ARTICLES

A / AN - THE
a
one thing or person
Alice works in a bank.
Can I ask a question?
I don’t have a car.
There’s a woman at the bus stop.
an
before vowels
Do you want an apple?
I’ll buy an umbrella.
There is an interesting programme on TV.
BUT…
An hour
A uniform
A university
A European
When we say what a thing and a person is.
The sun is a star.
Dallas is a city in Texas.
Joe is a very nice person.
A mouse is a small animal.
For jobs
I’m a dentist.
My father is an engineer.
Beethoven was a composer.
Would you like to be a teacher?
A /AN THE
Can you open a window?
(There are more than 2
windows.)
I’ve got a car. (There are
many cars & I’ve got one.)
Is there a hotel near here?
(any hotel)
Paris is an interesting city.
(There are many
interesting cities and Paris
is one.)
Lisa is a student. (There
are many students and
Lisa is one.)
Can you open the window?
(There is one window.)
I’ll clean the car tomorrow.
(my car)
We enjoyed our holiday.
The hotel was very nice.
(The hotel we stayed in.)
Paris is the capital of
France. (There is only one
capital of France.)
Lisa is the youngest
student in her class. (There
is only one youngest
student in her class.)
I bought a jacket and a shirt. The jacket was cheap but
the shirt was expensive.
any any
jacket shirt

the the
jacket I shirt I
bought bought
We say the when it is clear which thing or
person we mean
the door / the ceiling / the floor / the carpet / the light
etc.(of a room)
the roof / the garden / the kitchen / the bathroom etc.
(of a house)
the centre / the station / the airport / the town hall
etc. (of a city)
-- Where is Tom? – He is in the kitchen.
(The kitchen in this house)
Turn on the lights and close the door.
(The light and the door of the room)
Do you live far from the city centre?
(The city centre of your town)
I’d like to speak to the manager, please.
(The manager of the shop)
We say the when it is clear which thing or
person we mean
What is the name of this street? (This street has only
one name.)
Who is the best player in your team?
Can you tell me the time, please) (The time now.)
My office is on the first floor. (There is only one first
floor in the building.)
the same
We live in the same building.
the sun / the moon / the world / the sky / the sea /
the country
The sky is blue and the sun is shining.
the police / the bridge/the army (of a country)
My brother is a soldier. He is in the army.
(play) the piano / the guitar / the trumpet etc.
Paula is learning to play the piano.
the top / the end / the middle / the left-right
Write your name at the top of the page.
The table is in the middle of the room.
My house is at the end of the street.
Do you drive on the left or on the right in your country.
the radio
I listen to the radio a lot.
(go to) the cinema / the theatre / the bank / the
post office
I never go to the theatre, but I often go to the cinema.
(go to) the doctor / the dentist
You don’t look well. Why don’t you go to the doctor?
THE
television
I watch television a lot.
What’s on television tonight?
BUT
Can you turn on the television? (the TV set at home)
THE
breakfast / lunch / dinner
What did you have for breakfast?
Dinner is ready!
next / last + week / month / year / summer
I’m not working next week.
Did you have a holiday last summer?
GENERAL
Flowers are beautiful.
(flowers in general)
I don’t like cold weather.
(cold weather in general)
We don’t eat fish very
often.
(fish in general)
Are you interested in
history?
(history in general)
SPECIFIC
This is a lovely garden. The
flowers are beautiful. (the
flowers in this garden)
The weather isn’t very good
today. (the weather today)
We had a very nice meal last
night. The fish was delicious.
(the fish we ate last night)
Are you interested in the
history of your country?
 CONTINENTS, COUNTRIES, STATES, ISLANDS,
TOWNS etc.
THE THE
 France is a large  republic / state / kingdom
country. The Republic of Ireland (The Irish Republic)
 Cairo is the capital The United States of America (the USA)
of Egypt. The United Kingdom (the UK)
 Peru is in South  plural names of countries / islands /
America. mountains
the Netherlands / the Canary Islands / the
Philippines / the Andes
 names of oceans / seas / rivers / canals
the Atlantic (Ocean) / the Mediterranean (Sea)
the (River) Nile / the Amazon / the Black Sea
 PLACES in TOWNS (streets, buldings etc.)
THE
 names of streets /
squares
Kevin lives in Newton Street.
Times Square is in New York.
 name of a place (or
person) + airport / station
/ university / castle etc.
Kennedy Airport
London Zoo
Cambridge University
THE
 names of hotels, cinemas, theatres,
museums etc.
The Hilon (Hotel)
The Science Museum
The National Theatre
 names with OF
The Bank of England
The Tower of London
 the north/ the south/the west/the
east
I’ve been to the north of Italy but not to
the south.