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GRAMMAR 01 - Definite & Undefinite Articles

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Grammar rule:
English has two articles: the and a/an. An article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.

A and An are used to describe only one thing (singular). A and An are indefinite articles because they are use to refer to non-specific nouns. Let's watch a movie (any movie).

The is used to describe more than one thing (plural). The is a definite article because it is use to refer to specific nouns. Let's watch the horror movie (specific movie) or let's watch the movies (plural).

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bt-attention-48x48Rule of thumb:

Using a or an depends on the sound thatstartsthe next word:

- Use the article A before a consonnant (a,b,c,d.....x,y,z). A bus, a car, a lion, a house, a wagon, a year, a zebra. You must also use An in front of a word that STARTS with a consonnant, but sounds like a vowel. The sound, not the spelling, of the following word makes the determination, so it's an honor, an hour, an honest man(H is silent) but a house, a horse, or a horrible man (H is hard).

- Use the article An before a vowel (a, e, i, o, u). An apple, an elephant, an ice cream, an orange, an umbrella. You must also use An in front of the word that starts with a vowel but has a consonant sound. The sound, not the spelling, of the following word makes the determination, so it's a university, a uniform, a union, a user, a European (it sounds like 'y' at the biginning of the world which is a consonnant sound) but it's an umbella (it sounds like a vowel).

48px-icon-error_svgExceptions to the rule:

1- Always use The when refering to musical instruments : I play the piano. NOT I play a piano.

2- Don't use any article when refering to a sport. I play tennis. NOT I play the tennis or I play a tennis. I like watching football. NOT I like watching the football.

3- In most cases don't use any article when refering to a country, names of languages and nationalities. I love France. I hate France. I speak Spanish NOT I speak the Spanish

4- Don't use any article when refering to meal or food. I don't like spinach NOT I don't like the spinach.

5- Don't use any article when refering to school subjets. I like science NOT I like the science.

interrogation_badgeAdvanced learners:

1- A and An can mean EVERYTIME. Once a year (one time every year), twice an hour (two times every hour), three times a week (three times every week).

2- If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article: An apple BUT a green apple. A uniform BUT an orange uniform.

3- In most cases don't use any article when refering to a country, names of cities, names of streets, names of lakes, names of mountains,names of continents except for the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States, the Andes or the Rockies.
4- Do use The before names of rivers, oceans and seas (the Nile, the Pacific), points on the globe (the Equator, the North Pole), geographical areas (the Middle East, the West) names of deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas (the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula).

 


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