Using Articles (a/an/the)

What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.
English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to
modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.
the = definite article
a/an = indefinite article
For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean
any book rather than a specific book.
Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For
example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular
movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.
"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like
to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There
are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.
Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely.
Indefinite Articles: a and an
"A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:
• "My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This refers to any dog. We don't know which dog
because we haven't found the dog yet.
• "Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a specific policeman;
we need any policeman who is available.
• "When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a single, non-specific thing,
in this case an elephant. There are probably several elephants at the zoo, but there's only one
we're talking about here.
Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So...
• a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog
• an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan
• a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins
with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle
• In some cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical," us an:
An historical event is worth recording.

In writing, "a historical event" is more commonly used.

Remember that this rule also applies when you use acronyms:
Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP) handles first-year writing at the University. Therefore, an ICaP

memo generally discusses issues concerning English 106 instructors.

Another case where this rule applies is when acronyms start with consonant letters but have vowel
sounds:
An MSDS (material safety data sheet) was used to record the data. An SPCC plan (Spill Prevention

Control and Countermeasures plan) will help us prepare for the worst.

If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the
adjective that immediately follows the article:
• a broken egg
• an unusual problem
• a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound)
Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:
• I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group known as teachers.)
 • Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.)
• Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people known as Buddhists.)
Definite Article: the
The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The
signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example:
"The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.
"I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular policeman.
Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a particular policeman because it is the one who
saved the cat.
"I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one
elephant at the zoo.
Count and Noncount Nouns
The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.
• "I love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I love to sail over water" (any
water).
• "He spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you bought earlier
that day) or "He spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk).
"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.
• "I need a bottle of water."
• "I need a new glass of milk."
Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a water," unless you're implying, say, a bottle of water.
Geographical use of the
There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns.
Do not use the before:
• names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the Netherlands, the
Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States
• names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami
• names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
• names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes like the Great
Lakes
• names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains like the Andes
or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn
• names of continents (Asia, Europe)
• names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians,
the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
Do use the before:
• names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific
• points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole
• geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
• deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the
Iberian Peninsula
Omission of Articles
Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:
• Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian
• Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
• Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science
Actually you are all correct. It depends on what part of the country you are from as to what dialect you
speak. This is how it works in any language and not just English. "The" can be pronounced as "thE" with
the E making the sound of the letter itself as if you were saying the alphabet. "The" has a tendency to also
be pronounced as "thuh" where the "e" is pronounced as "uh." You will sometimes also here individuals
pronounce "th" as "d." Therefore, the word will either sound like "de" where the "d" is pronounced like the
first d in "dad" and the "e" is pronounced as "E" as in the alphabet. I have also heard "the" pronounced as
"duh." In this case the "d" replaces the "th" and the "uh" replaces the "e." The individual was not trying to
make a racist remark. It is common to hear blacks and other minorities pronounce "th" as "d." Also, do not
show your ignorance and start making remarks about Obama. The use of the race card gets old. Also,
read up on your facts. Obama is half white and half black. He was raised by the white side of his family
so naturally he talks different. You cannot compare him to a full black/African American because he's
mixed. Also, Obama is half African and that is culturally different from African American. The standards
are different and the appreciation for simple things in life such as education are different as well. The
individual above never said African Americans are not human so don't twist their words. Also, I have
heard the word "Anthony" pronounced both as "Anthony" and "Antony." Names are derived from other
languages so it depends on where the name originated from. Whether you like it or not there are people
different from you outside of your bubble. Learn something about other cultures, languages, and
backgrounds so you do not sound ignorant when you try to convince others that things are only your way.
This goes for everybody.

Special Cases in the Use of the Definite Article

To decide if you should use the word the, ask yourself these three questions:
1. Is the noun indefinite (unspecified) or definite (specific)?
The general rule states that the first mention of a noun is indefinite and all subsequent references
to this noun are definite and take the.
A man is walking down a road. There is a dog with the man.
The second mention may be a synonym:
Combine butter, sugar and eggs. Add flour to the mixture.
First (indefinite) mention requires a or an for a singular count noun, no article for a plural or non-
count noun. Second mention makes the correct for both count and non-count nouns:
A growing plant must have water and minerals. The plant must also have sunlight. The minerals
must include nitrates and the water must not be saline.
Three special groups of nouns are considered definite in reference even if they have not been
mentioned in the preceding sentence or clause.
a. The first group consists of nouns which refer to shared knowledge of the situation or
context. For example, in Canada you can say
The Prime Minister will arrive tomorrow
because there is only one Prime Minister in Canada, and so it is clear to whom you are
referring. Similarly, if there is only one hospital in the town, you can say
He's been working in the hospital for two years.
But you couldn't say this in Toronto, where there are many hospitals. You would have to
name the particular hospital in your first reference to it:
He's been working at Toronto General Hospital for two years. He says the hospital is in a
financial mess.
b. The second group consists of nouns referring to unique objects:
e.g., the sun/the earth/the Pope/the sky/the equator
c. Superlative adjectives and unique adjectives form the third group. Because there can
be only one of these (only one of a series can be the tallest or the best or the first), they
take the definite article:
Mexico City is the most populous city in the world.
I enjoyed the first part, but I was disappointed at the end.
She is the principal researcher.
2. Is the noun modified?
a. Premodification: If the noun is preceded by one of the following--
this/that/these/those/some/any/each/every/no/none/my/mine
do not use the definite article.
e.g., the red books/some red books/no red book/his red books/each red book
 b. Postmodification: if the noun is followed by a dependent clause (who/which/that) or a
prepositional phrase (of/in/to...), it is made definite and takes the definite article. The
man who lives next door is Chinese.
We take the regular collection of garbage for granted.
The journey to Vancouver take three days by train.
No one expected the results that were found.
EXCEPTION: collective nouns take the indefinite article:
a box of matches/a deck of cards/a bar of soap/a herd of cows.
3. Is the noun generic?
Generic reference is used when one refers to a whole group or class, to generalize about all
possible members of a group. There are five patterns one can use:
a. no article PLUS plural count noun:
It's astonishing what gymnasts can do.
b. no article PLUS noncount noun:
Love can cause a lot of suffering.
c. indefinite article PLUS singular count noun:
It's astonishing what a gymnast can do.
[This pattern cannot be used to discuss the location or existence of something/someone.
You cannot say A lion lives in Africa. You must use pattern (a) or (d)].
d. definite article PLUS singular count noun:
It's astonishing what the gymnast can do.
e. definite article PLUS plural nationality noun:
The Chinese have an ancient culture.
Pattern (a) is most common in colloquial English; pattern (d) is frequently used in academic
writing.

Special Uses of Articles

a.
Media and communications:
Use a noun PLUS definite article to refer to systems of communication and the mass media, in
contrast to the actual machine of communications. The telephone is the system of communication;
a telephone is the actual physical machine.
The newspapers are all in agreement on the latest financial disaster.
[exception: television usually has no article: Did you see him onv television?]
b. Means of transportation:
Use the definite article to refer to the whole transport system, rather than to an individual vehicle:
How long does it take on the bus?
The subway is quicker.
[if you use the construction "by PLUS means of transport," there is no article: I go by subway].
c. Forms of entertainment:
To refer to a form of entertainment in general, use the definite article:
I enjoy seeing the ballet.
To refer to a particular event, use the indefinite article:
I saw a good movie last night.
d. Place/object of activity nouns:
Certain nouns refer to either a place/object or to an activity. When they refer to an activity, do not
use the definite article:
activity object

I go to bed at 11 o'clock. Don't jump on the bed.

She went to school for many years. The school was too small.

Many families eat dinner together. The dinner was delicious.

I shower before breakfast. The breakfast was delicious.

 They are at church. The church is very old.

She is in class. The class is in Room 102.

e. Directions:
Nouns indicating direction do not take the definite article:
Go two blocks south and turn left.
[exception: nouns indicating political divisions take the definite article: She is on the left of the
party.]
Periods of time:
f. Names of decades, centuries and historic periods take the definite article, as they are a form of
unique reference:
The 1960s were a time of student rebellion.

Fill in a/an, the or nothing (-) into the gaps.

Example: She is _____ really nice person. You must meet her. (key =
a)

1.
There isn't enough snow to go skiing.

2.
There isn't enough air in the lift.

3.
There is famous university in Oxford.

4.
There is big tree in the garden.
 5.
There is a modern sports centre in London.

6.
There is a lot of rain in winter.

7.
There is a big black cloud in sky.

8.
There aren't any serious problems.

9.
There aren't any interesting films on TV tonight.

10.
There are some big trees in garden.

11.
Is there tired student in the class?

12.
Is there good-looking man in your club?

13.
Is there cheap hotel near here?

14.
Is there anyone from Germany in here?

15.
Is there any water in glass?

16.
How many tall players are there in your team?

17.
How many small apples are there in this bag?

18.
How many planets are there in our solar system?

19.
How many days are there in week?

20.
Are there any cheap hotels near here?

1the 2. the 3. the 4. a 5. a 6. a

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