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English Articles
English Articles
The Definite and Indefinite
The Definite and Indefinite
Master English Articles!
Master English Articles!
English Language Learners face a challenge when learning articles, the definite article (the) and the indefinite article (a, an). Understanding when to use each article is essential to proper English usage. With practice and review, English learners can become confident with English articles.
a an indefinite article
a an indefinite article
A changes to an before any word beginning with a vowel sound.
a book
a man
an apple
an old man
a unit
a university
an honest man
an honor man
Complete the following sentences with a or an.
It is ………… lovely day.
It is ………… old university.
He is ………… unusual man.
It is ………… exception to the rule.
It is ………… long trip, but it is ………… easy one.
It is ………… large library.
It is ………… orange.
It is ………… pear.
He is ………… honest man.
She is ………… old woman.
His car is ………… used one.
It is ………… tall tree.
It is ………… egg.
It is ………… apple.
It is ………… old bus.
It is ………… empty bottle.
It is ………… hour till lunch.
It is ………… windy day.
It is ………… good idea.
It is ………… one-story building.
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The definite article
The definite article
Definite
“The” is a definite article. It refers to a particular object.
The book that I am reading is on the table.
The boy The boys
The girl The girls
Add “a,” “an,” or “the” where necessary.
I have just moved to apartment downtown. It’s very convenient. It’s on quiet street near park. There are shops and stores nearby and bus stop in front of apartment. It’s big apartment with excellent view, and it’s fully furnished. There’s big living room and dining room with sofa and dining table. There are two bedrooms, each with bathroom. kitchen is great. It has electric stove, microwave oven, refrigerator, and two sinks. But I still need to buy some things for apartment. I plan to get television, some bookcases, and carpet for living room, and I need new washer and dryer.
Articles
Articles
Complete the following sentences with the proper article.
…….....…. chair on which you are sitting is not comfortable.
There is …….....…. pencil (no particular pencil) on the desk.
There is …….....…. customer (no particular customer) outside who wishes to see Mr. Smith.
…….....…. customer whom Mr. Smith telephoned this morning is here now.
I want to find …….....…. good book (no particular book) to read tonight.
…….....…. book which I am reading now belongs to John.
…….......…. book which gave me the greatest pleasure was “1984”
…….....…. good book (any good book) is always a pleasure for me.
Have you …….....…. cigarette? (no particular cigarette)
…….....…. cigarette which John is smoking has a strange odor.
I must buy …….....…. new briefcase. (At this point I have no particular briefcase in mind.)
…….....…. new briefcase which I bought yesterday is made of leather. (It is now a definite briefcase.)
John bought …….....…. new hat yesterday in Macy’s. (As yet no definite hat.)
…….....…. hat which John bought in Macy’s yesterday (now a definite hat) arrived this afternoon.
I also bought …….....…. new hat in Macy’s yesterday. (Though perhaps a definite hat to me, it is still not a definite hat to my listener.)
Check
Articles AK1. The indefinite article “a” “an” is used only with singular nouns.
There is a notebook on the table.
There are notebooks on the table.
The definite article “the” is used with both singular and plural nouns.
The book that I am reading is on the table.
The books that I am reading are on the table.
2. Nouns of indefinite quantity or quality do not take an article.
Gold is an important metal.
Honesty is the best policy.
When such nouns are used to indicate a particular quality or quantity, they should be preceded by “the”.
The gold in this ring is very old.
The honesty of this man is above question.
3. No article is used before the names of persons, countries, streets, cities, or towns when they are used as proper nouns.
I live in New York City on the corner of Broadway and 76th Street.
Mr. Smith is going to England and France.
If such words are used as adjectives, they are preceded by an article.
Chicago is a large city.
The Chicago fire was very large.
Broadway is very interesting.
The Broadway merchants held a meeting.
Names or rivers, seas, mountain chains, and countries are preceded by “the” when they contain an adjective or some qualifying word.
the Mississippi River
the Ural Mountains
the Pacific Ocean
the United States
4. No article is used when a noun is modified by someone’s name.
John’s book
President Nixon’s speech
No article is used when a noun is modified by a possessive pronoun.
his hat
my book
S06 Identifying the need for articles
S06 Identifying the need for articles
Write the correct article a, an or the. If no article is needed, write Ø.
Example
Example
There was a documentary about _the_ United Arabs Emirates on TV last night.
You should write “the” in the blank because the name of the country includes its type of government.
Practice
Practice
The old woman made a special tea with _______ herb that smelled of oranges.
Through his telescope we could see what looked like canals on _______ Mars.
The children were released from _______ school early last Friday because of a teachers’ conference.
Robin Hood supposedly stole from _______ rich.
_______ untold number of people perished while attempting to cross Death Valley.
Albert is _______ only actor that I know personally.
An antelope can reach speeds of 60 miles _______ hour.
Write three more sentences using a, an or the.
Articles and demonstratives
Articles and demonstratives
Articles
a an
the
Demonstratives
this these
that those
Ask yourself these questions when checking articles (“a,” “an,” “the”) and demonstratives (“this,” “these,” “that,” “those”).
1. Is the indefinite article (“a” or “an”) used correctly?
A → Consonant sound an → vowel sound
(A) “A” is used before a consonant sound and “an” is used before a vowel sound.
(B) The letter “u” can have a consonant or vowel sound:
a university an umbrella
(C) The letter “h” is sometimes not pronounced:
a horse an hour
A AN
Used
Before singular count nouns (1st time)
General statement
people
things
Expressions
Type
Ration
Not used
Before plural nouns
Before noncount nouns
2. Should an indefinite article be used?
Use “a” or “an”:
(A) before singular count nouns when the noun is mentioned for the first time.
I see a house.
(B) when the singular form is used to make a general statement about all people or things of that type.
A concert pianist spends many hours practicing.
(All concert pianists spend many hours practicing.)
(C) in expressions of price, speed and ratio.
60 miles an hour four times a day
“A” or “an” are not used:
(D) before plural nouns.
Flowers were growing along the river bank.
(E) before noncount nouns.
I wanted advice.
3. Should the definite article (“the”) be used?
“The” is used:
(A) before a noun that has already been mentioned:
I saw a man. The man was wearing a hat.
or when it is clear in the situation which thing or person is referred to:
The books on the shelf are first editions.
I went to the bank. (a particular bank)
(B) before a singular noun that refers to a species or group.
The tiger lives in Asia. (Tigers, as a species, live in Asia.)
(C) before adjectives used as nouns.
The children collected money to donate to the institution for the deaf.
(“the deaf” = deaf people)
(D) when there is only one of something.
The sun shone down on the earth.
This is the best horse in the race.
(E) before a body part in a prepositional phrase that belongs to the object in the sentence:
Someone hit me on the head. (“Me” is the object, and it is my head that was hit.)
or a body part in a prepositional phrase that belongs to the subject of a passive sentence
I was hit on the head. (“I” is the subject of the passive sentence, and it is my head that was hit.)
Note: A possessive pronoun, rather than the article “the,” is usually used with body parts.
I hit my head. (“I” is neither the object of this sentence nor the subject of a passive sentence. Therefore, a possessive pronoun is used.
Some proper names use “the” and some don’t.
(F) “The” is usually used with canals, deserts, forests, oceans, rivers, seas, and plural islands, lakes, and mountains.
the Suez Canal the Black Forest
the Hawaiian Islands the Atlantic Ocean
“The” is not used with planets and singular islands, lakes, mountains, and parks.
Central Park Lake Michigan
Fiji Island Mount Rushmore
(G) “The” is used when the name of a country or state includes the word “of,” the type of government, or a plural form.
the Republic of Israel
the United Kingdom
the Philippines
(H) “The” is not used with:
the names of other countries and states:
Japan Brazil Germany
the names of continents:
Africa Asia Europe
the names of cities:
Chicago Mexico City Hong Kong
4. Which article, if any, should be used?
(A) The expression “a number of” means “several” or “many” and takes a plural verb. The expression “the number” refers to the group and takes a singular verb.
a large number of tourists get lost because of that sign.
The number of lost tourists has increased recently.
(B) The following nouns do not always take an article:
prison school college
church bed home
court jail sea
Look at how the meaning changes:
Example bed
No article: Jack went to bed.
(= Jack went to sleep. “Bed” refers to the general idea of sleep.)
With “the”: Jack went to the bed.
(Jack walked over to a particular bed. The bed is referred to as a specific object.)
With “a”: Jack bought a bed.
(Jack purchased an object called a bed.)
(C) Articles are not used with possessive pronouns (“my,” “your,” etc.) or demonstratives (“this,” “that,” “these,” and “those”).
Where is my coat?
That watch is broken.
(D) Noncount nouns are used without an article to refer to something in general. Sometimes an article is used to show a specific meaning.
People all over the world want peace.
(= peace in general)
The peace was broken by a group of passing children.
(“The peace” refers to peace at a specific time and place.)
The imparting of knowledge was the job of elders in the community.
(= knowledge in general)
I have a knowledge of computers.
(= a specific type of knowledge)
5. Are the demonstratives (“this”, “that”, “these”, and “those”) used correctly?
(A) The demonstrative adjectives and pronouns are for objects nearby the speaker:
this (singular) these (plural)
and for objects far away from the speaker:
that (singular) those (plural)
(B) Demonstratives are the only adjectives that agree in number with their nouns.
That hat is nice.
Those hats are nice.
(C) When there is the idea of selection, the pronoun “one” (or “ones” often follows the demonstrative.
I want a book. I’ll get this (one).
If the demonstrative is followed by an adjective, “one” (or “ones) must be used:
I want a book. I’ll get this big one.
Now practice with exercises S6-S7-S8-S9-S10 to develop your skills in identifying articles and demonstratives.
Articles and demonstratives
S6 Identifying the need for articles
S7 Checking articles
S8 Checking demonstratives
S9 Connecting articles and demonstratives
S10 Locating and checking articles and demonstratives
S09 Connecting articles and demonstratives
S09 Connecting articles and demonstratives
Examples
Examples
He is going to school.
This sentence is correct
Elderly sometimes need special care.
The elderly
The first sentence is correct. For the second sentence you should write “The” before the world “elderly” because “the” is necessary when an adjective is used without its noun. “The elderly” means “elderly people.”
Correct any sentence that contains an error in the underlined phrase.
Correct any sentence that contains an error in the underlined phrase.
The brick house is the nicer of the two.
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Staff evaluation procedures are completed at least twice the year.
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For a first time ever, the developed market economy countries drew up a document covering international policies.
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Postwar women had more opportunities to find the work than they had had in the prewar days.
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The general always listened to advice from his staff.
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Since beginning of the age of computers, technological advances have increased tenfold.
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Jackson Pollock’s freer techniques raised painting to new levels of the improvisation.
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The boy took his sister by the hand.
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