Articles

Uses of Articles

Articles are used to differentiate between things or ideas – usually expressed by nouns. The speaker/writer may be referring to a specific thing or idea, or a general one.

We use the to refer to specific nouns, either singular or plural.

Please hand me the book that’s on the table.

Please hand me all the books that are on the tables.

A and an are used to refer non-specific nouns.

Please hand me a book; any book will do.

Please hand me an autobiography; any autobiography will do.

Articles should be placed just in front of the noun they’re modifying. However, if the noun is also being modified by one or more adjectives, the article should go in front of the adjective(s).

Please fetch me a sweater.

Please fetch me the brown sweater.

Please fetch me the fuzzy blue sweater.

An should be used before any noun – or any adjective modifying the noun – which begins with a vowel or a voiceless H.

He is a man.

He is an ugly man.

He is an honest man.

Articles can also be used when emphasizing a point.

He had a hard time with the exam.

He had the hardest time with the exam.

Obviously, using the definite article the makes the point very clear

Proper Nouns

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The Proper Noun

Recognize a proper noun when you see one.

Nouns name people, places, and things. Every noun can further be classified as commonor proper. A proper noun has two distinctive features: 1) it will name a specific [usually a one-of-a-kind] item, and 2) it will begin with a capital letter no matter where it occurs in a sentence.

Check out the chart below:

Common Noun	Proper Noun
writer teacher beagle cookie city restaurant document school	Herman Melville Mrs. Hacket Snoopy Oreo Orlando Tito's Taco Palace Declaration of Independence University of Southern California

Read the following sentences. Notice the difference between the common and proper nouns.

Tina offered Antonio one of her mother's homemade oatmeal cookies but only an Oreo would satisfy his sweet tooth.

Cookies = common noun; Oreo = proper noun.

Charlie had wanted an easy teacher for his composition class, but he got Mrs. Hacket, whose short temper and unreasonable demands made the semester a torture.

Teacher = common noun; Mrs. Hacket = proper noun.

Gloria wanted to try a new restaurant, so Richard took her to Tito's Taco Palace, where no one dips into the hot sauce until the drinks have arrived at the table.

Restaurant = common noun; Tito's Taco Palace = proper noun.

Sentence Fragments

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/fragments_add3.htm?cgi_quiz_form=1

• Fragment: With the ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product.
  Possible Revisions:
  • Remove preposition: The ultimate effect of all advertising is to sell the product.
• Fragment: By paying too much attention to polls can make a political leader unwilling to propose innovative policies.
  Possible Revisions:
  • Remove preposition: Paying too much attention to polls can make a political leader unwilling to propose innovative policies.
• Fragment: For doing freelance work for a competitor got Phil fired. 

Common Grammar Mistakes

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adamdavis/common-grammatical-errors-that-drive-you-completely-insan

Collyer Brothers2

Obviously  the Collyer Brothers were insane.  Explain the Collyer Brothers' situation briefly; then point out three factors that contributed to their insanity. Make sure you use quotes from the essay to bolster your argument.


INTRODUCTION

Mention the title of the article and author. Give a brief sentence or two about the Brothers situation. Then list your three points.


Paragraph 1--Have a lead sentence referring back to your thesis. Explain the Collyer Brothers' situation in more detail.

Paragraph 2--Have a lead sentence that refers back to your thesis. Explain one of the reasons they became insane. Use quotes from essay.

Paragraph 3--Have a lead sentence referring back to the thesis. Explain another reason they became insane. Use quotes from the essay.

Paragraph 4--Have a lead sentence referring back to thesis. Explain another reason. Use quotes.

Paragraph 5--Summary of your argument.

Love and Friendship Metaphor

Love and Friendship

Love and Friendship

By Emily Brontë 1818–1848 Emily Bronte

Love is like the wild rose-briar,

Friendship like the holly-tree—

The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms

But which will bloom most constantly?

The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,

Its summer blossoms scent the air;

Yet wait till winter comes again

And who will call the wild-briar fair?

Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now

And deck thee with the holly’s sheen,

That when December blights thy brow

He still may leave thy garland green. 

In text citations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drk5mM1rnEs

Good Jobs For Americans Who Help Americans.

Explain Robert Kuttner's position that human service jobs should be professionalized. Do you agree or disagree with him? Use examples from the essay to explain his position, as well as to explain your position on the issue. You may use personal experience as well to support or refute his argument.