Articles:Indefinite and Definite

The Rules of the Game

7

Focus on Grammar 3Part V, Unit 22By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ WellsCopyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

ChessChess

Chess is a game for two players. Each player begins with a set of sixteen white or black pieces. Some chess sets are plain, but some are very unusual. The players take turns moving their pieces on a board with 64 squares. Each type of piece moves in a different way. The Queen is the most powerful piece, but the King is the most important. The primary goal in chess is to checkmate your opponent’s King. The game is over when a King cannot avoid capture.

Indefinite Nouns 1 Indefinite Nouns 1

A noun is indefinite when you and your listener do not have a specific person, place, or thing in mind.

Let’s play a a gamegame!

You’ll need some lucksome luck to beat me.

Indefinite Nouns 2Indefinite Nouns 2

Use the indefinite article a / an with singular count nouns that are indefinite.

Chess is a game for two players.

You may capture an enemy piece.

singular count noun

singular count noun

A or An 1A or An 1

Use a before consonant sounds.

Chess is a unique game.

A chessboard has 64 squares.consonant

with aconsonant

sound

vowelwith a

consonant sound

A or An 2A or An 2

Use an before vowel sounds.

Chess is an interesting game.

The game lasted over an hour.consonant

with avowel sound

vowelwith avowel sound

Indefinite Nouns 3Indefinite Nouns 3

Use no article ( ) or some with plural count nouns and non-count nouns that are indefinite. Some means an indefinite number.

Most players enjoy competition.

Some chess sets are very unusual.

plural count noun

non-count noun

Identifying Nouns 1Identifying Nouns 1

Use a / an with singular count nouns to say what someone or something is.

Chess is a board game.

Chess is an interesting game .

singular count noun

singular count noun

Identifying Nouns 2 Identifying Nouns 2

Use no article ( ) with plural count nouns and non-count nouns to say what someone or something is.

Kings, queens, and bishops are chess pieceschess pieces.

Some chess sets are made of marblemarble or glassglass.

plural count noun

non - count nouns

Make General StatementsMake General Statements

Use no article ( ) with plural count nouns and non-count nouns to make general statements.

Special software is needed to play chess online.

Players often play with chess clocks.

plural count noun

non - count noun

Practice 1Practice 1 Complete the sentences with a, an, some, or (no article).

6. ______ games end in ______ tie.

2. Chess is ____ interesting game.

1. In chess, ______ pawns move one square at a time.

3. The white Queen begins on ______ white square.

4. A pawn can be promoted to ______ Queen.

5. A verbal call of “check” is ______ insult.

Example: Can you play ______chess?

an

a

a

an

aSome

Definite NounsDefinite Nouns

A noun is definite when you and your listener both know which person, place or thing you are talking about.

Where is the chessboard?

Right here. It’s part of the furniture.

The 1The 1

Use the with most common nouns (count and non-count, singular and plural) that are definite.

Players with the white pieces move first.

The queen is the most powerful piece.

Some players record the time between moves.

singular count noun

plural count noun

non - count noun

The 2The 2

Use the when a person, place, or thing is unique.

The player who checkmates is the winnerwinner.

People can play chess on the web.

There’sonly one

winner.

There’sonly one web.

The 3The 3

Use the when the context makes it clear which person, place, or thing you mean.

Will you let me win

thethe game?They know

he is talking

about their card game.

Mahjong

Practice 2Practice 2

It started in China, but people play Mahjong all over ______ world. Mahjong is played with ____________ tiles. They are made from ______ bamboo or ivory. ______ tiles display ______ flowers, numbers, or ______ unique animal. Players shuffle the tiles by building ______ wall. There are several mahjong patterns such as a Chow and a Pong. ______ Kong contains four tiles of ______ same number and suit. ______ Eye contains two tiles of the same number and suit. The object of ______ game is to collect ______ set of fourteen tiles in four groups of three tiles and ______ matched pair. Now you can download ______ Mahjong and play it over ______ Internet.

Complete the sentences with a, an, the, some, or (no article).

the The

aa

A theAn

theaa

the

ReferencesReferences

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