Articles

a, an, the
 What is an article ?
• Article is an adjective.
• Like adjectives, articles describe nouns.

There are two types of articles in English:

• indefinite: „a” and „an”
• definite: „the”
 a - an
• a/an is used to modify non-specific or
non-particular nouns
• a/an is used with singular nouns

e.g.
a book an onion
a beautiful place an Asian country
a good teacher an unusual time
 a - an

I would like to 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.
 a - an
Normally, we use a/an to refer to
something for the first time

e.g.
I want to visit a museum in London.
The museum must be interesting and
free.
 a - an
Using ‘’a’’ or ‘’an’’ depends on the sound
that begins the next word.

• a + singular noun beginning with a

consonant e.g. a ball
• an + singular noun beginning with a
vowel e.g. an elephant
• a + singular noun beginning with a
consonant sound. e.g. a uniform
• before silent 'h‘ e.g. an hour
 the
• The is used to refer to specific or
particular nouns
• 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, in other words, ‘you know
which one’.
 the
• the is used when we have mentioned it
before
e.g. I have a ball. The ball is blue.

• The is used also when it’s clear what

we mean
e.g. Please, close the door.
 the

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.
 the
• The is also used when a noun refers to
something which is unique

e.g.
• The White House
• The earth
• The theory of creation
• The British Museum
 the
Do not use before: Do use before:
• names of countries • names of rivers,
• names of cities, oceans and seas
towns, states • points of the globe
• names of streets • geographical areas
• deserts, forests, gulfs,
• names of lakes and
peninsulas
bays
• names of mountains
• names of continents To complicate matters there
• names of islands are many exceptions :D
 Exercises
Fill in the gaps with a/an/the/Ø
• ___ old book • ___ university
• ___ window • ___ Sahara
• ___ horses • ___ flowers
• ___ England • ___ economy
• ___ airport • ___ hour
• ___ new airport • ___ computers
• ___ moon • ___ north
• ___ Pacific • ___ plans
 Exercises
Fill in the gaps with a/an/the/Ø

Mary is from Ø England. She’s

got _______ brother and __________two sisters.
They live with ________their family in
___________ small, but __________ very
comfortable cottage near _______ London.
Mary has lots of hobbies. She likes
__________ tennis and she plays _________
piano. Mary’s family has __________ big
garden. Mary always takes her dog for
__________ walk in ____________ garden.
_________ dog’s name is ___________ Charlie.
 Exercises
Steve is from ____________ Manchester. He is
____________ manager.
He works in __________ office. He goes to
work in ____________ morning. He starts
work at 8 o’clock and
he goes ___________home at 5.00 in
____________ evening. Steve has _____________
flat not far from ___________ office. It is
on__________ third floor of _________ five-
storey building. It’s not big, but
comfortable. Steve is quite happy.
 Exercises
Peter is _________ new student at _______
International School in London. He is
___________ friendly and he has
__________ lot of friends here.
Peter is __________ active person. ”I like
going out with my _________ friends on
_________ Sundays. We often go to ________
London museums and to _________
theatre. Sometimes we go ________
hiking.
Thank you

Klaudia Gajewska