RIC-6242 Primary Grammar and Word Study - Book C

Parts of speech
Determiners
Focus
Articles: the (definite) and a/an (indefinite)
Demonstratives: this, that (singular) and these,
those (plural)
Definitions
• A determiner is a word usually used before a noun
that determines how definite it is.
Example:
That train with some empty carriages is travelling
along the tracks and stopping at each station.
• An article is a type of determiner that precedes
a noun and identifies how definite (specific) or
indefinite (non-specific) that noun is.
Example:
a book (meaning any book), the book (meaning a
particular book)
• A demonstrative is a type of determiner that
signals whether the associated noun is near (this,
these) the writer or speaker, or far away (that,
those) from the writer or speaker.
Note: In traditional grammar, some words used as
what are now called determiners in functional
grammar are referred to as adjectives; e.g. first,
seven, or as possessive pronouns; e.g. my, your.
Explanation
• Determiners are useful for making information more
precise for the reader or listener.
• The definite article the is used to refer to a particular
thing or things. The is used when referring to
specific, one-of-a-kind things.
Example:
the Nile River, the book (meaning a particular book)
• Indefinite articles such as a and an are used to refer
to any thing. The noun following an indefinite article
is non-specific.
Example:
an umbrella (meaning any umbrella), or a boat
(meaning any boat)
• Articles can indicate a significant difference in
meaning.
Example:
a house (any house), the house (a particular house)
• The indefinite article a precedes a noun that begins
with a consonant sound.
Example:
a yacht, a boat, a dog, a unicycle
• The indefinite article an precedes a noun that begins
with a vowel sound.
Example:
an apple, an ice-cream, an umbrella, an hour
• Demonstratives generally indicate the proximity of
the noun to the writer or speaker. This (singular) and
these (plural) suggest the noun/nouns are close by,
while that (singular) and those (plural) suggest the
noun/nouns is are far away or out of reach.
Worksheet information
• Question 1 provides a simple text for discussion
about the use of a, an and the. Direct students to
observe the instances in which a or an are used
(with consonant sounds or vowel sounds). Discuss
and establish a class list of words which use the
determiner a and words which use an. The can
be used with any word as it identifies the specific
nature of the noun.
• Students then complete Question 2 independently.
• Read the sentences in Question 3 and discuss
the words in bold print. Identify that the students
understand that these words tell about proximity. If
not, point this feature out explicitly. Students then
match the sentences to the pictures independently.
©R.I.C. Publications
Low Resolution Images
Display Copy
Ideas for further practice
• Students write a limerick incorporating ‘a’, ‘an’ and
‘the’.
• Students create his/her own sentences which
demonstrate the correct use of ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘these’
and ‘those’.
Answers
2. a: cat, mouse; an: apple, owl; the: sky, water
3. (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 1
Primary grammar and word study 28
www.ricpublications.com.au R.I.C. Publications ®
ISBN 978-1-74126-766-2