Goal: By the end of this module, you will be able to use the articles the, a / an

appropriately in order to define a noun as specific or unspecific.

Introducing the topic

ARTICLES
What Are Articles?
The articles in English are the (definite article), a, and an (indefinite articles).
1. Articles define a noun as specific or unspecific.
After the long day, the cup of tea tastes particularly good.
By using the, we’ve shown that it was one specific day that was long, and one
specific cup of tea that tasted good.

2. By using a, we’ve created a general statement, saying that any cup of tea

would taste good after any long day.

After a long day, a cup of tea tastes particularly good.

1) a / an:

We use a / an:
● when you talk about something that is not specific
● to say what something is or what job people do
● in expressions of frequency
Examples:
What’s this? It’s a photo of my daughter.
What do they do? Jim’s a doctor. Sally’s an engineer.
How often do you ...? Three times a week.



2) What is the difference between a and an?

a is used when the next word begins with a consonant sound (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k,
etc.).
• a book
• a table
• a clock
• a university, a uniform (because the beginning of university sounds like YOU-niversity)

an is used when the next word begins with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
• an apple
• an elephant
• an umbrella
• an hour (because the h is silent)

3) the:
We use the:
i. When the speaker and hearer know the thing we are talking about:
Close the window = the one that is open.
ii. When there is only one of something: the Internet, the sun, etc.
iii. Before superlative adjectives: the biggest, the best, etc.
iv. Names of rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges and deserts (always in
capitals): The Mississippi River, The Black Sea, The Andes, The Sahara Desert.
v. Directions (cardinal points): the west, the south-east, the north-west.

4) a or the?:
We often use ‘a’ the first time we mention a person or thing and then ‘the’ next time
because it is now clear who we are talking about. For example,
Let’s have a pizza! The pizzas are very good there.


5) no article:
We don’t usually use the:
i. When we talk about people or things in general.
Men are more interested in sports than women. (general)
The women in this class work harder than the men. (specific)

ii. Before possessive (’s). She’s my mother’s cousin.
NOT She’s the my mother’s cousin.

iii. With the following:
● Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc.
● Places: work, school, college, bed, home, etc.
● By + transportation: go by car, travel by train, etc.
● Towns, cities, states and countries: Cape Town, Montana, Vietnam.
(Exceptions: The USA, The UK, The Netherlands, The Czech Republic,
The Philippines).
● Lakes, single islands, continents or mountains: Lake Victoria, Jamaica, Asia,
Mt Fuji, Planets, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn.
● Sports or games: soccer, tennis, skiing.

Information taken and adapted from:

● http://usefulenglish.ru
● https://www.grammarly.com/handbook/grammar/articles/1/what-are-articles/
● Latham-Koenig, C. and Oxenden, C., American English File 1, 2ed ., Oxford University Press, 2017.