Definite and Indefinite Articles
Definite and Indefinite Articles
ESL learners often have a difficult time determining whether to use a definite or indefinite article before a noun, or for that matter, whether to use an article at all. This difficulty comes from the fact that some languages do not differentiate between definite and indefinite nouns, and some don't use articles at all. Thus, many ESL learners often misuse a, an, and the.
Determiners are used in conjunction with nouns. They are found directly in front of the head noun in a noun phrase. They make information more precise and indicate important characteristics about the head noun. The four characteristics that determiners indicate are definiteness, indefiniteness, possession, and quantity.
Articles are a form of determiner. They indicate whether the noun it precedes is definite or indefinite. There are three articles: a, an, and the. Look at the following sentences and see if you can spot the problems. It shouldn't be too difficult.
Did you see how fast a car was?
We went to see the movie tonight.
My brother is firefighter.
As mentioned previously, there are two types of articles: definite and indefinite. Definite articles are used for nouns that refer to something specific, whereas indefinite articles are used for nouns that refer to something nonspecific or general.
The is a definite article and a and an are indefinite articles.
The airplane is really high.
I have never seen an airplane so high before.
The airplane is in a cloud.
ESL learners tend to have a very difficult time determining how and where to use which articles, often because they differ in their native tongue. Let's take a closer look at these words and highlight the linguistic environments in which they are to be used.
The definite article the appears before singular nouns, plural nouns, and noncount nouns. The most important thing to remember when deciding whether the should be used is to determine whether the noun is referring to something specific. If it is, use the. If it refers to something in general, use an indefinite article.
The train is going to leave the station, and I'm still five minutes away.
Not: A train is going to leave the station . . .
The second sentence would sound awkward unless it occurred in a very specific context. If someone standing in line for a train said this to another individual, that individual would no doubt ask the speaker to clarify which train they were talking about.
There are two indefinite articles, a and an. These articles express the concept of "one." The "one" concept can be described in two different ways. The first "one" concept refers to a singular count noun, as there is only one of whatever is being referred to. The second "one" concept refers to one group, entity, or set. Indefinite articles are most commonly used before singular count nouns.
Taking a hot air balloon for an afternoon ride is very romantic.
Not: Taking the hot air balloon for the afternoon ride is very romantic.
Unless you own a hot air balloon, you wouldn't utter the second sentence. The difference between a and an is that a comes before nouns that have an initial consonant sound, while an comes before nouns that have an initial vowel sound. It is important that this is based on how the word is pronounced and not spelled, as the spelling does not always reflect the pronunciation.
I want to own a kayak one day.
Not: I want to own an kayak one day.
I have always wanted to fly an airplane.
Not: I have always wanted to fly a airplane.
Zero article refers to a noun that is written without a definite or indefinite article before it. A zero article usually occurs before four specific categories of nouns.
The first category is abstract nouns. These nouns include beauty, intelligence, education, or any noun that denotes a concept or state.
I love music.
I am going to Stanford next year.
He is taking me to church on Sunday.
The second category is names of people and places, and professional titles.
He spoke French to me.
I want to go to Switzerland.
I had to have a meeting with Mr. Stewart.
The third category is seasons. When referring to a day, month, or season, the zero article is typically used. When referring to a specific day or month the definite article is used. Indefinite articles can be used when referring to days when they aren't intended to be a specific one.
We have a meeting Tuesday.
I go to the gym Mondays.
It's cold in winter.
But . . .
Did we meet on a Friday?
We went on vacation the Thursday before last.
Where are you staying for the winter?
The fourth category consists of modes of transportation and modes of communication.
I came to work by subway.
Grey's Anatomy is on TV tonight.
There is a fifth category, but this one is unpredictable. The zero article is often used before many customs and institutions, but there are some exceptions. There are no rules for these exceptions. Here are a few examples that require an article:
I would like to buy a Ford.
Ford is a great company.
I stay in bed all weekend long.
I bought the bed that is in my new house.
I have never gone to prison.
I went to a prison to do an interview.
Remember that the definite article the is used for specific nouns, and the indefinite articles a and an are used for nonspecific nouns. Use a for nouns that begin with a consonant sound and an for nouns that begin with a vowel sound. Make sure you pay attention to whether the noun is a count noun or a noncount noun as that will have an effect on whether you should use a definite or indefinite article. Lastly, watch out for situations in which no article is called for at all (the zero article).
Last Updated: 09/29/2022