DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE ARTICLES

DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE ARTICLES

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Definite Article THE: Its Uses

1. This article is used to indicate a noun that is definite or has been previously mentioned in

the context. Examples:

• Please, close the door.

• I like the clothes you gave me.

2. To indicate a noun that is unique, i.e. that there is only one (or one in a particular place).

Examples:

• Praise the Lord!

• The Columbia River is near here.

3. To designate a natural phenomenon. Examples:

• The nights get shorter in the summer.

• The wind is blowing so hard.

Definite Article THE: Its Uses

4. To refer to a time period. Examples:

• I was very naïve in the past.

• This song was very popular in the 1980s.

5. To indicate all the members of a family. Examples:

• I invited the Bakers for dinner.

• This medicine was invented by the Smiths.

6. To express the superlative. Examples:

• This is the most incredible job in the world.

• That was the easiest way out.

Indefinite Article A / AN: Its Uses

1. This article is used with jobs/professions Examples:

• A teacher

• An engineer

2. To talk about a person or a thing for the first time. Examples:

• Yesterday I saw a woman...

3. Before number collectives and some numbers. Examples:

• A dozen

• A thousand

4. With nouns to form adverbial phrases of quantity, amount, or degree. Example:

• I felt a bit depressed.

Indefinite Article A / AN: Its Uses

The Indefinite Article ‘AN’ is used before singular countable nouns beginning with a vowel (a,

e, i, o, u) or vowel sound. Examples:

• an apple, an elephant, an issue, an orange, an umbrella

Exceptions: a university, a uniform, a union

The Indefinite Article ‘A’ is used before singular countable nouns beginning with consonants.

Example:

• a stamp, a desk, a TV, a cup, a book

The Definite Article ‘THE’ is used before singular or plural nouns beginning with either a

vowel or vowel sound or consonant. Examples:

• The car she bought is over there.

• The artistic show was postponed.

Multiple Choice

Shopkeeper : What do you want ? Customer : I want to buy ...... banana and ....... orange

• a, an

• an, a

• a, a

• an, the

Multiple Choice

Peter : What is wrong with you Tom, give me back my book, ....... book you took last week in ......... University.

• the, an

• the, the

• the, an

Multiple Choice

Look ! it .... my class in this photo, ........ building behind ...... my university.

• it, the, is

• is, a, an

• it is, the, is

• is, the, is

Multiple Choice

A: We will miss our flight . We....just ...... hour to reach.Please .........fast

• are,two, drive

• have, an, fly

• have,an, drive

• are, 30 minutes , fly