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When to use an article with an adjective can be confusing for English learners. This is because there are a few rules that you need to remember. In this blog post, we will go over these rules and give some examples so that you can understand when to use an article with an adjective correctly. We will also provide some exercises so that you can practice using these adjectives in sentences. Let’s get started!
What are articles?
Articles are words that define a noun as specific or unspecific. There are only three articles in English, a, an, and the. Articles are considered some of the most common words in the English language.
What are adjectives?
Adjectives are words that modify a noun or pronoun. They usually come before the noun or pronoun they’re modifying. In the sentence “He’s a smart kid,” the word “smart” is an adjective that modifies the noun “kid.”
Most adjectives can go in two positions: before the noun or pronoun (known as the attributive position), or after a linking verb, such as “to be,” “seems,” “looks,” “appears,” “feels,” etc. (known as the predicative position). For example, in the sentence “The soup tastes great,” the word “great” is in the predicative position. In the sentence “That car is really fast,” the word “really” is in the attributive position.
Use of Articles with Adjectives:
When an adjective modifies a noun, it usually goes in front of the noun. However, there are some cases where you have to use an article (a, an, the) with an adjective. Here are some examples:
We went to the best restaurant in town.
I’m looking for a good book to read.
This is the first time I’ve ever been to Paris.
In these examples, the adjectives best, good, and first all go in front of the nouns restaurant, book, and time. However, notice that the adjective first also has an article (the) in front of it.
When to Use an Article with an Adjective:
So when do you need to use an article (a, an, the) with an adjective?
Generally speaking, you only need to use an article with an adjective when the adjective is part of a noun phrase. A noun phrase is a group of words that includes a noun and any modifiers. For example, in the sentence “I’m looking for a good book to read,” the phrase “a good book” is a noun phrase.
Articles with Adjective Examples:
When we use adjectives before a noun, we must decide whether or not to use an article. In general, if the adjective is indefinite (a, an, some), we use an article. If the adjective is definite (the), we don’t use an article. Look at these examples:
Example 1: I saw a tall man in the street. (indefinite)
I saw the tall man in the street. (definite).
Example 2: She’s looking for a good job. (indefinite)
She’s looking for the good job she had two years ago. (definite)
Example: We’re going to have an exciting time. (indefinite)
We’re going to have the time of our lives. (definite).
Articles with adjective exercises:
Now that you know how to use articles with adjectives, let’s practise with some exercises. Below are three sentences. For each sentence, identify whether the article used is indefinite, definite, or zero. Then, explain why you chose the article that you did.
I have________black cat.
She had___good idea.
He found_____interesting job.
Conclusion
Articles with adjectives can be confusing for English language learners. However, with a little practice and understanding of how to use them correctly, they can be mastered. There are many different ways to practice using articles with adjectives. One way is to do exercises that focus on this specific grammar point. Another way is to read articles that include adjectives and pay close attention to how they are used. Finally, it is important to practice using articles with adjectives in conversations and writing.
