Grammar – Definite & Indefinite Articles JSS3 English Studies Lesson Note

REVISION

GRAMMAR

TOPIC: ARTICLE

‘A’ ‘an’ and ‘the’ are known as Articles they are demonstrative adjectives.

 KINDS OF ARTICLES

There are two types of articles

1.         Definite Articles
2.         Indefinite Articles

1.     Definite Articles: – An article that is used to refer to a particular person or thing is known as a definite article. Example ‘the’
2.   Indefinite Article: – An article that does not refer to any particular person or thing is known as an indefinite article. Example ‘a, an’

 THE SELECTION OF ‘A’ OR ‘AN’

The selection between ‘a’ and ‘an’ is determined by sound. 

Hints

1.     A – Is used before a word beginning with a consonant sound. Examples are a boy, a man, a human being, a table, a horse, a yard, and a young man.
2. A – Is used before a word beginning with ‘h’ ‘y’ and ‘u’. examples – a historical vowel, a human being, a youth, a year, a yellow paper, a university, a useful thing, a unit, a European, a uniform, a union, etc.
3.    A – Is used before a word beginning with ‘w’ sound. Examples: a one-legged sailor, a one-man tribunal, a one-dollar note, etc.
4.   An – Is used before a word beginning with vowel sound. Examples: an hour, an honour, an heir, an heirloom, an honest citizen, etc.

 THE USE OF INDEFINITE ARTICLE

1.     The indefinite article A or An is used in the sense of ‘one of a’. For example, I met a friend (means one of certain friends)
2.     It is used to represent a whole class or in the sense of all or any. Example; (i) A student should be obedient, (ii) A doctor must love his patients
3.     It is used to convert a proper noun into a common noun. Example: He is a Clinton (a great political leader) (ii) She is a mother Theresa (a great social worker)
4.     In certain expressions, a Couple, a thousand, a great number of, a dozen, a million, a good deal of, etc. 
5.     If is used in exclamatory sentences. Example: What a pretty girl, What a shame, What a clever boy, What a hot day

‘A’ OR ‘AN’ IS NOT USED FOR

1.     A or An is not used with plural nouns. For example dogs, books girls.
2.   With uncountable nouns. Example advice, furniture, knowledge, news, information, luggage, etc. But, these words may be used with some, any, a little, a piece of, a bit of, an item of. Example: some advice, any news, a piece of information. Note: A knowledge of English is useful (correct)
3.   With abstract noun. Examples: happiness, pleasure, courage, beauty, love, intelligence, hope, fear, etc.

THE USE OF DEFINITE ARTICLES                             

1.       Unique Things: – The definite article “the” is used with unique things in nature. Example; the sun, the sea, the sky, the moon, the earth. The sun rises in the east. The earth moves around the sun.
2.     Particular Persons or Things: – ‘The’ is used to talk about particular persons or things. Example: The man you met yesterday is my uncle. The lady you saw at the theatre is my wife
3.    Persons or Things Mentioned for the second time:­ – ‘The’ is used to talk about persons or things mentioned for the second time. Example: I met a girl. The girl is very tall. I went to a host. The hostel is very neat.
4.     Singular Nouns:- representing the whole class. Example: The rose is a lonely flower. The scientist should love mankind. The teacher should know the psychology of the students.
5.     Proper Noun:­– Used as a common noun. ‘the’ when used before a proper noun makes it a common noun. For example; Jos is the Manchester of Nigeria. Rawlings is the saviour of Ghana. Calabar is the Switzerland of Nigeria.

 Assignment

Fill in the blanks with suitable articles

1.                 Iron is …………………..useful metal
2.                 My father is ………………honourable man
3.            Honest men speak ……………..truths
4.               Jerusalem is ……………………..holy place
5.               Do you look at ………………………blue sky?
6.               I first met Isioma………………..year ago
7.  My friend is ………………………..Europea
8.     Malta is ………………….Island
9.            Let us consider ……………………………..problem in detail
10.       Yoruba is …………………………..difficult language

 REVISION

GRAMMAR

TOPIC: PART OF SPEECH

An adjective is described as a word that qualifies or modifies nouns and pronouns. Adjectives generally give more information about nouns and pronouns in items of their attributes such as quality, colour, quantity, etc. Such words come nearer to the nouns they modify than all other elements that modify such nouns.

TYPES OF ADJECTIVES USES

There are two uses for every adjective namely;

1.         Attribute use
2.         Predictive use

1.         Attributive Use: – An adjective used with a noun is known as attributive use.

Examples;

Beautiful girl

Cleaver student

Tall tree

Fair face

Lovely flower 

1.     Predictive Use: – An adjective used with a verb is known as predictive use.

iii.     Examples;

She is afraid

He is alive

They are dead

He looked happy 

KINDS OF ADJECTIVES

Adjectives are divided into ten types namely;

1.       Adjective of Quality
2.       Adjective of Quantity

iii.      Adjective of Number

1.     Demonstrative Adjective
2.       Distributive Adjective
3.       Interrogative Adjective

vii.       Possessive Adjective

viii.      Emphasizing Adjective

1.       Exclamatory Adjective
2.         Proper Adjective

1.     Adjective of Quality: This is the adjective that is used to talk about the quality of a person or thing. Examples; Wealthy, Regional, Industrial, Fundamental, Elementary, Primary.

Example;

Ø Yoruba is a regional language

Ø He is a wealthy person

Ø Kafanchan is an industrial city

1.     Adjective of Quantity: – An adjective used to talk about quantity of things. Example; little, much, enough, no, any, whole, some, all great, half, sufficient.

Example;

Ø There is a little milk in the jug

Ø My father earned enough money

Ø He showed much courage in the war

1.     Adjective of Number: – An adjective used to talk about the number of things or persons is known as an adjective of number.

Examples; fine, few, no, many, all, some, most, several, first any, one

Example;

Ø She wrote six papers for her B.A

Ø Only a few people are kind to the poor

Ø I got first class in my B.A

Ø All students passed the exam

1.     Demonstrative Adjective: – An adjective used to point out which person or thing we speak about is known as a demonstrative adjective.

Examples; this, that, these, those

Example;

Ø This book is very interesting

Ø That girl is very beautify

Ø These flowers are lovely

1.     Distributive Adjective: – is an adjective used to refer to every person or thing separately.

Examples; each, every, either, neither, any, none, both

Example;

Ø Each boy was awarded a diploma

Ø Every Nigeria is entitled to an adult franchise

Ø Every citizen should love his motherland

Ø Neither party has gotten the majority in recent elections

Ø Neither country accepted the treaty    

1.       Interrogative Adjective: – An adjective used to question is known as interrogative.

Examples; what, which, whose.

Example;

Ø What advice shall I give you?

Ø What language do you teach at college?

Ø Which places do you wish to visit?

Ø Which poet do you like most?

Ø Whose photograph is this?

Ø Whose handwriting is this?

On whose recommendation did you apply for this post?

1.     Possessive Adjective: This is an adjective used to talk about ownership or possession.

Examples; my, your, our, his, her, its, their.

Example;

Ø my mother is a teacher

Ø your father is a doctor

Ø Our country is Nigeria

Ø his wealth was lost

Ø her husband died in an accident

Ø all their daughters were married last

ADVERBS 

An adverb is a word that modifies the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Examples:

She writes quickly

Bokola is very smart

He explained the poem fairly well

KINDS OF ADVERBS

Adverbs are divided into eight kinds based on their use.

1.     Adverb of Manner

ii  Adverb of Place

iii.    Adverb of Time

1.   Adverb of Frequency
2.     Adverb of Certainty
3.   Adverb of Degree

vii.   Interrogative Adverb

viii.  Relative Adverb

1.     Adverb of Manner: An adverb used to show how an action is done is known as an adverb of manner.

Examples; quickly, bravely, happily, hand, fast, well, clearly, soundly, probably, possibly, evidently, unfortunately, luckily, sadly.

Example;

Ø They lived happily

Ø Bukola walks gracefully

Ø She speaks fluently 

2.     Adverb of Place: This is an adverb that is used to show where an action is done.

Examples; here, there, up, down, near, below, above, away, out, everywhere, backward, within, by.

Example;

Ø I went there

Ø She stood near the gate

Ø Please come here  

3.     Adverb of Time: An adverb used to show when an action is done.

Examples; now, then, today, tomorrow, early, soon, already, never, since, formerly.

Example;

Ø My father is not at home now

Ø She will come here soon

Ø She came late yesterday

4.     Adverb of Frequency: An adverb used to show how often an action is done is known as an adverb of frequency.

Examples; once, twice, often, never, always, occasionally, again, frequently, seldom, sometimes.

Example;

Ø They talked to each other again

Ø We visited Jos twice

Ø They never go to films

5.     Adverb of Certainty: An adverb used to show the definiteness of the action is known as an adverb of certainty.

Examples; certainly, surely.

Example; 

Ø Surely, she loves me

Ø I shall certainly help you

Ø Janet is very clever