«A», «AN», «THE»
DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE ARTICLES
By Ahmet Mesut ATEŞ
A) INDEFINITE ARTICLES
USES OF «AN»
 Singular countable nouns
 For generalizations
 Interchangeable with «ANY»
 Used with vowels
A-E-I-O-U
EXAMPLES
 They sit on an armchair.
 His mother is an optician.
 We had an exam yesterday.
 You need to shown an identification.
 The program requires an update.
A) INDEFINITE ARTICLES
USES OF «A»
 Singular countable nouns
 For generalization
 Interchangeable with «ANY»
 Used with consonants
EXAMPLES
 I ate a persimmon for lunch.
 My grandfather was a lawyer.
 New teacher asked everyone a question.
 A policeman warned me about traffic.
 I have got a pink bow-tie.
 We saw a giraffe at the zoo yesterday.
 I am starting to a new book today.
 They are going to a movie.
A) DEFINITE ARTICLE
USES OF «THE»
 For unique objects – when
there is only one of the object
in the world
 For religious books
EXAMPLES
 The sun warms the earth.
 He watched the moon all night.
 There are many kites in the sky.
 My father knows the Prime Minister.
 The headmaster gave a speech yesterday.
 My brother can read the Quran.
B) INDEFINITE ARTICLES
USES OF «AN»
 Used with vowel sound
VOWEL SOUND: It is not a letter.
Listen the words. They are written
with «silent h». We don’t
pronounce the letter «h».
 «Silent h» is found in words of
French origin.
EXAMPLES
 I waited him for an hour.
 Your uncle is an honorary member.
 An honest person never lies.
 The king needed an heir.
B) INDEFINITE ARTICLES
USES OF «A»
 Used with consonant sound.
CONSONANT SOUND: It is not a
letter. Listen the words. Words are
written with vowels but
pronounced with consonants.
i.e. university /juːnɪˈvəːsɪti/
one /wʌn/
EXAMPLES
 There is a 1 in my school number.
 Jane teaches Physics in a university.
 There is a U-turn ahead.
 Children broke a utensil.
 We need a unanimous vote.
B) DEFINITE ARTICLE
USES OF «THE»
 2nd time we mention a noun
 When speaker and listener both
know the noun
 With ordinal numbers
 With superlative adjectives
 With famous buildings,
monuments.
 With directions
 With country names including political titles:
«united», «kingdom», «federation»,
«union», «republic»
B) DEFINITE ARTICLE
EXAMPLES
 They bought a car. The car is parked in front of the house.
 You need to turn right from the third street on the right.
 The most famous dessert of Turkey is «baklava».
 When in France, we took photos on the Eiffel Tower.
 She didn’t see the Statue of Liberty.
 My relatives live in the North but I live in the South.
 Everybody emigrates to the West.
 I have a friend from the USA (the States, the United States of America).
 Our new lecturer is from the UK (the United Kingdom).
 He lives in the Russian Federation now.
 They will join the European Union (the EU) next year.
B) HOW TO PRONOUNCE «THE»
Read it as /ðə/ (thuh) with
consonant sounds.
Examples:
He live by the lake.
My brother fixed the window.
He didn’t see the present.
You cannot eat the pie yet.
Read it as /ðiː/ (thee) with vowel
sounds.
Examples:
You are the one and only person.
«The eye of the tiger» is my favorite.
Did you talk to the organizator?
The apocalypse (the end) is nigh.
C) DEFINITE ARTICLE
USES OF «THE»
 With country names that include common nouns.
 With country names ending with plural –s
 With names of group of (small) islands
 For political regions
 With river names, sea names, names of mountain chains
 With newspaper names
 With family names
 For (specific) abstract nouns
 With adjectives to talk about groups of people
 For university names starting with the word «university»
 For transportation when not using «by» with the verbs
C) DEFINITE ARTICLE
EXAMPLES
 The Philippines – assuming the islands in its official name
 The Bahamas, the Seychelles, the Comoros
 The Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, the Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos etc.
 The Balkans, the Riviera, the Crimea (region not the country)
 The River Thames, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, the Rockies, the Dolomites
 The New York Time, the Washington Post
 The Simpsons, the Rockefellers, the Starks, the Lannisters
 The love of a mother is hard to surpass.
 The rich doesn’t know how the poor lives.
 The University of Manchester, the University of Edinburgh
 Don’t use the metro on Sunday – it will be very crowded.
C) DEFINITE ARTICLE
WHEN NOT TO USE «THE»
 People’s names
 Titles (when title is used together with name)
 Continents, countries (exceptions apply), cities and states
 Singular and big islands
 Mountain and lake names
 Names of days, months and special days
 Languages
 Elements
 General abstract nouns
 Sports
 Subjects of study
C) DEFINITE ARTICLE
EXAMPLES
 I met the Clara last weekend.
 They have a meeting with the Dr. Susan.
 I love the Americas because the Canada is in there – my favorite city is the
Toronto.
 She is from the Australia.
 The Mount Everest, the Lake Superior, the Mount Ağrı
 She will visit us on the Monday. I will visit her on the Christmas.
 Everybody knows the English in northern European countries.
 The new found element is denser than the mercury.
 The freedom is worth dying for.
 I love the football but not the baseball.
 She studied the Law abroad.
References
 http://www.cambridge.org/grammarandbeyond/uncategorized/2014/04/mor
e-about-country-names-and-the
 http://www.cambridge.org/grammarandbeyond/newsletter/2011/11/using-
the-with-the-names-of-countries
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Jkx670rT8
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZDPFYFH41Q
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmR_CYJrz8o
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlip6eSfuGs
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4U0uLBATZI
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dl74Erx234
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seg9jEcWIo4
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc5i5jnqM4g
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zJQoQLCeNo
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqrKMIrN8wQ

Articles - Definite and indefinite articles in use

  • 1.
    «A», «AN», «THE» DEFINITEAND INDEFINITE ARTICLES By Ahmet Mesut ATEŞ
  • 2.
    A) INDEFINITE ARTICLES USESOF «AN»  Singular countable nouns  For generalizations  Interchangeable with «ANY»  Used with vowels A-E-I-O-U EXAMPLES  They sit on an armchair.  His mother is an optician.  We had an exam yesterday.  You need to shown an identification.  The program requires an update.
  • 3.
    A) INDEFINITE ARTICLES USESOF «A»  Singular countable nouns  For generalization  Interchangeable with «ANY»  Used with consonants EXAMPLES  I ate a persimmon for lunch.  My grandfather was a lawyer.  New teacher asked everyone a question.  A policeman warned me about traffic.  I have got a pink bow-tie.  We saw a giraffe at the zoo yesterday.  I am starting to a new book today.  They are going to a movie.
  • 4.
    A) DEFINITE ARTICLE USESOF «THE»  For unique objects – when there is only one of the object in the world  For religious books EXAMPLES  The sun warms the earth.  He watched the moon all night.  There are many kites in the sky.  My father knows the Prime Minister.  The headmaster gave a speech yesterday.  My brother can read the Quran.
  • 5.
    B) INDEFINITE ARTICLES USESOF «AN»  Used with vowel sound VOWEL SOUND: It is not a letter. Listen the words. They are written with «silent h». We don’t pronounce the letter «h».  «Silent h» is found in words of French origin. EXAMPLES  I waited him for an hour.  Your uncle is an honorary member.  An honest person never lies.  The king needed an heir.
  • 6.
    B) INDEFINITE ARTICLES USESOF «A»  Used with consonant sound. CONSONANT SOUND: It is not a letter. Listen the words. Words are written with vowels but pronounced with consonants. i.e. university /juːnɪˈvəːsɪti/ one /wʌn/ EXAMPLES  There is a 1 in my school number.  Jane teaches Physics in a university.  There is a U-turn ahead.  Children broke a utensil.  We need a unanimous vote.
  • 7.
    B) DEFINITE ARTICLE USESOF «THE»  2nd time we mention a noun  When speaker and listener both know the noun  With ordinal numbers  With superlative adjectives  With famous buildings, monuments.  With directions  With country names including political titles: «united», «kingdom», «federation», «union», «republic»
  • 8.
    B) DEFINITE ARTICLE EXAMPLES They bought a car. The car is parked in front of the house.  You need to turn right from the third street on the right.  The most famous dessert of Turkey is «baklava».  When in France, we took photos on the Eiffel Tower.  She didn’t see the Statue of Liberty.  My relatives live in the North but I live in the South.  Everybody emigrates to the West.  I have a friend from the USA (the States, the United States of America).  Our new lecturer is from the UK (the United Kingdom).  He lives in the Russian Federation now.  They will join the European Union (the EU) next year.
  • 9.
    B) HOW TOPRONOUNCE «THE» Read it as /ðə/ (thuh) with consonant sounds. Examples: He live by the lake. My brother fixed the window. He didn’t see the present. You cannot eat the pie yet. Read it as /ðiː/ (thee) with vowel sounds. Examples: You are the one and only person. «The eye of the tiger» is my favorite. Did you talk to the organizator? The apocalypse (the end) is nigh.
  • 10.
    C) DEFINITE ARTICLE USESOF «THE»  With country names that include common nouns.  With country names ending with plural –s  With names of group of (small) islands  For political regions  With river names, sea names, names of mountain chains  With newspaper names  With family names  For (specific) abstract nouns  With adjectives to talk about groups of people  For university names starting with the word «university»  For transportation when not using «by» with the verbs
  • 11.
    C) DEFINITE ARTICLE EXAMPLES The Philippines – assuming the islands in its official name  The Bahamas, the Seychelles, the Comoros  The Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, the Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos etc.  The Balkans, the Riviera, the Crimea (region not the country)  The River Thames, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, the Rockies, the Dolomites  The New York Time, the Washington Post  The Simpsons, the Rockefellers, the Starks, the Lannisters  The love of a mother is hard to surpass.  The rich doesn’t know how the poor lives.  The University of Manchester, the University of Edinburgh  Don’t use the metro on Sunday – it will be very crowded.
  • 12.
    C) DEFINITE ARTICLE WHENNOT TO USE «THE»  People’s names  Titles (when title is used together with name)  Continents, countries (exceptions apply), cities and states  Singular and big islands  Mountain and lake names  Names of days, months and special days  Languages  Elements  General abstract nouns  Sports  Subjects of study
  • 13.
    C) DEFINITE ARTICLE EXAMPLES I met the Clara last weekend.  They have a meeting with the Dr. Susan.  I love the Americas because the Canada is in there – my favorite city is the Toronto.  She is from the Australia.  The Mount Everest, the Lake Superior, the Mount Ağrı  She will visit us on the Monday. I will visit her on the Christmas.  Everybody knows the English in northern European countries.  The new found element is denser than the mercury.  The freedom is worth dying for.  I love the football but not the baseball.  She studied the Law abroad.
  • 14.
    References  http://www.cambridge.org/grammarandbeyond/uncategorized/2014/04/mor e-about-country-names-and-the  http://www.cambridge.org/grammarandbeyond/newsletter/2011/11/using- the-with-the-names-of-countries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Jkx670rT8  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZDPFYFH41Q  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmR_CYJrz8o  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlip6eSfuGs  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4U0uLBATZI  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dl74Erx234  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seg9jEcWIo4  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc5i5jnqM4g  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zJQoQLCeNo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqrKMIrN8wQ