Guiding the 10 and 12th form students how to use articles in english

PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the Study.
Nowadays, English is playing a very important role in the globle development. Therefore, the teaching of English has been improved in method of communicative.The importance of English is acknowledged by the Vietnamese government and as a result of the English language programes are made compulsory beginning at all levels of education.
	 Articles are the important knowledge in English and perform many different functions at all levels. These are really difficult topics how to use articles appropriately but interestingly if we take deep investigation into them. Not only students but also many teachers are challenged by the uses of articles . They appear in part E of Unit 13 of the textbook of English 10 and part E of Unit 8 of the textbook of English 12 – basic curriculum. When teaching these points, I myself find it confusing to get students to memorize their usages. The only way to keep them in our minds is to learn by heart and to practise regularly. 
	 It is enthusiasm and career passion that motivate me to write this experience innovation with the aims to share some of my opinions on topics related to articles for grade- 10,12 students as well as help both my colleagues and my students pratically remove the difficultlies when teaching related lessons. For this reason I choose the theme : “GUIDING THE 10 and 12TH FORM STUDENTS HOW TO USE ARTICLES IN ENGLISH”.
 2. Aim of the Study.
 The main aims of the research are: 
- To provide teachers and students with full theory of “ARTICLES “ in English .
- To provide students opportunity to practise using articles efficiently 
- To hope to provide reference materials for teachers or students who intend to master the language of English .
3. Method of the Study.
- Gather the information from the internet and reference books.
- Teach some classes based on the experience as the result of the reality of the long time process of my daily teaching at school.
- Asking for experiences from my colleagues.
- Gather students’ results and evaluate.
4. Objective and Scope of the Study.
 The objective of the study is articles that are often used articles exercises, including chose the correct articles to complete sentences, fill in blanks with articles, do the tests about articles . These exercises are collected from a variety of kinds of material sources. The study was carried on students in classes 10A3, 10A6, 12 A5 and 12A6 at Lê Hoàn high school.
 PART II: PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Theoretic basis of the problem.
 As mentioned, articles play a vital role in learning English. Anyone who does not know them well are not considered as advanced learners .
 Articles mainly occur around the textbook of English 10,12 and are the main contents of part E – Language Focus in English 10 at unit 13 and English 12 at unit 8. The only way to master them is to learn by heart the uses of articles and to practise them many times. This research hopes to be a good material for both teachers and students in their teaching and learning. 
2. Practical basis of the problem. 
 Lê Hoàn high school is one of the high schools in Thanh Hoa province. People here are mainly farmers with average and low standards. As a result, students have not had much good chance of studying and using English until recently. Students (and even their teachers) do not have an English environment to practise. Learning English here has not still been really important to students and people here. Like other high schools in Vietnam, the students in this school have to take English as a compulsory subject in the curriculum and study it three periods a week for 37 weeks a year. Therefore, the English teachers have so many difficulties in teaching English .
 Working as a teacher for more than ten years, I myself understand the nature of the problem and usually find it necessary to find out the ways to improve the situation. I try my best to do this research with a view to getting my students and other teachers to benefit from it by giving them more opportunities to practise and to better their English.
3. Solutions to the problem.
 After studying the content of the textbooks English 10 and 12 and ,especially the part E – Language Focus of units 13 and 8, and taking deep investigation into this problem, I have found out some useful measures to deal with this problem.
 Based on the reality of the issue, I would strongly suggest some solution to the problems :
For students who have not mastered grammar, school leaders or teachers need to increase more periods out of the curriculum in school.
Teachers need more than an illustration which is accurate, concise and vivid for each grammar trait.
For homework, besides asking students to do exercises in textbooks, teachers should have available amount of tests related to language focus.
Teachers should promote the use of teaching utensils combining with new teaching methods to improve the quality of learning English.
 Here, I would like to give my strategies to simplify the related lessons in classroom.
 I divide the theme into three main parts: Part A – Theory of articles , Part B – Practising exercises with articles and Part C- Doing the tests about articles. Part A consists of the definition of articles- definite and indefinite articles, the basic rules for using indefinite articles, the basic rules for using definite articles and the cases we do not use articles. Part B gives students a chance to practise some exercises with articles at all levels. And Part C tests the understanding of students about articles.
 PART A : THEORY OF ARTICLES
1. THE DEFINITION OF ARTICLES.
1.1. Definition of Articles
 An article is a word used to modify a noun, which is a person, place, object, or idea. Technically, an article is an adjective, which is any word that modifies a noun. Usually adjectives modify nouns through description, but articles are used instead to point out or refer to nouns. There are two different types of articles that we use in writing and conversation to point out or refer to a noun or group of nouns: definite and indefinite articles.
1.2. Definite Article
Definite article is the word 'the,' and it refers directly to a specific noun or groups of nouns. 
Ex:
the freckles on my face
the alligator in the pond
the breakfast burrito on my plate
Each noun or group of nouns being referred to - in these cases freckles, alligator, and breakfast burrito - is direct and specific.
Ex: After the long day, the cup of tea tasted particularly good.
By using the article the, we’ve shown that it was one specific day that was long and one specific cup of tea that tasted good.
1.3. Indefinite Articles
Indefinite articles are the words 'a' and 'an.' Each of these articles is used to refer to a noun, but the noun being referred to is not a specific person, place, object, or idea. It can be any noun from a group of nouns. 
Ex:
a Mercedes from the car lot
an event in history
In each case, the noun is not specific. The Mercedes could be any Mercedes car available for purchase, and the event could be any event in the history of the world.
Ex: After a long day, a cup of tea tastes particularly good.
By using the article a, we’ve created a general statement, implying that any cup of tea would taste good after any long day.
2. THE BASIC RULES FOR USING INDEFINITE ARTICLES.
2.1. We use “a/ an” with a word that is singular. Never use a or an with a word that is plural (e.g. books, trees) or uncountable (e.g. water, advice):
Ex: I have a book.
 I asked her for advice. 
2.2. Note that we use a in front of words that start with a consonant sound (a horse, a carrot) and an in front of words with a vowel sound: a, e, I, o. (an apple, an elephant).
Ex: I often eat an apple and a banana every day.
2.3. We use a/an to introduce a reson or thing for the first time. This shows that the listener or reader doesn’t know what we are referring to. After this first reference, we use the.
 Ex: He was talking to a man. The man was laughing.
 She gave him a present. The present was very expensive.
 2.4. We often use a/ an before nouns of Jobs and professions
Ex: There are three people in my family. My mother is a teacher, my father works as an engineer and I an a student.
 2.5. When we talk about things in general by using a singular now as an example with noun( meaning “any”or “every”): 
Ex: A baby deer can stand as soon as it is born.
2.6. We use a/an in front of two nouns that are seen as a single unit.
Ex: a knife and fork, 
2.7. We use a/an when we mean “any one of particular type of thing”.
Ex: a cup of coffee, a paper clip,
2.8. We use a/an with a unit of measurement( weight, quantity, time) or in number and quantity expressions .
Ex: 
- a little
- a few
- a lot of
- a couple of
- a dozen
- a quarter
- a great deal of
- a large munber
- a wide variety of
- a great many of
- a piece of
- a cup/ glass of
- a bunch of
2.9. We use a/an instead of “one” in pattern a  of  with possessive or before some number.
 Ex: a friend of mine, a huge number of 
2.10. . We use a/an when following the words “many, such,” and in exclamations.
 Ex: Many a man has come to an end; I don’t like such a girl; What a lovely day!
2.11. We use a/an following an adjective when is mentioned by the words “so, as, too, how”. 
 Ex: She is not so big a fool as she looks.;He’s as intelligent a boy as you are.
2.12. We use a/an before sb’s name to show that the speaker does not know the person.
 Ex: There’s a Mrs Green to see you.
2.13. We use a/an with a noun like house, engineer, girl, name refers to a whole class of people or things. We use a/an with a noun to talk about just one member of that class.(A/an means “one”).
 Ex: a nice big house, an engineer, a girl,
2.14. We use a/an in front of proper nouns( names spelt with a capital letter) for:
Members of a family.
Ex: He’s a Forstyle.(= a member of the Forstyle family)
Literature and art: It’s a Dickens novel;It’s a Brencht play. Sometimes we can use the name on it owns. We can say “It’s a Rembrandt painting” or “It’s a Rembrandt”.
2.16. We use a/an with illnesses.
 Ex: a cold, a headache, a sore throat,
3. SOME EXCEPTIONS IN USING INDEFINITE ARTICLES- A/AN.
 - a uniform
 - a university
 - a one- eyed man
 - a one- way road
 - a useful way
 - a union
 - a unit
 - a European
 - a universal
 - a euphemism
 - a eucalyptus
 - an hour
 - an heir
 - an honest
 - an SOS
 - an M.P
 - an M.A
 - an honorable man
 - an honor.
 - an herbal
4. THE BASIC RULES FOR USING DEFINITE ARTICLES.
THE DEFINITE THE: used to refer nouns which are definited. We use “ the” in the following cases: 
 4.1. Nouns which were mentioned(= this, these, that, those) or have already mentioned: 
 Ex: A boy and a girl were sitting on a bench. The boy was smiling but the girl looked angry.
 4.2. Nouns which are definited by the situation
 Ex: Please take there letter to the post office.
 4.3. Used when a noun before a phrase limiting the meaning of it.
 Ex: the center of the city;
 4.4. Used to say or explain person or thing you mean
 Ex: You are the third person ask me.
 4.5. Used with adjectives to build a collective noun
 Ex: the rich, the poor,
 4.6. Used with adjectives to build an abstract noun
 Ex: the beautiful(=beauty)
 4.7. Used to refer a whole family or a married couple
 Ex: Don’t forget to invite the Jordans.
 4.8. Used when we know that there is only one of a particular thing
 Ex: the sun, the world, the travel industry,
 4.9. Used to refer to the things in a general way
 Ex: the weather, the sky, the wind,
 4.10. Used to say that somebody or something is unique
 Ex: Sydney is the capital city of New South Wales.
 4.11. Used to give a person’s job title, or their unique position
 Ex: Dr Simons has taken on the position of Head of Department.
 4.12. Used before a superlative adjectives followed by a noun or defining phrase
 Ex: the biggest, the most expensive,..
 4.13. Used with a unit of measurement to mean “every”. 
 Ex: These apples are eight to the pound.
 4.14. Used with a singular countable noun in generalizations(but not with plural or uncountable nouns). This is common with the names of scientific instruments and inventions, and musical instruments: the violon, the piano, 
 Ex: The telephone is a most useful invention; The horse is an animal.
 4.15. These common expressions have a general meaning and before parts of the day: the town, the country,; in the evening;
 4.16. Used to refer to things that are unique: 
Ex:
- Organizations: the United Nations
Ships: the Titanic
Documents: the Constitution
Public bodies: the police, the Government
Titles of books and films: the Odyssey
Climates: the President
The people of the country: The French,The Dutch
- Political parties: the Labour Party
 - Beliefs: the gods
4.16. Used in front of the names of public places.
Ex: The cinema, the zoo, the park, the station, the post office, the airport
4.17. Used in front of the names of three countries: The USA, The UK, The Philippines.
5. THE CASES WE DO NOT USE ARTICLES ( NO ARTICLES- X).
5.1. Nouns refer to subjects.
Ex: To me, English is much more interesting than any other subjects.
5.2. Nouns refer to the name of sports.
Ex: The boys are playing football in the park.
5.3. Before the indefinite plural nouns.
Ex: I do not like cats.
5.4. Before uncountable nouns.
Ex: I often drink milk in the morning.
5.5. Before means of transportation, but after “by”.
Ex: Although my father has a car, he often goes to work by bus.
5.6. Nouns refer to color.
Ex: Red is not my favourite color.
5.7. After possessive adjectives.
Ex: My friend is very friendly.
5.8. Before the nouns refer to meals.
Ex: My mother always gets up early to make sure that we have had breakfast before going to school.
5.9. Before dates, months, years, seasons.( if they are indefinites).
5.10. Before the names of nations, continents, mountains, lakes, streets.
Ex: China is the country which has the largest population in the world.
 I wish to travel around Europe for a month.
 Known as the highest mountainin Vietnam, Fansipan mountain is also glorified as the roof of Indochina by the height of 3143m.
5.11. Before abstract nouns.
Ex: Two things you can not buy with money are love and health.
PART B: PRACTICE ON ARTICLES
I. Exercises for the 10th form students.
Exercise 1: Choose the best answer.
The Atlantic is ......................
a. a canal	b. a sea	c. an ocean	d. a lake
...................... youngest boy has just started going ............ school.
a. the/ x	b. a/ x	c. x/ the 	d . an/ x
3........................ eldest boy is at ............... college.
a. The /the 	b .An/ the	c. The /x	d. a/ the
4.She lives in ................... top floor of an old house.
a. an	b . any	c. a	d, the
5.She had .............. very bad night, she didn’t sleep .............. wish. 
a. a/ a	b, an/ a	c. a / an	d. an/ an
6............. person suffering from................... shock should not be given anything to drink.
a. An/ the	b. A/ x	c. A / the 	d. A/ any
7.You’ll get .,............ shock if you touch ............. live wire with that screwdriver.
a.a/ a	b. an/ a	c . an/ the	d. the/ the
8.Mr Smith is .............. old customer and ............ honest man.
a. the/ an	b. an / the 	c. an/ an	d. the/ the
9.Do you go to ............... prison to visit him?
a. the 	b. x	c. a	d. an
10.On ................... Sundays my father stays in bed, reading................. Sunday papers.
a. the/ the	b. a/ the	c , x/the	d. the/a
11.My mother goes to .................... church in ................. morning.
a. the/ x	b. the/ the	c. x/ the	d. a church/ a.
12.And in .................... afternoon goes to visit .................. friends.
a. the/ any	b. the/x	c. an/ an	d. the/ the
13.I have ............ little money left, let’s have dinner in ............ restaurant.
a. some/ the 	b. a / the	c. the/ a	d. a / a
14................ man is .............. reasoning animal.
a. x/ a	b. the/ a	c. x/ an	d. a/ the
15.Ann used to ride a motorcycle up and down ........... road early in .............. morning
a. a / the	b. the/ a	c. the/ the	d. the/ an
ANSWER:
1.C
2. A
3.C
4. D
5. A
6. B
7. A
8. C
9. A
10. C
11.C
12. B
13.D
14. A
15. C
EXERCISE 2:Put a/ an, the or Æ in each space to complete the following sentences.
1. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. It was _____ mistake. 	
2. There were no chairs, so we had to sit on _____ floor.
3. Lucy has just gotten _____ job in _____ bank in Chicago.
4. There’s _____ bookstore on _____ corner near my house.
5. It’s very cold in here. Can you close _____ window, please?
6. If you go past _____ post office, can you get me some stamps?
7. It was _____ very hot day. It was _____ hottest day of _____ year.
8. What’s _____ name of _____ woman who sat beside you at the dinner?
9. How often do you go to _____ movies?
10. “Can you tell me where _____ Room 306 is, please?” “It’s on _____ third floor.”
11. He lay down _____ ground and looked up at _____ sky.
12. You’ll find _____ information you need at _____ top of _____ page 24.
13. _____ moon goes around _____ earth every 27 days.
14. He doesn’t usually have _____ lunch, but he always eats _____ good breakfast.
15. If you live in _____ foreign country, you should try and learn _____ language.
16. _____ next train to Brighton leaves from _____ Platform 5.	
17. Last year we visited _____ Canada and _____ United States.
18. _____ highest mountain in _____ Africa is _____ Kilimanjaro.
19. _____ Mediterranean Sea is the sea between _____ Africa and _____ Europe.
20. _____ Mississippi is _____ longest river in _____ North America.
ANSWER: . 
1. a	 2. the	 3. a/ a	 4. a, 
5. The 6. the	 7. a/ the/ the	 8. the/ th
9. the	 10.Æ/ the 11. the/ the	 12. the/ the/ Æ 
13. The/ the	 14. Æ/ a	 15. a/ the 16. The/ 
17. Æ/ the 18. The/ Æ/ Æ	 19. The/ Æ/ Æ 20. The/ the/ Æ
II. Exercises for the 12th form students.
Exercise 1: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions. 
1. We went out for _____ meal last night. _____ restaurant we went to was excellent.
A. a/ The	B. the/ A	C. a/ Æ	D. the/ Æ
2. As I was walking along the street, I saw _____ $10 note on _____ pavement.
A. a/ a	B. the/ the	C. a/ the	D. the/ a
3. _____ actress’s life is in many ways unlike that of other women.
A. An	B. A	C. As	D. That the
4. Kate plays _____ violin in an orchestra.
A. the	B. a	C. an	D. Æ
5. _____ computer has changed _____ way we live.
A. A/ the	B. The/ the	C. A/ a	D. The/ a
6. Excuse me, where is _____ bus station, please?
A. a	B. the	C. Æ	D. an 
7. What did you have for _____ breakfast this morning?
A. a	B. an	C. the	D. Æ
8. Peter used to work in _____ Middle East.
A. Æ	B. the	C. an	D. a
9. My plane was delayed. I had to wait at _____ airport for three hours.
A. the	B. a	C. an	D. Æ
10. I have _____ problem. Can you help me?
A. Æ	B. a	C. an	D. the 
11. Barack Obama is _____ President of _____ United States.
A. the/ the	B. a/ Æ	C. the/ Æ	D. the/ an
12. He never listens to _____ radio. He prefers watching _____ television.
A. a/ a	B. a/ the	C. the/ Æ	D. Æ/ the
13. _____ university will be built in _____ center of the town.
A. A/ the	B. An/ the	C. The/ a	D. An/ a	 
14. _____ River Nile is _____ longest river of all.
A. Æ/ Æ	B. A/ the	C. The/ the	D. Æ/ a
15. _____ Women’s Day is on _____ eighth of March.
A. The/ Æ	B. Æ/ the	C. The/ an	D. Æ/ an
Answer:
1A
2C
3A
4A
5B
6B
7D
8B
9A
10B
11A
12C
13A
14C
15B
PART C – DO THE TEST.
I. Test for the 10th form students.
Question 1: There was _______ piano in the corner of the room.
	A. a	B. an	C. Ø	D. the
Question 2: It is fun to learn English on _______ computer.
	A. a	B. an   	C. Ø	D. the
Question 3: Are they _________ studen