Articles

Count
Specific General Noun count
Singular the a/an Specific General

Plural the X Singular the X

A and An

Rule #1
Use “a” or “an” with a singular count noun when it is one of many or when it is in general.

Example: My mother is a teacher.

The

Rule #1
Use the when you refer to something specific. Not for the thing in general, for general things you should use the
plural form of the noun.

Example: The bank on the corner of 56th St. and Fowler Ave. is where Sarah works.

Rule #2
Use the when you refer to a word a second or subsequent time.

Examples: That is the guy I was telling you about.

Dinner consisted of steak and potatoes. The steak was delicious, but I didn't like the
potatoes.

Rule #3
Use the if there is only one of that thing (unique existence). Note: not for someone's name.

Example: The sun is 93,000,000 miles from our planet.

He is the dean of our school.

Rule #4
Use the before a superlative adjective.

Example: Of all the movies I saw last year, the most interesting was Rogue One.

Rule #5
Use the with certain place names (specific regions and countries, oceans, deserts, rivers, mountain ranges).

Examples: the Middle East, the North Pole, the UK, the Mississippi River, the Atlantic Ocean, the White
House, the Amazon

DO NOT USE THE FOR THE FOLLOWING:

most countries, people's names, continents, languages, and general things
Put a, an, the, where necessary

1. Napoleon ......... great was born in Corsica.

2..........best coffee comes from ......... ..Mocha .......... town in ......... Arabia.
3........... Alps are .......... longest mountain in Europe.
4........... Aegean sea is usually rough.
5. He fell and was taken to ....... hospital.
6. We must help ....... poor.
7. This is made in .......... United Kingdom.
8........... Americans like whisky but............ Germans prefer beer.
9........... silver is one of the heaviest metals.