A1 · 初級 チャプター 3

Naming Things and People

6 トータルルール
69 例文
5 分
このチャプターのルール クイック練習

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of naming everything you see and expressing who owns what with confidence.

  • Distinguish between specific and general objects.
  • Transform singular nouns into plurals effortlessly.
  • Identify ownership using possessive adjectives.
Name your world and claim your things!

学べること

Ready to talk about everything around you? In this chapter, we'll discover how to make words go from one to many – like a cat to many cats! You'll also learn to say who owns what, so you can easily talk about 'my book' or 'your friend.' Let's start naming things together!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: correctly use articles and plurals to describe items in your room.

チャプターガイド

Overview

Imagine you're in a new place and want to point to things, talk about what you see, or introduce your friends. How do you do it? This chapter is your first big step!
We're diving into the exciting world of English naming things and people for beginners. You'll learn the fundamental rules that help you talk about everything around you, from one small object to many big ideas. This is incredibly important for anyone who wants to learn English A1 grammar because it unlocks so much of daily communication.
We'll start by understanding how to use little words like 'a', 'an', and 'the' to talk about things – whether it's any item or a very specific one you both know. Then, we'll explore how to go from talking about just one book to many books by learning how to make words plural. Finally, you'll discover how to show who owns what, so you can easily say
my cat
or
your friend.
These grammar points work together to give you the power to describe your world clearly and confidently.
Get ready to name things like a pro!

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, this chapter is about making your words clear. When you talk about a single item, you often need articles: 'a' or 'an'. Use 'a' before words that start with a consonant sound, like
a book
or
a table
.
Use 'an' before words that start with a vowel sound, like
an apple
or
an orange
. Remember, it's about the sound you hear, not always the letter you see! For example, it's
an hour
because 'h' is silent.
When you want to be very specific about a thing – something you and your listener both know – you use the article 'the'. For instance, if you say
I want a coffee,
it means any coffee. But if you say
Can you pass me the coffee?
, it means a specific coffee that you both see.
Moving on to quantity, when you have more than one of something, you make the noun plural. Most nouns just add -s (e.g., cat becomes
cats
). Some add -es (e.g., box becomes
boxes
) or change -y to -ies (e.g., baby becomes
babies
).
However, watch out for irregular plural nouns like man changing to
men
– they don't follow the regular rules! Finally, to show ownership, we use possessive adjectives like 'my', 'your', 'his', 'her', 'its', 'our', and 'their'. These words always come *before* the noun, telling us whose it is:
my phone
or
their house
.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Confusing 'a' and 'an' based on spelling, not sound
✗ I have a orange.
✓ I have an orange.
Explanation: The word 'orange' starts with a vowel *sound*, so we use 'an'. It's always about the sound!
  1. 1Using 'the' incorrectly (either too much or not enough)
✗ I like the cats. (when talking about cats in general)
✓ I like cats.
✗ Give me book. (when talking about a specific book you both know)
✓ Give me the book.
Explanation: Use 'the' only when you're talking about a specific item. If it's general or new information, use 'a/an' or no article for plurals.
  1. 1Trying to make irregular plural nouns follow regular rules
✗ I see two childs.
✓ I see two children.
Explanation: Some words, like 'child', have special irregular plural forms that you need to learn – they don't just add -s.

Real Conversations

A

A

Can I have a sandwich, please?
B

B

Of course. Is this your sandwich?
A

A

Yes, it is! Thank you.
A

A

Look! My friend has a new car.
B

B

Wow! It’s a nice car. Are those his keys?
A

A

Yes, they are.
A

A

Do you like dogs?
B

B

Yes, I love dogs! I have two dogs at home.
A

A

Oh, really? Are they big dogs?

Quick FAQ

Q

How do I know when to use 'a' or 'an'?

Listen to the *sound* of the first letter of the word. If it's a consonant sound (like in cat or house), use 'a'. If it's a vowel sound (like in apple or elephant), use 'an'. Remember

an hour
because the 'h' is silent!

Q

What is the main difference between 'a/an' and 'the'?

Use 'a' or 'an' when you talk about *one* thing that is *not specific*, or when you mention something for the first time. For example,

I see a bird.
Use 'the' when you talk about a specific thing that *both you and the listener know* about. For example,
Look at the bird on that tree!
(We both know which bird.)

Q

Can you give me more examples of irregular plural nouns?

Sure! Besides man (men) and child (children), some other common ones are foot (feet), tooth (teeth), mouse (mice), and person (people). Some words like fish stay the same for both singular and plural!

Q

Why do we use words like 'my', 'your', and 'his'?

These are possessive adjectives. We use them *before a noun* to show who something belongs to.

My book
means the book belongs to *me*.
Her phone
means the phone belongs to *her*. They make it clear whose item you are talking about.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these patterns all the time, often without thinking. While you're learning, it's good to be precise with your articles and plurals. In very informal speech, you might hear some articles dropped (Going to store, instead of
Going to the store
), but for A1, sticking to the rules will make you sound much clearer.
For irregular plurals, there aren't many regional differences; men is men everywhere.

重要な例文 (8)

1

I want `a` banana from the fruit bowl.

フルーツボウルからバナナが一つ欲しいです。

英語の冠詞: A, An, The
2

She needs `an` umbrella because it's raining.

雨が降っているので、彼女は傘が一本必要です。

英語の冠詞: A, An, The
3

I need a coffee before the meeting.

会議の前にコーヒーが一杯必要です。

不定冠詞：A と AN の使い分け
4

She wants to be an influencer.

彼女はインフルエンサーになりたがっています。

不定冠詞：A と AN の使い分け
5

Can you pass me `the` salt, please?

塩を取ってくれませんか？

単語「The」（定冠詞）
6

I bought `a` new phone yesterday. `The` phone is really fast!

昨日新しい携帯電話を買ったんだ。その携帯電話はすごく速いよ！

単語「The」（定冠詞）
7

I have two `apples` in my bag.

カバンにリンゴが2つ入っています。

英語の複数名詞: 1つから複数へ (-s, -es, -ies)
8

She needs three `boxes` for her moving day.

彼女は引っ越しの日までに箱が3つ必要です。

英語の複数名詞: 1つから複数へ (-s, -es, -ies)

ヒントとコツ (4)

💡

文字ではなく音を聞こう！

「a」と「an」を選ぶ時は、次の単語のスペルではなく「音」を聞くのが大事です。「An hour」（hの音がない）や「A university」（uが「ユー」の音）が良い例ですよ。 An hour and A university are perfect examples of this.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 英語の冠詞: A, An, The
🎯

耳を信じて！

声に出して読んでみて。言葉の前に「ん」の音がないと、しゃっくりみたいに詰まる感じがしたら 'an' を使いましょう。
It is an apple.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 不定冠詞：A と AN の使い分け
🎯

「共通認識」で考えてみよう

あなたと相手が、どの「特定のもの」について話しているかお互いに分かっているなら、「the」を使ってね。これは共通認識の秘密の合図のようなものだよ。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 単語「The」（定冠詞）
💡

音に耳を傾けてみて！

「-es」は、まるで新しい音節（例えば bus-es）を作るみたいに聞こえることが多いんです。「-s」だけだと、言いにくかったり、変に聞こえたりする言葉は、「-es」が正解な可能性が高いですよ。「Your ears are your best guide!」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 英語の複数名詞: 1つから複数へ (-s, -es, -ies)

重要な語彙 (5)

cat small feline apple red fruit child young person book reading material friend companion

Real-World Preview

library

At the Library

Review Summary

  • A/An/The + Noun
  • My/Your/His/Her... + Noun

よくある間違い

Use 'an' before words starting with a vowel sound, not just a letter. This helps with flow.

Wrong: I have a apple.
正解: I have an apple.

Some nouns are irregular and don't take an -s. Remember the unique plural forms.

Wrong: I have two childs.
正解: I have two children.

You don't need 'the' when using possessive adjectives like 'my'.

Wrong: It is my the book.
正解: It is my book.

このチャプターのルール (6)

1

英語の冠詞: A, An, The

A1
「a」「an」「the」は、「どれでもいい」のか、「あれ！」と「特定の物」なのかをはっきりさせるための「魔法の言葉」です。
I want `a` banana from the fruit bowl.
11 例文
2

不定冠詞：A と AN の使い分け

A1
見た目の文字じゃなくて、耳で聞こえる「最初の音」で選ぼう！魔法の合言葉は sound first です。
I need a coffee before the meeting.
10 例文
3

単語「The」（定冠詞）

A1
話している人とお互いに、どのものが「特定」なのか分かっている時に「the」を使うよ。まるで「秘密の合図」みたいだね！
Can you pass me `the` salt, please?
12 例文
4

英語の複数名詞: 1つから複数へ (-s, -es, -ies)

A1
一つを複数にするときは、「-s」、「-es」、「-ies」の魔法の呪文で「one」を「many」に変えましょう！
I have two `apples` in my bag.
12 例文
5

不規則な複数名詞: ルールを破るもの (男性、足、子供)

A1
これらのよく使う名詞は、特別な複数形を覚えるのがポイント！「-s」をつけるだけじゃないんですよ！
There are many **men** in the park today.
12 例文
6

所有形容詞: my, your, his, her, its, our, their

A1
所有格形容詞は、「誰の」ものかを教えてくれる魔法の言葉です。いつも名詞の「前」に置いて使いますよ！
This is `my` book.
12 例文

Next Steps

You have done a fantastic job! Keep practicing these nouns and you will be speaking fluently in no time.

Label items in your house with sticky notes

Continue to: Identifying People and Objects

クイック練習 (10)

所有格形容詞が正しく使われている文を選びましょう。

正しい文を選んでください:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She loves her cat.
「her」は、名詞「cat」の前に来て、それが「she」の物であることを示す所有格形容詞です。「She」は主語代名詞で、「hers」は所有代名詞です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 所有形容詞: my, your, his, her, its, our, their

間違いを見つけて直してください。

Find and fix the mistake:

She wants a apple for snack.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She wants an apple for snack.
「apple」は母音の音で始まるので、「a」ではなく「an」が必要です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 英語の冠詞: A, An, The

正しい複数形を選びましょう。

My two ____ are playing in the garden.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: children
「child」の正しい不規則複数形は「children」です。「childs」は間違いです。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 不規則な複数名詞: ルールを破るもの (男性、足、子供)

正しい複数形を選びましょう。

I have two new `___` for my online classes.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: books
ほとんどの名詞は、「-s」をつけるだけで複数形になります。「book」もその一つですよ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 英語の複数名詞: 1つから複数へ (-s, -es, -ies)

正しい冠詞（`a`、`an`、`the`）を選んでね。

I want to buy ___ new car. ___ car I want is red.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a / The
最初に「a new car」と言うときは、まだ特定されていないので「a」を使います。次に「the car」と言うときは、先ほど言及した特定の車を指しているので「The」を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 単語「The」（定冠詞）

文中の間違いを見つけて直しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

The students enjoyed there field trip.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The students enjoyed their field trip.
「their」は、遠足が学生たちのものだと示す所有格形容詞です。「There」は場所を指し、「they're」は「they are」の短縮形です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 所有形容詞: my, your, his, her, its, our, their

間違いを見つけて直してね。

Find and fix the mistake:

I like the coffee.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I like coffee.
コーヒー全般（飲み物として）について話すときは、冠詞は必要ありません。「I like the coffee」だと、特定のコーヒー、例えば今飲んだばかりのコーヒーを指すことになります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 単語「The」（定冠詞）

間違いを見つけて直しましょう。

There are many mans in the room.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There are many men in the room.
「man」の複数形は「men」です。不規則複数形には「-s」をつけません。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 不規則な複数名詞: ルールを破るもの (男性、足、子供)

正しい文を選んでください。

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The sun is shining today.
「sun」は世界に一つしかない特別なものなので、「the」を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 英語の冠詞: A, An, The

間違いを見つけて直しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

She cleaned all the dishs after dinner.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She cleaned all the dishes after dinner.
「-sh」で終わる名詞は、「-s」だけではなく「-es」をつけて複数形になります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 英語の複数名詞: 1つから複数へ (-s, -es, -ies)

Score: /10

よくある質問 (6)

冠詞は名詞の前に置く小さな言葉（a, an, the）です。「a cat」（どんな猫でも）と「the cat」（あの特定の猫）のように、名詞が一般的か特定かを教えてくれます。 a cat (どんな猫でも) vs. the cat (あの特定の猫)
「a」と「an」は「不定冠詞」で、特定しない一般的なものや、初めて話に出す時に使います。「the」は「定冠詞」で、お互いに知っている特定のものを指す時に使います。
I saw a bird.
(初めて見る鳥)
The bird was singing.
(その鳥ね！)
universityは「ユ（yoo）」という子音の音で始まるからです。
I go to a university.
'h' を発音しないので 'an hour' が正解です。
Wait for an hour.
「the」は名詞を特定し、あなたと聞き手の両方がすでに知っている、または識別できる特定の物や概念を指していることを伝えます。「あなたも『あの』ことって分かってるよね！」と言うような感じです。
いいえ、変わらないんです！それが「the」の素晴らしいところ！「the cat」（単数）でも「the cats」（複数）でも、まったく同じです。覚えるべき追加のルールはありませんよ！
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Present Tenses
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Identifying People and Objects
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