THE and A/AN

We use THE before a superlative adjective

(the biggest, the most expensive, etc.) when
the superlative adjective is followed by a
noun or defining phrase:

 He is the finest young player around at the

moment.

 This painting is the most unusual in the

collection.
A and AN are used in front of a singular
noun. (e.g. pencil, apartment). They mean
one.

A is used in front of words that begin with

a consonant: a boy, a bad day, a cat, a cute
baby.

An is used in front of words that begin with

the vowels: an apartment, an angry man,
an elephant.
 An is used if the u is vowel sound, as in an
umbrella, an uncle, an unusual day.

 A is used if the u is a consonant sound as in

university, a unit, a usual event.

 For words that begin with H:

 An is used if the h is silent: an hour, an

honor, an honest person.

 A is used if the h is pronounced: a holiday,

a hotel, a high point.
We use A/AN to say what person’s job is, was, or will
be:
 She was a company director when she retired.
 Against her parents’ wishes, she wants to be a
journalist.

However when we give a person’s job title, or their

unique position, we use THE or ZERO ARTICLE, not
A/AN.

Compare:
 She’s been appointed (the) head of the company.
and
 I’m a production manager at Fino (may be more
than one production manager).
Use THE for following words
Ocean, river, sea, gulf, lake:
The Pacific Ocean, The Jakarta
Gulf, the Great Lakes
Mountains: The Rocky Mountains
Sun, Moon: The Sun, The Moon
University, school:
Use THE whenever those words
used at the beginning:
The University of Chicago, The
College of Business
Ordinal Number before noun:
The second world war
Country in writing more than one
syllable:
The United States, The Central
African Republic
Don’t use THE for the following
words
Lake: Lake Toba, Lake Ontario
Mount: Mount Merapi, Mount
Bromo
Planets: Mars, Mercurius
University, school:
No THE whenever those words
used at the end:
Bandung Islamic University,
Business Collage
Cardinal Number after noun:
Chapter Five, World War Two
Country in writing only one
syllable:
Indonesia, France, Singapore
 BOB COLLINS
: A PROFILE
Bob Collins
recently be
Minister in t comes (1)
he new go …
appointed (2 v e rnment, bein
) …… Ministe g
Collins has h r for Industry
ad a varied c . Mr.
…… professio areer. He wa
nal footballe s (3 )
some people r in the 1960
considering h s,
most skilful im to be (4)
player of his ……
a serious inju g e n eration. Afte
ry, he becam r
of (6) ….olde e (5) ……man
st pub in Edin ager
later , he w burgh. Five y
as offered th ears
…….executive e p osition of (7
director of A )
….. Biggest s rcon, one of
upermarket c ( 8)
He became ( hains in coun
9) …….. Mem try.
in 1990. be r of Parliamen
t
Can you open
a window ?

There are three windows here ?

A window = window 1 or 2 or 3

Can you open

the window ?

There is only one window here ?

A window = window 1 or 2 or 3