way home.
3. We were struck with fear when robbers entered our house.
4. In the past women preferred to wear silver ornaments.
5. From where do you buy paint?
6. Although I went to a supermarket I forgot to buy a box of chocolates.
7. Health is wealth.
8. India is going to be the venue for Commonwealth Games.
9. Smallpox is a fatal disease.
10. The hotel serves many varieties of fish.

Confusable words

While learning English it is necessary to learn how to avoid confusables and communicate with clarity. Pay attention to the following words and learn how to use them correctly.

1. Advantage / benefit

An advantage is a situation that favours success. A benefit is a form of help we earn. A good knowledge of English is an advantage. Most of us benefit from the Free Education policy of the Government.

2. Adversary / opponent

Although both have the same meaning an adversary has a hostile attitude. An opponent, however, has a sportier and friendlier attitude. In politics we usually have opponents.

3. Adverse / averse

Adverse means ‘hostile’. A superior officer can send an adverse report on one of his staff members to the management. Averse means ‘reluctant’. What cat is averse to fish?

4. Advisor / adviser

Both words mean ‘someone who advises’. Both spellings are acceptable in British English.

5. Aeroplane / airplane / aircraft

Aeroplane is used in British English. Airplane is used in American English. However, plane is used in both British English and American English. Aircraft is both singular and plural.

6. Aesthetic / esthetic / aesthete / esthete

Aesthetic and aesthete are used in British English. Esthetic and esthete are used in American English. Aesthetic relates to the appreciation of beauty in art and nature.

Aesthete is somebody who has a highly developed appreciation of artistic beauty.

The simple but useful word 'it' can be used for time, day, distance and weather.

[Time]
What time is it?
It's half past six.
It's late for the lecture. Let's go home.
It's time to go to bed.
It's the closing time.

[Day]
What day is it?
It's 18 December.
It's Sunday today.
It's my sister's birthday today.
It's a rainy day.
It's a bright day.
It's a holiday. I needn't go to school.
It's Christmas. Let's celebrate!

[Distance]
How far is it from Nugegoda to Colombo?
It's a long way from here to Kantale.
I can walk to school. It's not very far.
It's 20 km from here to Colombo.
Is it far from here?
No, it isn't.

[Weather]
It's raining, don't go out.
It isn't raining now, we can walk home.
Is it raining still?
It rained heavily last night.
It's warm inside the cave.
It's hot when there's no rain.
It's cold when it rains.

[Other uses]
It's nice to see you here.
It's easy to find the police station.
It's difficult to find where the Grama Niladhari lives.
It's impossible to understand some people.
It's dangerous to walk on the highway.
It's safe to drive on the left.
It's stupid of you to jaywalk.
I don't want that. It's expensive.
I'll buy this. It's cheap.
It's a wonderful story.
It's a terrible accident.
It's raining again.
Is it true that you scored the highest marks in the exam?

[Activity]

Fill in the blanks with 'it', 'it's' (it is) or 'is it?' Check your answers with the key.

1. What time ................?
2. ................ raining now.
3. ................ very late. We must leave now.
4. ................. cold here. Shall I close the window?
5. ................... true that anybody can ride a bicycle?
6. What day .................today?
7. .................. Sunday?
8.No, ............. Saturday.
9. ............about 10 km from here to the airport.
10. ................ possible for me to meet the principal?

[Key]

1. is it? 2. It is 3. It's 4. It's 5. Is it 6. is it 7. Is it 8. it's 9. It's 10. Is it

An antonym is a word opposite in meaning to a given word. Write the antonym against each of the following words. There can be more than one answer. Check your answers with the key.

1. abandon ........................
2. absent ..........................
3. absence ............................
4. abstract ..............................
5. accept .............................
6. acceptable .............................
7. acceptance .............................
8. accessible ................................
9. accurate ..............................
10. accurately ...............................
11. accuracy .................................
12. achieve ................................
13. acquire ...............................
14. address ..............................
15. adequate ..............................
16. advantage ..............................
17. advantageous ...........................
18. allege ...............................
19. ambiguous ..............................
20. anonymous ..............................
21. anti-clockwise ..............................
22. appropriate ...............................
23. approve ..................................
24. approximate ................................
25. approximately ..............................

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[Key]

1. continue / preserve 2. present 3. presence 4. concrete 5. refuse 6. unacceptable 7. rejection / refusal 8. inaccessible 9. inaccurate 10. inaccurately /incorrectly 11. inaccuracy / vagueness 12. fail 13. lose 14. avoid 15. inadequate 16. disadvantage 17. disadvantageous 18. deny 19. unambiguous 20. named / known 21. clockwise 22. inappropriate 23. reject / veto 24. exact / precise 25. exactly / precisely.