Articles a an the

Articles a an the

by Duyen Le

​A AN

​■ Used before a singular countable noun when it is mentioned for the first time.

☞ a is used before nouns that begin with a consonant.

☞ an is used before nouns that begin with a vowel sound.

■ Used before nouns when it means "one".

■ Used in front of professional nouns.

■ Used in phrases of quantity.

​

■ Some exceptions in the usage of a/an:

- a uniform (a uniform)

- a university (a university)

- an hour (one hour)

- an honest man (an honest man)

- a one-eyed man

- a one-way road

- a useful way (in a useful way)

- an SOS (a distress signal)

- a union (an alliance, an ally)

- a unit (a unit)

- a European (a European)

- an M.A (a bachelor)

- an honorable man (a respectable person)

​THE

■ Used before nouns when they are mentioned from the second time onwards.

■ Used before nouns when they are identified by a relative clause/clause in the back.

■ Used before nouns that are unique.

■ Used before the ordinal number.

■ Use before adjectives to form plural nouns of people.

■ Used before the names of countries ending in -s and some singular countries.

​THE

■ Used before the names of musical instruments, but must come after the verb "play".

■ Used before names of public places.

■ Used before a personal name in the plural to refer to the whole family.

■ Use before superlative and double comparative adjectives.

■ Used before names of rivers, streams, seas, oceans, deserts, mountain ranges...

■ Use before nouns that both the speaker and the listener know well about.

​THE

■ Use before the sessions of the day.

■ Used before the names of newspapers.

■ Used before names of organizations.

■ Used before a singular noun representing a group of animals, a species or an object.

■ Used before nouns indicating direction.

■ Used before noun + of + noun.

■ Used in some fixed phrases.

■ Used before hospital/church/school/prison when it has a different meaning.

Article Rules: Zero Article

with years : 2005, 1402, 1990

with languages : French, German

with Island : Cyprus, Rhodes

with lakes : Lake Victoria

with meals : breakfast, dinner

with seasons/months : Winter, May

festivals : Easter, Oktoberfest

with days : Monday, Friday

Article Rules: Zero Article

with continents : Asia, Africa with countries : Italy, Turkey

with cities/towns : Paris, London with streets : Rose Street

with airports : London Gatwick

with mountains : Everest

with games : baseball, tennis

with proper nouns : Beyoncé

When I dont not need an article?

• We don't use an article:

  When we refer to all members of a group. For example:

• Tigers are endangered.

• With uncountable nouns when they refer to general concepts.

• Water is essential for life.

When I dont not need an article?

• Names of people, books, movies, plays (unless it is part of the title). Proper Nouns

• Avatar is a science-fiction movie.

• Many geographical features: towns, cities, states, countries, lakes, single islands, continents, mountains.

• Melbourne is in Victoria.

• Sports, games and meals.

  He plays football. I like chess. They’re serving fried chicken tonight.

Write

Why in the first question you use the?

Why in the second question you dont use the?

Write

Why in the first question you use the?

Why in the second question you use a?