Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Indefiniteness

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

Articles a and an. When do we use them? When do we use articles in English?

When do we use the? When don't we use the?

A , just like an, is an indefinite article. The, however, is a definite article.

To help us determine whether we use a definite or an indefinite article, we need to look up the meaning of the word indefinite.

Indefinite adj - not clearly expressed or defined.
definite adj - clearly expressed or defined.

So now it is clear that we should use definite articles when we are defining nouns that are clearly expressed while indefinite articles are used when we are defining nouns that are not clearly expressed or defined.

Example:

I would like an apple please.
Which apple? The apple on the table or the apple in the basket?
I would like the apple which tastes best.

In the first sentence, an is used because the sayer didn't care nor did he clearly express which apple he wanted.
In the third sentence, the is used because it is clearly mentioned which apple the sayer was referring to.
And in the last sentence, it is clearly expressed that the apple mentioned is the apple that tastes best.

Allah knows best.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Much and many.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

When do you use much and when do you use many?

Much is used for uncountable nouns while many is used for countables.

Examples:

How much water did you drink last night?
How many glasses of water did you drink last night?

How much of an effort will it take for you to finally do it?
How many times have you attempted and failed?

How much money do you have?



You can't count money eh? Money is considered uncountable in English.

Allah knows best.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Gaunt

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

Gaunt - adj. Pale and exhausted, as because of worry or sleeplessness.

Example:

Ahmad: Salam Abd, you're looking rather gaunt today.
Abd: Salam. I do? Oh, I couldn't sleep last night.
Ahmad: What seems to be the problem?
Abd: You don't want to know.

Allah knows best.
wassalam.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Its Wednesday.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

Do you know that Wednesday is pronounced wens-day instead of wed-nes-day?

Go look up in a dictionary.

Allah knows best.
wassalam.
Disclaimer: I am neither an English native speaker nor a qualified English teacher.