ARTICLES (A, AN, THE)

1. Definition
A, an, the (articles) are words used to limit the meaning of nouns. All three actually do not have a specific word
meaning; but the article has a special function in completing a phrase or clause, which is specifically related to nouns
or nouns in it.

Article is divided into two kinds, namely: definite and indefinite.

2. Miscellaneous
a. Indefinite articles

What are the functions of the indefinite article? A or an is used in indefinite articles. This article is used for things
that are not specific or have never been explained before, including: person, thing (object), or idea (thought). This
word is only used before singular countable nouns.

Examples:

 He goes to the swimming pool twice a week.

 He studied at a reputable university in town.

Then, how do we distinguish the use of a and an? We must first see the object to be explained. If how to read objects
using vowels (a,i,u,e,o), we must use an. Like: apple, animal, or elephant. If the object used uses consonants, we
must use a as the article. Such as: Laptop, comb, phone, and so on.

However, there are still many who are wrong and have questions, "how come you can write a university instead of
an university?". Again, we have to read it first. Even though university has a vowel in front of it, the way to read it is
"yu" which uses a consonant. This also applies to the word hour where the h is omitted so we use an for the article.

b. Definite article

The is the article used in the definite article. The is used for specific things (obvious or previously explained)
including: person, thing (object), or idea (thought).

This word is used before countable nouns or uncountable nouns.

Examples:

 Please give me the hammer.

 There's a girl in front of the bookstore.
 The place that I just visited is cozy.
 “I like the girl,” said John to Brian.

c. Zero articles

Actually, apart from the two types of articles above, there is also a zero article which can be interpreted without
the use of articles.

Simply put, every object or subject does not absolutely need an article, there are also some things that do not need
to be added an article. For example: Names of languages, sports, academic subjects, etc.

Examples:

 Can you speak Japanese?

 Those children played football.
 50 Sentences Using Articles Correctly
1- I have a new car.
2- We went to an Italian restaurant for dinner.
3- I’m reading the newspapers from yesterday.
4- Do you have a pen I can borrow?
5- There’s a cat in the tree.
6- An elephant is a very large animal.
7- I saw the movie twice.
8- We’re going on vacation in the summer.
9- I have a headache.
10- There’s a sale at the store.
11- We need to buy some eggs and milk at the
grocery store.
12- Who is the president of your country?
13- The moon is beautiful tonight.
14- I’m going to the doctor on Monday.
15- I take the bus to school.
16- My favorite color is blue.
17- The sky is very cloudy today.
18- I have a meeting with my boss at 3:00pm.
19- Please turn off the light when you leave the
room.
20- I’m going to bed. Goodnight!
21- There’s a spider in my room!
22- I don’t want to go to the dentist.
23- Do you have any siblings?
24- My parents are from the United States.
25- What’s your favorite kind of food?
26- I’m going to the library to return some books.
27- The weather is so hot today!
28- I wish it would snow.
29- Spring is my favorite season.
30- There are four seasons in a year.
31- We eat three meals a day.
32- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
33- I always brush my teeth after I eat.
34- Please remember to floss every day.
35- Dental hygiene is very important for your health.
36- It’s important to drink lots of water every day.
37- I usually go for a run in the morning.
38- I need to buy some new running shoes.
39- I need to increase my stamina if I want to run a
marathon.
40- Running is a great way to stay in shape.
41- It’s important to eat healthy foods if you want to
be healthy.
42- Vegetables and fruits are very good for you.
43- You should eat less processed food and more
whole foods.
44- Eating healthy can help you lose weight.
45- Exercising is also important if you want to be
healthy.
46- There are many different kinds of exercise.
47- You need to find an exercise that you enjoy.
48- It’s important to stick with it if you want to see
results.
49- You will see a difference if you keep at it.
50- A healthy lifestyle is very important for your
wellbeing.
EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

Complete the sentences with ‘a’, ‘an’, or ‘the’ or ‘-‘ if no article is needed.