ARTICLES

a an The
 A/An
1. We use the indefinite article(a/an) with
singular countable nouns only, example:

A basketball A restautrant A pen

2. We use a/an for talk about something for the first time.(I
have got a cat, Maria’s got an apple).

3. We use a/an when we say someone’s job is (He is a doctor,

she is a biology teacher).
4. Or describe what somebody or something is
(Mike is a nice boy; it’s a good day)
5. We use a/an to describe about someone’s
nationalities and religions, example:
Feren is a japanese woman
6. We use a/an for time and measurements (per
week/weekly), example:

I go on holiday
twice a year.

Tomatoes are $2
a kilo.

Our car can do

220 kilometres an
hour.
 And….. Is there any
difference between a
and an?
Yes, there is

So, what is it ????

Let’s see……
 The difference is…
things A An
function We use a when the next alphabet We use an when the next alphabet
begins with a consonant begins with a vowel
example
A book

An email

A Train An apple
 But the point is…..
things A An

function We use a when the first time we We use an when the first time we
pronounce it is a consonant pronounce it is a vowel

example
A university An hour
How about “the”?
How can we
use it?

1. We can use the definite article (the)

with singular and plural countable
nouns.

The restaurant The restaurants

And with uncountable nouns

The juice The cheese

The milk
2. We use the, when we mention it again (I have got a
cat. The cat is cute. It likes drinking milk.)
3. We use the when there is only of something
The President

The
Sun
The Neptune

4. Whe don’t use the when we are making

generalisations
– I don’t like hot weather.
– Cinta Miranda Tyas drinks water everyday.
– Pascal loves japanese food.
5. We use “the” Before superlatives and
ordinal numbers

the the
highest greatest
building movie

the
first
page
6. We use “the” in sentences or clauses where we define
or identify a particular person or object, example:

The man who wrote this “Which car did you My house is the one with
book is famous. scratch?” “The red one”. a blue door.‘

7. Because there is only one in that place or in those

surroundings, example:

the church in the car that belongs the beach near my

our village to our family grandmother’s
house
8. to say something about all the things referred to by a
noun

The wolf is not The heart pumps

kangaroo is found
really a dangerous blood around the
only in Australia
animal body
9. to talk about musical instruments:

Willy plays the piano really

well She is learning the guitar
10. to refer to a system or service, example:

How long I heard it on You should

does it take the radio. tell the
on the train? police.

11. With adjectives like rich, poor, elderly,

unemployed to talk about groups of people:
– Life can be very hard for the poor.
– I think the rich should pay more taxes.
– She works for a group to help the disabled.
 12.

We do not normally use the definite article with names:

 William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
 Paris is the capital of France.
 Iran is in Asia.

But we do use the definite article with:

a) countries whose names include words like kingdom, states or republic:
b) countries which have plural nouns as their names
c) geographical features, such as mountain ranges, groups of islands, rivers, seas,
oceans, and canals
d) Newspapers
e) well known buildings or works of art
f) organisations:
g) hotels, pubs and restaurants
h) families

Next
 countries whose names include words like
kingdom, states or republic, example:

the United the kingdom of the People’s

Kingdom Nepal Republic of
China
 countries which have plural nouns as their
names:

the the
Netherlands Philippines
 geographical features, such as mountain ranges, groups
of islands, rivers, seas, oceans and canals:

the Atlantic
the Himalayas the Canaries the Amazon
Ocean

the Panama Canal

 newspapers:

The Times The Washington Post

 well known buildings or works of art:

the Empire
the Taj Mahal the Mona Lisa
State Building

 organisations:

the United
Nations

The APEC
 hotels, pubs and restaurants*:

the Shangri-la hotel the Gokana

* Note: We do not use the definite article if the name of the hotel or
restaurant is the name of the owner, e.g.,Brown’s; Brown’s Hotel;
Morel’s; Morel’s Restaurant, etc.

 families:

the Obamas the Smith

Expressions with no article and with
article
Expressions with no article
 Play football, tennis, etc
 Watch television
Some
 Have breakfast, lunch, dinner
common
expressions  Go to bed, school, work, hospital, church, university
include an  At night
article and
others do
Expressions with article
not. There
are no rules • Play the piano, the guitar, etc.
– you have • Listen to the radio, see a film
to learn
them. • Have a snack, a drink, a sandwich, etc.
• Go to the theatre, the cinema, the doctor’s
• During the day, in the morning, afternoon, evening
Thank
You