20 November 2008 - Witten by Jeanne

English has two types of articles: definite (the) and indefinite (a, an.) The use of these articles depends mainly on whether you are referring to any member of a group, or to a specific member of a group:

1. Indefinite Articles: a and an
A and an signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. These indefinite articles are used with singular nouns when the noun is general; the corresponding indefinite quantity word some is used for plural general nouns. The rule is:
• a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy
• an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant
• a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like ‘yoo-zer,’ i.e. begins with a consonant ‘y’ sound, so ‘a’ is used)
• some + plural noun: some girls
If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immedately follows the article:
• a broken egg
• an unusual problem
• a European country (sounds like ‘yer-o-pi-an,’ i.e. begins with consonant ‘y’ sound)
Note also that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a profession, nation, or religion.
• I am a teacher.
• Brian is an Irishman.
• Seiko is a practicing Buddhist.

2. Definite Article: the
The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is particular or specific. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group.

The is not used with noncountable nouns referring to something in a general sense:
[no article] Coffee is a popular drink.
[no article] Japanese was his native language.
[no article] Intelligence is difficult to quantify.
The is used with noncountable nouns that are made more specific by a limiting modifying phrase or clause:
The coffee in my cup is too hot to drink.
The Japanese he speaks is often heard in the countryside.
The intelligence of animals is variable but undeniable.
The is also used when a noun refers to something unique:
the White House
the theory of relativity
the 1999 federal budget

Geographical uses of the
Do not use the before:
• names of countries (Italy, Mexico, Bolivia) except the Netherlands and the US
• names of cities, towns, or states (Seoul, Manitoba, Miami)
• names of streets (Washington Blvd., Main St.)
• names of lakes and bays (Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie) except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes
• names of mountains (Mount Everest, Mount Fuji) except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn
• names of continents (Asia, Europe)
• names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
Do use the before:
• names of rivers, oceans and seas (the Nile, the Pacific)
• points on the globe (the Equator, the North Pole)
• geographical areas (the Middle East, the West)
• deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas (the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula)

Directions: Fill in the blank with the appropriate article, a, an, or the, or leave the space blank if no article is needed.

1. I want ____ apple from that basket.

2. ____ church on the corner is progressive.

3. Miss Lin speaks ____ Chinese.

4. I borrowed ____ pencil from your pile of pencils and pens.

5. One of the students said, “____ professor is late today.”

6 Eli likes to play ____ volleyball.

7. I bought ____ umbrella to go out in the rain.

8. My daughter is learning to play ____ violin at her school.

9. Please give me ____ cake that is on the counter.

10. I lived on ____ Main Street when I first came to town.

11. Albany is the capital of ____ New York State.

12. My husband’s family speaks ____ Polish.

13. ____ apple a day keeps the doctor away.

14. ____ ink in my pen is red.

15. Our neighbors have ____ cat and ____ dog.

Answers

1. I want an apple from that basket.

2. The church on the corner is progressive.

3. Miss Lin speaks Chinese. (no article needed)

4. I borrowed a pencil from your pile of pencils and pens.

5. One of the students said, “The professor is late today.”

6. Eli likes to play volleyball. (no article needed)

7. I bought an umbrella to go out in the rain.

8. My daughter is learning to play the violin at her school.

9. Please give me the cake that is on the counter.

10. I lived on Main Street when I first came to town. (no article needed)

11. Albany is the capital of New York State. (no article needed)

12. My husband’s family speaks Polish. (no article needed)

13. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

14. The ink in my pen is red.

15. Our neighbors have a cat and a dog.

13 November 2008 - Written by John

There are a variety of phrasal verbs, many of them quite common, which use the words ‘take’. Be careful as there can be different meanings for the same phrasal verb! (Remember, a phrasal verb consists of a verb and a preposition.)

Look at these sentences:

Take

- Sales are expected to take off next month. (take off - to increase rapidly)

- My company has just taken on new staff. (take on – to employ)

- We’re worried that the company may be taken over by the market leader. (take over – to acquire ownership of)

- If you’re not happy with your purchase, take it back to the shop. (take back – to return)

- What time does the plane take off tomorrow? (take off – to depart)

- ‘You look hot. Take off your jacket.’ (take off – to remove)

- It was too much information to take in all at once. (take in – to comprehend)

- He’s going to take up golf when he retires. (take up – to begin to learn)

- If you have any complaints, please take them up with the boss. (take up – to discuss an issue)

- ‘Take down this information and learn it for homework. (take down – to make a note)

Now, complete these sentences using one of the phrasal verbs from above:

1. Do you think I can ______ this sweater _____ to the store? I don’t like the colour.

2. The plane ______ ______ in an hour.

3. I forgot to ______ ______ the homework exercise. What do we have to do?

4. ______ your shoes ______! You’re dirtying my clean carpet!

5. We’ll have a new boss if the company will be _____ _____.

6. I’ve always wanted to _____ _____ playing guitar.

7. Is your department _____ _____ anyone at the moment? I hate my job!

8. ‘Ok. I’ve _____ _____ what you explained but I don’t think that I’ll remember it tomorrow.’

9. ‘You can _____ the problem _____ with the manager if you want, but be careful! He’s not in a good mood at the moment.

10. ‘After the amount of marketing that we have done, I expect sales to really _____ _____ soon.

5 November 2008: Written by Rob Doyle

Using the stereo: (Note: the stereo is the machine you listen to music on; Cds, Mp3, or the radio)

When we are using a stereo and we want to tell people to do certain things with it, there are various phrasal verbs and some regular verbs that we use. Four of these phrasal verbs contain the word ‘turn’ (remember, a phrasal verb consists of a verb - an ‘action’ word - and a preposition - a word that links other words, for example, ‘on, along, across, by, for, over’.

‘Turn’ phrasal verbs:

1 - Turn on:

e.g. “Quick, turn on the stereo, my favourite radio is about to start.”

To turn on means to ‘start up’ or ‘switch on’ the radio - or the television, computer, light, or any electronic device - so that it begins working.

2 - Turn off:

e.g. “Turn off the stereo, will you? Nobody’s listening to it anyway, and we need to save money on the electricity bill.”

To turn off is the opposite of to turn on.

3 - Turn up (the volume / the sound)

“Turn it up, I love this song!”

This means to increase the sound level.

4. Turn down (the volume / the sound)

“Will you turn down the radio a bit? I’m trying to sleep in here”.

This is the opposite of to turn up.

There are two verbs with the same meanings as turn up and turn down:

Turn up = higher

Turn down = lower

e.g. “I’ll higher the volume so we can hear the news”.

“Lower the sound when the advertisements are on; they are only noise pollution.”

Now fill in the gaps with the appropriate verb or phrasal verb (Note: in some of them, you can use either a verb or a phrasal verb).

1. Just __________ the music a little bit. It’s good music, but I can’t hear myself think.

2. This band is incredible. ___________ the volume so we can hear it better!

3. If you don’t __________ that stereo this second I’m calling the police. It’s five in the morning and I have to be in work tomorrow! You have no respect!

4. ___________ the radio and we can hear what happened in the elections.

5. Wait a moment while I ________ the volume a little, I can’t really hear you. Now, that’s better. Tell me again.

6. I can’t hear what the newsreader is saying. Could you please __________ the volume just a little? I really want to hear this. Thanks a lot.