What is an article? Basically, an article is an
adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.
English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to
refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or
non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite
article.
the = definite article
a/an = indefinite article
For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I
mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book
rather than a specific book.
Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to
a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I just saw the
most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one
particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.
"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or
non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to go see a
movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking
about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't
have a specific one in mind.
Indefinite Articles: a and
an
The word a (which becomes an when the next word begins
with a vowel - a, e, i, o, u) is called the indefinite article because the noun
it goes with is indefinite or general.
The meaning of the article a is similar to the number one, but one is
stronger and gives more emphasis. It is
possible to say I have a book or I have one book, but the second sentence
emphasizes that I do not have two or three or some other number of books.
"A" and "an" signal that the noun
modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:
"My daughter really wants a dog for
Christmas." This refers to any dog. We don't know which dog because we
haven't found the dog yet.
"Somebody call a policeman!" This refers
to any policeman. We don't need a specific policeman; we need any
policeman who is available.
"When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!"
Here, we're talking about a single, non-specific thing, in this case an
elephant. There are probably several elephants at the zoo, but there's only one
we're talking about here.
“He goes to the swimming pool twice a week.”
“shelly a leader in the class”
The point is you use a when the noun you are referring to
begins with a consonant (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w,
x, y or z), for example, "a city", "a factory", and "a
hotel". You use an when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel
(a, e, i, o, u)
Pronunciation changes this rule. It's the sound that
matters, not the spelling.
Remember, using a or an
depends on the sound that begins the next word.
·
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a
boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog
·
an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an
elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan
·
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant
sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound,
so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle
·
an + nouns starting with silent "h":
an hour
·
a + nouns starting with a pronounced
"h": a horse
·
In some cases where "h" is pronounced,
such as "historical," you can use an. However, a is more commonly
used and preferred.
Definite Article: the
The word the is known as the definite article and
indicates a specific thing. The
difference between the sentences I sat on a chair and I sat on the chair is
that the second sentence refers to a particular, specific chair, not just any
chair.
The definite article is used before singular and plural
nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals that the noun is
definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example:
"The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're
talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.
"I was happy to see the policeman who saved my
cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular policeman. Even if we don't
know the policeman's name, it's still a particular policeman because it is the
one who saved the cat.
"I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're
talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.
Count and Noncount Nouns
The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can
be omitted entirely.
·
"I love to sail over the water"
(some specific body of water) or "I love to sail over water" (any
water).
·
"He spilled the milk all over the
floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you bought earlier that day)
or "He spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk).
"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.
·
"I need a bottle of water."
·
"I need a new glass of milk."
Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a
water," unless you're implying, say, a bottle of water.
Geographical use of the
There are some specific rules for using the with
geographical nouns.
Do not use the before:
·
names of most countries/territories: Italy,
Mexico, Bolivia; however, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the
Philippines, the United States
·
names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul,
Manitoba, Miami
·
names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
·
names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake
Erie except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes
·
names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji
except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names
like the Matterhorn
·
names of continents (Asia, Europe)
·
names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West)
except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary
Islands
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
·
deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the
Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula
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