HOW TO USE THE 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.
I: 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
an + nouns starting with silent “h”: an hour
a + nouns starting
with a pronounced “h”: a horse
In some cases where “h” is
pronounced, such as “historical,” you can use an.
However, a is more commonly used
and preferred.
A historical event is worth
recording.
Remember that these rules also apply 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
or initialisms 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:
For
example:
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:
For example:
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.)
II: 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:
1: names of most countries/territories: Italy,
Mexico, Bolivia; however, the Netherlands, the Dominican
Republic, the Philippines, the United States
2: names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul,
Manitoba, Miami
3: names of streets: Washington
Blvd., Main St.
4: names of lakes and bays: Lake
Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes like the
Great Lakes
5: names of mountains: Mount
Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names
like the Matterhorn
6: names of continents (Asia, Europe)
7: 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:
1: names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific
2: points on the globe: the Equator, the North
Pole
3: geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
4: 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:
1: Names of languages and
nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian (unless you
are referring to the population of the nation: “The Spanish are known
for their warm hospitality.)
2: Names of sports: volleyball,
hockey, baseball
3: Names of academic subjects: mathematics,
biology, history, computer science
EXERCISES ON THE
ARTICLES A, AN, THE
1: I like.............blue T-shirt
over there better than........... red one.
2: Their car does 150 miles............hour.
3: Where's............. USB drive
I lent you last week?
4: Do you still live in...............Bristol?
5: Is your mother working in..............old
office building?
6: Carol's father works as ...............electrician.
7: The tomatoes are 99 pence.................kilo.
8: What do you usually have for.................breakfast?
9: Ben has................terrible
headache.
10: After this tour you have..................whole
afternoon free to explore the city.
ARTICLE “THE” WITH GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES EXERCISE
1
Direction: Choose ‘the’ or ‘no
article’.
1. I went sailing around _____ Lake
Geneva.
2. I’ve been living in _____ London
for six years.
3. _____ Danube runs through many
European cities.
4. Wild horses live in _____ Gobi
Desert.
5. _____ Pacific Ocean has many
different types of fish.
6. I love swimming in _____
Mediterranean.
7. We spent our holiday on the shore
of _____ Lake Windermere.
8. _____ Nile is a very beautiful
river.
9. She stayed in _____ Belgrade for
several weeks.
10. Her husband comes from _____
California.
11. They studied the geology of _____
Sahara Desert.
12. They crossed _____ Black Sea by
boat.
13. He has always wanted to visit _____
Rome.
14. She lived in _____ Asia for
several years.
15. _____ Tuscany has many beautiful
cities.
16. I spent a year travelling around
_____ Europe.
17. Her village is near _____ Lake
Titicaca.
18. Would you like to visit _____
South America?
19. They live near _____ Thames.
20. I think _____ Cornwall is a very
beautiful part of England.
ARTICLES WITH
GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES EXERCISE 2
Direction:Choose ‘the’ or ‘no
article’.
1. They visited a village in _____
Andes
2. They went to _____ Philippines on
their honeymoon.
3. _____ Korea is near Japan and
China.
4. Have you ever seen _____ Mount
Fuji?
5. _____ Azores are a group of
islands in the Atlantic.
6. She went to _____ United Kingdom
to study English.
7. They drove round _____ Corsica.
8. _____ Australia is a really
enormous place.
9. What countries share a border with _____
Norway?
10. _____ Greece gets very, very hot
in the summer.
11. _____ Baffin Island is part of
Canada.
12. I’ve never been to _____ United
States.
13. We went to Ireland and stayed in
_____ Dublin.
14. She comes from _____ Netherlands.
15. _____ Mount Everest is the
highest mountain in the world.
16. She always loved skiing in _____
Alps.
17. He used to work in _____ India.
18. I often go on holiday to _____
Canary Islands.
19. They loved visiting _____ Serbia.
20. Does _____ England have many big
cities?
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