Articles - a, an, the

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Grammar

•  Today we cover indefinite and definite  articles 

Articles, a-an-the

• Articles come before a noun
  
• Before most nouns in English, you need to use an article.
• We use them when we speak and when we write, there is no way to avoid them!

an - use before a vowel 

a

e

i

o

u

an eye

an orange

SINGULAR NOUN

(or vowel sound)

h

an hour

an honest boy

SINGULAR NOUN

a - use for a singular noun

Saying "a" can be the same as saying "any"

Use "a" for general use (consonants)

Please give me a muffin

The indefinite article a or an is used with:

Singular, countable nouns to refer to a thing or an idea for the first time.

We have a cat and a dog.

There is a supermarket in Adam Street.

The indefinate article is used: 

1. with professions: I am a teacher / She is an architect
2. with some expressions of quantity: a pair of / a little / a few / a couple
3. with some expressions of  frequency:  once a week / three times a day
4. in explanations with what + a count noun: What a lovely day! What a pity!

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The - definite article

• Use "the" when you are being specific
• The 2nd time that you talk about the same noun
• Example: I bought some fruit, the fruit was bad
• The speaker and the listener both know which noun you are talking about.  I left my book at the library
• 1% of countries in the world - The United States of America
• The United Kingdom - The United Arab Emirates - The Netherlands - The Maldives - The Canary Islands

The - definite article is used: 

1. before seas, rivers, hotels, pubs, theatres, museums and newspapers: the Atlantic, the British Museum, The Times, the Ritz
2. if there is only one of something: the sun, the Queen, the government
3. With superlative adjectives: He's the richest man in the world. Jane's the oldest in the class

No Article

There is no article:

1. before plural and uncount nouns when talking about things in general: I like potatoes. / Milk is good for you.
2. before countries,towns,streets,languages, magazines meals, airports, stations and mountains: Victoria Station 
3. before some places and with some forms of transport: She goes to work by bus
4. In exclamations with What and an uncount noun: What beautiful weather! What loud music!

Note: 

In the phrase go home, there is no article and no preposition.

I went home early. NOT I went to home

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