Articles

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What is an article in English grammar?

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An article is a word that defines a noun as specific or unspecific. The two types of articles are definite (the) and indefinite (a, an).

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What is a definite article?

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The definite article is 'the'. It is used to refer to a specific noun that is known to the reader.

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What is an indefinite article?

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Indefinite articles are 'a' and 'an'. They are used to refer to a non-specific noun.

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When do we use 'a'?

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We use 'a' before words that begin with a consonant sound, e.g., 'a cat', 'a dog'.

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When do we use 'an'?

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We use 'an' before words that begin with a vowel sound, e.g., 'an apple', 'an hour'.

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What is the rule for using 'the'?

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Use 'the' when referring to something specific that both the speaker and listener know about.

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Can we use articles with uncountable nouns?

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Yes, we can use 'the' with uncountable nouns when referring to something specific, e.g., 'the water in the glass'.

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What is an example of using 'no article'?

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We use no article when talking about things in general, e.g., 'I like dogs.'

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How do we use articles with proper nouns?

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We usually do not use articles with proper nouns, e.g., 'George', but we can say 'the United States'.

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What is the difference between 'a' and 'an'?

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The difference is based on the sound that follows: 'a' is used before consonant sounds, and 'an' is used before vowel sounds.