articles (1): a, an, or the

first, let’s compare

a and an
 a
we use before words
which begin with
consonants
(b,c,d,f…)
a doctor a big car
a girl
 a
we also use before u
when it sounds like the
word ‘you’ and before eu
 sounds like ‘you’
starts with u = university
a university
 sounds like ‘you’
starts with = eu
a European city
we usean before words
which begin with
vowels (a,e,i,o,u)
 an apple
an interesting film
we also usean before
words that begin with a
silent h
silent ‘h’ = hour
an hour
hard ‘h’ = house
a house
next, let’s compare
a/an and the
Mary: I boughta CD player
and a TV yesterday.

Joe: Was the CD player

expensive?
 we usually use a/an
with a noun to talk about a
person or thing for the first
time
a CD player
 the
we usually use when
we talk about the person
or thing again
the CD player = the
one that Mary bought
however, there are some
special uses of
a/an and the
we use a/an with prices,
frequency and speeds
 prices
It costs Rp 2000 a litre
 frequency
I drink about three cups of
coffee a day
 speeds
You’re driving at ninety
miles an hour
 we usea/an before
hundred, thousand, and
million
a hundred people
a thousand days
we use a/an for talking
about jobs
I’m a sailor
we use the when there
is only one of something
May I turn on the TV?
 Where’s Mary?
She’s in the kitchen.
we use the with musical
instruments
 I playthe guitar.
Jane plays the violin.
Fill in the blanks in the sentences
with “the”, “a/an” or nothing “-“!
1. We require……. helicopter to rescue
……..injured deckhand.
2. The Marina is carrying……cargo of …. grain.
3. Mr. Parker is ……engineer.
4. This vessel is made of ……….steel.
5. Is there ……. funnel on this ship?
6. Robert is studying to be ………… architect.
7. Mr. Parker works as …………able seaman on …………
container vessel.

8. It is so hot. Can I have ……….glass of ……cold

water?

9. …………. crane operator is …………… man who

operates …………crane.

10. There is …………. electronic chart on the

navigating bridge.