Grammar [120 minutes]
Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.
English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.
Definite articles definition: a determiner (the) that introduces specific nouns and noun phrases.
Indefinite articles definition: a determiner (a, an) that introduces nonspecific nouns and noun phrases.
For example, if I say, “Let’s read the book,” I mean a specific book. If I say, “Let’s read a book,” I mean any book rather than a specific book.
Here’s another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, “I just saw the most popular movie of the year.” There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.
“A/an” is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, “I would like to go 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.
The examples below will further outline the difference.
“A” and “an” signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:
Note: because A and An means one, they cannot be used in plural. For example:
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant:
an + singular noun beginning with a vowel:
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound:
an + nouns starting with silent “h”:
a + nouns starting with a pronounced “h”:
In some cases where “h” is pronounced, such as “historical,” you can use an. However, a is more commonly used and preferred. For example: A historical event is worth recording.
Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP) handles first-year writing at the University. Therefore, an ICaP memo generally discusses issues concerning English 106 instructors.
Another case where this rule applies is when acronyms or initialisms start with consonant letters but have vowel sounds:
If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:
In English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:
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. For example:
The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.
“A/an” can be used only with count nouns.
“I need a bottle of water.”
“I need a new glass of milk.”
Most of the time, you can’t say, “She wants a water,” unless you’re implying, say, a bottle of water.
There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns.
Do not use the before:
Do use before:
Sometimes it is possible to have a noun phrase with NO article.
The ZERO article usually occurs in the following cases:
General meaning
Abstract nouns
People: Mary, Bill, Josef
Places: Jupiter, Russia, Bangkok, Heathrow Airport, Cambridge University, Waterloo Station
Streets: Oxford Street, Wall Street, Picadilly Circus
Languages: English, Russian
Academic subjects: History, Law, Physics
Days, months: Monday, November
Here are some example sentences showing the ZERO article in context.