ArticlesArticlesDeterminers: Determiners:

AAAn or An or The?The?

TheThe and and a/ana/an are called "articles". are called "articles".

• We divide them into "definite" and "indefinite" like this:

• Articles• Definite Indefinite• the a, an

DefiniteDefinite ArticlesArticles

• We use "definite" to mean sure, certain. "Definite" is particular.

the = definite article (a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know)

The car over there is fast. The teacher is very good, isn't he?

First time you speak of something First time you speak of something use "a or an" use "a or an"

Next time you repeat that object use "the".

I live in a house. The house is quite old and has four bedrooms.

I ate in a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was very good.

Indefinite ArticlesIndefinite Articles

• We use "indefinite" to mean not sure, not certain.

• "Indefinite" is general.

Here are the rules for when to Here are the rules for when to use "A, An or The":use "A, An or The":

• a = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with consonants

• She has a dog.• I work in a factory.

• an = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) with vowels (a,e,i,o,u)

• Can I have an apple?• She is an English teacher.

the = definite article (a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know)

The car over there is fast. The teacher is very good, isn't he?

The first time you speak of something use "a or an", the next time you repeat that object use "the".

I live in a house. The house is quite old and has four bedrooms.

I ate in a Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was very good.

Use an article with bodies of water, oceans and seas

My country borders on the Pacific Ocean

DO NOT use an article with countries, states, counties or provinces, lakes and mountains except when the country is a collection of states such as "The United States".

He lives in Washington near Mount Rainier. They live in northern British Columbia.

DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about things in general

I like Russian tea. She likes reading books.

DO NOT use an article when you are speaking about meals, places, and transport

He has breakfast at home. I go to university. He comes to work by taxi.

ExamplesExamples

• Think of the sky at night. In the sky we see 1 moon and millions of stars. So normally we would say:

• I saw the moon last night.

• I saw a star last night.

• the • The capital of France

is Paris. • I have found the book

that I lost. • Have you cleaned the

car? • There are six eggs in

the fridge. • Please switch off the

TV when you finish.

• a, an • I was born in a town. • John had an omelette

for lunch. • James Bond ordered

a drink. • We want to buy an

umbrella. • Have you got a pen?

Of course, often we can use Of course, often we can use thethe or or a/ana/an for for the same word. It depends on the situation, the same word. It depends on the situation,

not the word. Look at these examples:not the word. Look at these examples:

• We want to buy an umbrella. (Any umbrella, not a particular umbrella.)

• Where is the umbrella? (We already have an umbrella. We are looking for our umbrella, a particular umbrella.)

This little story should help you This little story should help you understand the difference between understand the difference between thethe

and and a, ana, an::

• A man and a woman were walking on Oxford Street. The woman saw a dress that she liked in a shop. She asked the man if he could buy the dress for her. He said: "Do you think the shop will accept a cheque? I don't have a credit card."

"A"A" goes before all words that " goes before all words that begin with consonants.begin with consonants.

• a cat

• a dog

• a purple onion

• a buffalo

• a big apple

ExceptionException

• Use an before unsounded h.– an honorable peace – an honest error

"An""An" goes before all words goes before all words that begin with vowels:that begin with vowels:

• an apricot

• an egg

• an Indian

• an orbit

• an uprising

Exceptions Exceptions • When u makes the same sound as the y in

you, or o makes the same sound as w in won, then a is used.– a union – a united front – a unicorn – a used napkin – a U.S. ship – a one-legged man