Nouns and Articles
FoundationCount nouns take a/an and plurals; uncount nouns do not. Use a/an for first mention and the for specific things.
- a + consonant sound · an + vowel sound: an apple, an hour; but a university, a European city
- the = we know which one: second mention, shared knowledge
- Uncountable nouns: water, rice, information — no -s, no a/an, use some
文體小知識：a, an or the — choose before you speak.
§Text Passage
1Last Saturday, my mother asked me to buy some fruit and rice for dinner because she was busy with work. I took an umbrella and a shopping bag and walked to the wet market near the estate. The sky was grey, but the market was full of life. An old fish seller gave me good advice about fresh fish, and I thanked him politely. The children near the fruit stall were laughing at a little mouse, and even the stall owner was smiling.
2I bought ten apples, a bag of rice, some milk and a bunch of vegetables. The apples cost thirty dollars, and the rice was on special offer. I also bought a small cake for my grandmother because she loves sweets. On the way home, I met my classmate Kevin under an umbrella that looked exactly like mine. We laughed, and we talked about our homework. He had much homework too, so we did it together at his flat while the rain fell outside.
3That evening, our whole family ate a delicious dinner, and I felt proud because I helped. Mum said the fish soup tasted better than usual. Dad asked where I learned to choose fruit, and I smiled. Next Saturday, I want to go to the market again, this time with an apron and a longer shopping list.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
Last Saturday, my mother asked me to buy some fruit and rice for dinner because she was busy with work.
上星期六，媽媽因為工作很忙，叫我去買些生果同米回來煮晚飯。
I took an umbrella and a shopping bag and walked to the wet market near the estate.
我拿了把傘同一個購物袋，走去屋苑附近的街市。
The sky was grey, but the market was full of life.
天色灰灰的，但街市裡面很熱鬧。
An old fish seller gave me good advice about fresh fish, and I thanked him politely.
一位賣魚的伯伯教了我怎樣挑選新鮮魚，我很有禮貌地多謝他。
The children near the fruit stall were laughing at a little mouse, and even the stall owner was smiling.
水果檔附近的小朋友笑著看一隻小老鼠，連檔主都跟著笑。
I bought ten apples, a bag of rice, some milk and a bunch of vegetables.
我買了十個蘋果、一袋米、一些牛奶同一紮菜。
The apples cost thirty dollars, and the rice was on special offer.
那些蘋果要三十元，米就正在做特價。
I also bought a small cake for my grandmother because she loves sweets.
我還買了一個小蛋糕給奶奶，因為她最喜歡吃甜東西。
On the way home, I met my classmate Kevin under an umbrella that looked exactly like mine.
回家途中，我遇到同學 Kevin，他的傘同我那把一模一樣。
We laughed, and we talked about our homework.
我們笑了一輪，還聊了功課的事。
He had much homework too, so we did it together at his flat while the rain fell outside.
他也有很多功課，所以我們在他家一起做，外面下著雨。
That evening, our whole family ate a delicious dinner, and I felt proud because I helped.
那晚全家人吃了一頓好味的晚飯，我因為幫了忙而覺得很自豪。
Mum said the fish soup tasted better than usual.
媽媽說那鍋魚湯比平時更好味。
Dad asked where I learned to choose fruit, and I smiled.
爸爸問我在哪裡學會選生果，我笑了笑沒有答。
Next Saturday, I want to go to the market again, this time with an apron and a longer shopping list.
下個星期六我想再去街市，這次還要帶圍裙同一份更長的購物清單。
1Summary 重點摘要
Count nouns take a/an and plurals; uncount nouns do not. Use a/an for first mention and the for specific things.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Person, thing, place.
A, an, the.
Can count.
Cannot count.
More than one.
A, e, i, o, u.
Not a vowel.
Man-men.
3Step by step Steps
- a/anListen to the sound, not the letter: an apple, an umbrella (vowel sound); a bag, a university (consonant sound). Example: I took an umbrella and a shopping bag.
- theUse the for specific or second-mention nouns: The sky was grey, but the market was full of life. Both speakers know which market.
- PluralMost add -s: ten apples; -es: box → boxes; irregular: child → children, mouse → mice (a little mouse in the passage), man → men, sheep → sheep.
- Countable vs uncountableCountable nouns take -s: ten apples, two shops. Uncountable nouns never do and never take a/an: some rice, some milk. Example: I bought a bag of rice and some milk.
- Quantity phrasesCount uncountable nouns with measure words: a bag of rice, a bunch of vegetables, a piece of advice — the fish seller gave me good advice.
- Zero articleNo the for places used as services or meals: go to school, have dinner. Example: Our whole family ate a delicious dinner. Why no the before school?
- Check the passageTest these: an old fish seller, a bunch of vegetables, the children near the fruit stall. Why a, why an, why the?
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Based on the passage: why does it say I took an umbrella and a shopping bag, but The sky was grey uses the?
- Step 1: First mention, countable singular → a / an — an umbrella (vowel sound), a shopping bag (consonant sound).
- Step 2: Specific and known → the — The sky was grey (the one sky above both of us).
- Step 3: Uncountable nouns → no a/an, use some — Mum asked me to buy some fruit and rice.
- Step 4: Countable plurals can be counted — ten apples, The children near the fruit stall.
- Step 5: Learn measure phrases — a bag of rice, a bunch of vegetables.
- Answer: We say an umbrella (vowel sound) and a shopping bag (consonant sound) because both are first mentions. The sky takes the because it is the specific sky above the market. Uncountable nouns like fruit, rice and milk take some, never a rice or an information. Countable nouns can take numbers — ten apples — or measure phrases: a bag of rice, a bunch of vegetables.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Which article before apple?
Q2Which article before book?
Q3Is water countable?
Q4Plural of child?
Q5Plural of man?
8Recap Recap
- a + consonant sound · an + vowel sound: an apple, an hour; but a university, a European city
- the = we know which one: second mention, shared knowledge
- Uncountable nouns: water, rice, information — no -s, no a/an, use some
- Measure phrases: a bag of rice · a bunch of vegetables
- Irregular plurals: child → children · mouse → mice (a little mouse in the passage)