THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE
São dois os artigos indefinidos em inglês A (um, uma) e AN (um, uma). São usados
diante de um substantivo no singular.
Exemplos:
This is a nice place.
She is a dentist.
He is an engineer.
"The New York Times" is a newspaper.
A e AN não podem acompanhar substantivos no plural e substantivos incontáveis,
Nesses casos, a palavra some é frequentemente usada.
Há diferenças quanto ao uso de A de AN em relação à pronúncia do substantivo que
eles acompanham.
1) Com palavras iniciadas por consoantes ou pronunciadas com o som de
consoante, usamos A.
Exemplos: a rabbit ( um coelho)
a lemon ( um limão)
a car (um carro)
a ball ( uma bola)
a dog (um cachorro)
a chair (uma cadeira)
a boy ( um menino)
a pen (uma caneta)
2) Com palavras iniciadas por vogal ou com um som vocálico, usamos AN.
Exemplos: an architect (um arquiteto)
an essay (um ensaio
an egg (um ovo)
an umbrella (um guarda-chuva)
3) A escolha entre A e AN diante de palavras iniciadas com H dependerá da
pronúncia. Usamos AN antes do H não aspirado (h mudo) e A diante do H aspirado.
Exemplos:
an hour (uma hora)
a helicopter (um helocóptero)
an heir ( um herdeiro)
a hospital ( um hospital)
an honest man (um homem honesto)
a hero (um herói)
0bs: Embora a pronúncia de h mudo seja antiquada para as palavras HOTEL,
HISTORIC e HORRIFIC, podemos usar a ou an diante delas.
4) Atenção com as palavras iniciadas com U, pois embora o U seja uma vogal, em
algumas palavras o U inicial tem som de IÙ, com estas palavras usamos o artigo AN.
Compare:
A university ( uma universidade)
An uncle (um tio)
A useful thing ( uma coisa útil)
An ugly man ( um homem feio)
5) Nas palavras compostas por one também usamos a. Exemplos:
A one-dollar bill (uma nora de um dólar)
A one-eyed boy (um menino caolho)
6) Atenção para a pronúncia das seguintes letras do alfabeto: F, H, L, M, N, R, S e X.
Todas têm som vocálico. Veja os exemplos:
An MGM (um estúdio MGM)
An FM disc-jockey ( um disc-jóquei da FM)
An SOS call (uma chamada de socorro)
An L ,(um ele)
An R (um erre)
An X-ray (um raio x)
7) Usamos a diante das palavras que começam com W e Y. Exemplos:
A watch (um relógio)
A year (um ano)
A widow (uma viúva)
A yellow rose (uma rosa amarela)
A week ( uma semana)
A yard ( um quintal)
A waiter (um garçom)
8) Com certas expressões numéricas, de peso, medidas e frequencia. Exemplos:
A dozen ( uma duzia)
A half dozen (meia dúzia)
Ten cents a kilo (dez centavos por quilo)
Eighty kilometers an hour (oitenta quilometros por hora)
Three times a week (três vezes por semana)
01) Look at the occupations, choose the corresponding pictures and complete with A
or AN.
(
(
(
(
) ______ teacher
) ______ lawyer
) ______ doctor
) ______ architect
(
(
(
(
) ______ police officer
( ) ______ engineer
) ______ computer programmer
) ______ taxi driver
( ) ______ dentist
) ______ web designer
01) Complete usando os artigos A ou An
1) Lucy has ________________ dog.
2) Let's sing _______________song.
3) Emily needs ______________ new desk in her room.
4) I need ________________ blue pen.
5) Ben has ______________ old bike.
6) Peter has _____________ aunt in Berlin.
7) We listen to _____________English CD.
8) She has ______________exercise book in her school bag.
9) The speed of this car was 160 miles ________________ hour.
10) They finished _________________ unit.
11) There is ________________new English book on the desk.
12) She's reading ____________ old comic.
13) They've got ______________ idea.
14) He is drinking _____________cup of coffee.
15) The girl is _______________ pilot.
16) Leipzig has ________________ airport.
17) This is __________________ expensive bike.
18) Look! There's __________________ bird flying.
19) My father is ____________________ honest person.
20) My friend likes to be ________________ astronaut.
2) Escolha a alternativa correta:
Marque a única alternativa errada em que se emprega o artigo a ou an:
( ) a year
( ) an answer
( ) an university
( ) an honest man
( ) a ewe (ovelha)
05) Choose the right alternative:_______ one-dollar bill; _________ useful thing.
( ) a, a
( ) -x-, -x( ) -x-, an
( ) an, an
( ) a, an
06) She is ____ old woman. Her brother bought ____ yellow coat. This is ____ ewe.
( ) an, a, a ( ) an, a, an ( ) an, an, an
( ) a, an, an
( ) a, a, an
07) Choose the right alternative: We use the telephone mainly for sending and
receiving __________ information.
( )a
( ) an
( ) -x( ) these
( ) it
08) Complete corretamente: He will finish the job in ______ hours. Could you buy
_______ bread for us?
( ) an, a
( ) the, a
( ) -x-, -x( ) -x-, an
( ) an, -x09) Entering _________ university should be ______ exciting experience for ______
young man or woman.
( ) an, an, an
( ) a, an, a
( ) a, an, an
( )an, an, a
( ) a, a, an
10) Mark the right option: _____ smile is worth than ______ hundred words.
( ) the, a
( ) a, the
( ) -x-, -x( ) the, the
( ) a, a
02) Choose the right alternative: The boys brought _______ ant, _______ European
bird and ______ milk.
( ) a, a, -x( ) a, an, -x( ) a, an, a
( ) an, a, -x- ( ) -x-, an, an
11) Use the correct article a or an, whenever necessary.
It is _____ opportunity and _____ honor to lecture at ______ university, I think.
- I'll be back in _____ hour with _____ one dollar bill to buy _______ bread.
( ) a, an, a, an, a, -x- ( ) an, a, an, a, -x-, -x( ) -x-, an, a, an, a, a
( ) a, a, a, an, a, -x( ) an, an, a, an,-x-, -x-,
03) Choose the right option: He deserves better treatment, after all, he's not ______
prisoner.
( ) as
( )a
( ) an
( ) the
( ) -x-
12) Mark the right option: "My friend is __________ European. He is ______
Frenchman and speaks with a __________ charming accent.
( ) a, a, a
( ) an, a, a ( ) an, a, an ( ) a, an, an ( ) an, a, the
04) Mark the right alternative: ______ugly girl gave me _________ eggs yesterday.
( ) a, -x- ( ) an, a
( ) an, an
( ) an, -x( ) a, an
13) Mark the right option: He always smokes ___ cigarette with ___ cup of _____
coffee.
( ) -x-, a, -x( ) a, a, -x- ( ) the, a, a
( ) -x-, -x-, -x( ) a, -x-, -x
14) Which of the alternative(s) is(are) correct?
(a) A uniform
(b) a yellow car
(c) a eye
(d) an honest nurse
(e) an heirs
(f) a universities
( ) a, b, d
( ) a, b, c, d
( ) d, e
( ) only c
( ) every alternative are corrects
15) Write (T) or (F) when the sentences are the indefinites article used correctly:
( ) a eucalyptus tree ( ) a yellow car
( ) an wall
( ) an FM station
( ) an one-way street ( ) an honest men
16) Write (T) or (F) when the sentences are the indefinites article used correctly:
( ) She had an interesting jobs.
( ) There's a hammer on the couch.
( ) It's an article about French cheese.
( ) Ted is an eight-years-old boy.
( ) He gave me information about the school
( ) What a lovely children!
( ) Hunger is a universal problem.
( ) My uncle rented a used computers.
( ) That politician is an honorable man. I mean it!
( ) A rabbits has more wool than an ewe.
(
) Everyone knows your partner is an honest.
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE:
O artigo definido é usado:
a) antes de substantivos masculinos ou femininos, singulares ou plurais; que podem
ser precedidos ou não por adjetivos.
Ex: the sky, the boys, the girls, the rain, the clouds.
the girl (a menina), the pretty girl (a menina bonita)
b) Nome de rios ( the Thames River), oceanos (the Atlantic Ocean) e mares (the
Dead Sea)
c) Nome de desertos (the Sahara)
d) Nome de montanhas ( the Rock Mpountains)
e) Nomes de países no plural ou com palavras República, União ou Estado como:
Republic (república), States (estados), Kingdom (reino):
The Netherlands, The Irish Republic, The United States of America, The
United Kingdom, The Republic of South Africa, The Dominican Republic
f) Nomes de famílias :The Clintons, The Fords, The Simpsons, The Adams
g) Superlativos: the best, the youngest, the biggest, the most intelligent
h) Nomes de cinema, hotéis, teatros, restaurantes, bares, museus: the Hilton
(Hotel) / The National Theatre / The Star of India (restaurant)
i) Nome de instrumentos musicais : the sax, the flute, the organ, the guitar
j) antes de um substantivo único na espécie.
the earth (a terra) the sun (o sol), the moon (a lua), the sea (a mar),
The Bible (a biblia), the universe (o universo)
k) usamos the nomes de idiomas seguidos da palavra language:
The German language, the English language
l) usamos the com nacionalidades: The Chinese, The Brazilian, The Italian
m) usamos the com adjetivos substantivados representando uma classe (de pessoas
principalmente) na qual está implícita a idéia de plural: the poor (os pobres)
the rich (os ricos)
The institution helped the blind. (A instituição ajudava os cegos)
n) usamos the com números ordinais: The first, The second, The third
o) usamos the substantivo no singular que representa uma classe de animais ou
coisas:
The while is in danger of becoming extinct. A baleia está em perigo de se tornar
extinta)
(A sentença refere-se à família inteira das baleias e não a uma única baleia)
The computer has made life easier. (O computador tornou a vida mais fácil)
(A sentença refere-se a qualquer computador)
p) usamos the com um substantivo, sempre que quisermos especificá-lo. Compare
os exemplos:
Oranges have vitamin C (laranjas têm vitamina C)
The oranges you bought yesterday were nice. (As laranjas que você comprou ontem
estavam boas)
Life is complicated. ( A vida é complicada)
Obs: Mas usamos the com nomes de restaurantes, cinemas, teatros, hotéis, bares,
museus: ( como vimos no item H)
The Hilton (Hotel) / The National Theatre / The Star of India (restaurant)
c) antes de festividades, cores, refeições
Christmas, Green, Breakfast
d) antes de substantivos de uso comum e de substantivos incontáveis.
Ex: gold (ouro) money (dinheiro) coffee (café)
e) antes de pronomes possessivos.
Ex: our dress (nosso vestido), their house (casa deles(as))
f) Lagos no singular - Lake Michigan
I'm studying the life of Shakespeare. (Estou estudando a vida de
Shakespeare)
g) Nomes de ruas e avenidas
Willow Street, Seventh Avenue.
Quando o artigo the é omitido:
a) antes de nomes de pessoas com ou sem título, nomes de línguas, nome de
cidades, estados ou países no singular, continentes,Planetas, nomes de esportes,
jogos e ciências.
Ex: Beth, President Bush, Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, Aunt Jane,
English (Inglês),
Brazil, Salvador, Bahi, Paris, São Paulo, Egypt, Africa - Jupiter
Tennis, Basketball,
Biology (Biologia), geography (geografia)
h) Plurais no sentido geral ( Computers are machines)
b) Em geral não se usa the diante de nomes de ruas,avenidas, parques,zoológicos,
edifícios, aeroportos, universidades, castelos, estações e lugares dentro de uma
cidade, lagos no singular, ilhas no singular, quedas d'água e praias, montanhas no
singular, países no singular, continentes, estados, cidades:
Kevin lives in Newton Street.
Times Square is in New York.
Kennedy airport
Victoria Station
London Zoo
Lake Titicaca
Corsica Island
Mount Everest
My vacation in Italian was great.
New York City is marvelous!
Centrasl Park
i) com substantivos que denotem lugar, como SCHOOL, CHURCH, WORK,
HOSPITAL, HOME, PRISON, JAIL, UNIVERSITY, BED, DOWNTOWN, quando
empregamos com o propósito normal a que eles se destinam:
Jack had an accident. He is in hospital.
The children are going to school.
I go to church. (to pray)
Eu vou para a igreja. (para rezar)
I go to school. (to study)
Eu vou para a escola. (para estudar)
Mas:
Paul has gone to the hospital to visit a friend.
Mother is going to the school to talk to the Principal.
Obs: Se desejarmos especificar um nome próprio por exemplo, o artigo será
utilizado: The David from Marketing is here to see you, sir. (Aqui fica implícito de
que há outros Davids em outros departamento.
Is it "a" monster or "the" monster?
By Edson Joseph Colortheeyear
THE MONSTER IN THE DREAM
I saw a monster
in an awful dream.
The monster saw me
And that's no lie!
He came after me.
I tried to run.
He said in a monster voice:
You're gonna die!
The dream was bad,
The monster was bad
He ate me up
And I ended up in his belly!
Next morning I woke up
All curled up in my blanket,
Promising I'd quit
Watching horror movies in the telly!
( ) No dia seguinte acordei
( ) Eu vi um monstro
( ) O sonho era mau.
( ) assistir aos filmes de horror na
telinha!
( ) Ele me perseguiu.
( ) em um sonho horroroso.
( ) prometi nunca mais
( ) E não é mentira
( ) Você vai morrer!
( ) O monstro era mau.
( ) O monstro me viu
( ) O monstro do sonho
( ) Então disse com a sua voz
monstruosa:
( )enrolado no meu cobertor,
( ) Devorou-me inteiro
( ) E eu tentei correr.
( ) E acabei na sua barriga!
01) Decide whether to use the definite article >the< or not. If you do not need the
article >the<, use x.
1) My grandmother likes ____________flowers very much.
2) I love ______________ flowers in your garden.
3) See you on ________________ Wednesday.
4) I always listen to _________________radio in the morning.
5) Alex goes to work by ___________________bus.
6) Don't be late for ____________________school.
7) Listen! Dennis is playing ______________ trumpet.
8) We often see our cousins over ________________ Easter.
9) She has never been to _________________Alps before.
10) What about going to Australia in ________________February?
11) Last year we visited ________St. Paul's Cathedral and ________ Tower.
12) _________Mount Everest is ___________ highest mountain on earth.
13) _________Loch Ness is the most famous lake in Scotland.
14) _________most children like x sweets.
15) _________ summer of 1996 was hot and dry.
16) ________Plaza Hotel is on the corner of __________59th Street and
____________ 5th Avenue.
17) My sister often stays at ______________Uncle Tim's in Detroit.
18) Our friends ______________Millers moved to Florida last August.
19) _______________ smog is a problem in ________________big cities.
20) Our children go to ____________ school by ________________ bus.
02) Complete as sentenças abaixo com os artigos (a, an, the ou -x-)
a) Fruit is good for _____________ our health.
b) ________ Nile is _________ most famous river in ________ Egypt.
c) I bought _________bike for _______ my son. ______ bike is red.
d) Please, give me _________ glass of water and _______ empty bottle.
e) Today, _______ Hawaiian island are _______ part of _______ United States.
f) In ______Alaska, ______ weather is very cold.
g) ______ air is ________ necessity; but _______ in this classroom is not fresh.
h) _______ Flavia is studying ________ English and ______her sister is playing _____
piano.
i) _______ English class are on ______ Tuesday and ______ Thursday.
j) In ______ our Geography class, we are learning a lot about _____ Mars and _____
Jupiter.
k) _____ Elizabeth is ______ queen of _______ England.
l) _______ Plaza is _______ oldest hotel in ______ Salvador.
m) ______ Salvador is _______ capital of ________ Bahia.
n) _______ Gabriel saw _________ heir of ______ Tudors ______ last night.
o) ________ blood is red.
03) Escolha a alternativa correta:
01) Which of the following alternatives can complete the sentence?
___________ Rhine is ___________ longest river in _________ Germany.
( ) -x- , a, -x( ) -x-, the, -x( ) the, the, -x( ) the, the, the
02) Mark the right option:
_________ Dead Sea is located in the Middle East.
_________ your uncle arrived last Tuesday.
( ) the, the
( ) the, -x( ) -x-, the
(
) a, the
03) Choose the alternative the best completes the sentence:
We read ________ long article about ________ United Kingdom.
( ) the, -x( ) a, -x( ) -x-, -x( ) a, the
04) O artigo definido está empregado corretamente na alternativa:
( ) I was in United States the last year.
( ) All the Browns like orange.
( ) The Peter left a minute ago.
( ) The Iraq sells oil to the Brazil.
( ) The cats are domestic animals.
05) Select the best option.
There will always be a conflict between _______ poor and ______ rich. ______ poor
people want ________ change but _______ rich people want _______ things to stay
_________ same.
( ) -x-, -x-, -x-, -x-, -x-, -x-, the
( ) the, the, -x-, -x-, -x-, -x-, the
( ) the, the, the, a, the, -x-, the
( ) the, -x-, the, -x-, the, -x-, the
06) When I was ________ man, I lived in __________ Russia.
( ) the, the
( ) an, -x( ) a, -x( ) -x-, the
07) Choose the right alternative:
__________ Mary's brother doesn't play _________ soccer, but he plays ______
guitar and ______ drums.
( ) the, the, the,-x( ) -x-, -x-, -x-, the ( ) -x-, the, -x-, -x( ) -x-, -x-, the, the
08) Dadas as sentenças:
I. The Browns were here yesterday.
II. He is an university student.
III. I want an information from you.
Constatamos que está(estão) correta(s):
( ) apenas a I
( ) apenas a II
( ) apenas a III
(
) apenas a I e a II
09) Mark the correct alternative:
From midnight tonight _______ price of _____petrol will have _____rise. _____ rise
is caused by the present high price of _______ oil in the Middle East.
( ) -x-, -x-, a, the, a
( ) the, -x-, a, the, -x( ) the, the, a, the, -x( ) -x-, the, the, a, -x10) Select the best option:
Paul, ______ doctor, was ______ first person in ______ his city to swim in _____
Mississipi River, on ______ tenth of ______ October 1970, and in _______ Lake
Michigan, in _______ 1960's.
( ) a, the,-x-, the, the, -x-, -x-, the
( ) a, a, the, the, the, the, the,-x( ) the, the, -x-, the, -x-, -x-, -x-, the
( ) a, -x-, -x-, the, the, the, the, -x11) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
______ Brazil is _____ most industrial country in ______ South America, while ____
United States holds ______ same position in _____ North America.
( ) -x-, the, the, -x-, the, -x( ) -x-, the, -x-, the, the, -x( ) -x-, the, the, the, the, -x( ) the, -x-, -x-, -x-, the, the
12) Assinale a opção correta:
____ coffee is the national drink of _____ Brazil. _____ Coca-Cola is the national
drink of _______ United States.
( ) the, the, -x-, -x( ) -x-, -x-, -x-, -x( ) -x-, -x-, -x-, the
( ) the, the, the, the
13) Fill the blanks with a, an or the. If no word is necessary, put an x.
When my family and I moved to _____ south of ____Wales, I wanted to rent
_____ house near _____ River Neath in _____ Black Mountains. I found one
which had _____ big garden. I knocked on ______ front door of _____ house
and _____ man came out following by_____ dog.
( ) the, the, a, -x-, the, the, -x- the, a, -x( ) the, -x-, a, the, the, a, the, the, a, a
( ) a, the, -x-, the, the, a, -x-, a, a, the
( ) -x-, -x-, the, the, the, a, the, the, the, a
14) 14) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
I miss ____ Cairo. ______ noise, coffeehouse, women, (From Condé Nest Traveler,
June 1984)
( ) -x-, the, the, the
( ) the, -x-, the, -x( ) -x-, -x-, the, the
( ) the, the, -x-, -x15) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
___ John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, but _______ Kennedys are still a very
important family in _____ country.
( ) -x-, the, the
( ) the, the, the
( ) the, -x-, the
( ) the, the, -x16) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
_____ Claudia always buys _____ cheese and _____ milk from ______ Minas
Gerais.
( ) -x-, the, the, -x( ) -x-, -x-, -x-, -x( ) -x-, the, -x-, the
( ) the, -x-, the, -x17) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
In __________ Brazil, there are some of the most important rivers in ______
world:_________ Amazonas, _______ São Francisco and ______ Paraná.
( ) -x-, the, the, -x-, the
( ) -x-, the, the, the, -x( ) the, the, the, the, the
( ) -x-, the, the, the, the
18) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
- _________ my grandfather usually went to ______ hospital to visit me.
- ______ science and _____ religion are often incompatible.
( ) -x-, the, -x-, -x( ) the, the, -x-, -x( ) -x-, the, the, -x( ) -x-, the, the, -x19) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
- _______ Simpsons moved to _______ Netherlands.
- ________ president of my company talked to ______ President Clinton.
( ) the, -x-, -x-, the
( ) -x-, the, the, the
( ) the, the, the, -x( ) -x-, -x-, the, -x-
20) Fill in the blanks with the definite article:
After he committed many crimes he was sent to ______ prison in ______ state of
________ Arizona.
( ) -x-, -x-, the
( ) -x-, the, -x( ) the, the -x- ( ) the, -x-, -x-