This document discusses the definite and indefinite articles in English - "a", "an", and "the". It provides rules for using each article and examples. The main points are: - "A" and "an" are used with singular countable nouns to indicate something new or unspecified. "An" is used before words beginning with a vowel sound. - "The" is used to refer to something specific or something already mentioned. It indicates the listener knows what is being referred to. - There are no articles used with plural or uncountable nouns. - Exercises are provided to practice using the correct article in sentences.

1. Definite and indefiniteDefinite and indefinite
articlesarticles
A, an and theA, an and the
GROUP MEMBER :-GROUP MEMBER :-
NAJEEBNAJEEB
HASSAN KHANHASSAN KHAN
ALISHAH ANWAR ALIALISHAH ANWAR ALI

2. What do they do?What do they do?
 they come at the beginning of a nounthey come at the beginning of a noun
phrasephrase
 they show if the information is new orthey show if the information is new or
known alreadyknown already

3. What do they look like?What do they look like?
 Indefinite article ‘a’ and ‘an’Indefinite article ‘a’ and ‘an’
a house a job an appointmenta house a job an appointment
an examplean example
 Definite article ‘the’Definite article ‘the’
the hospital the stationthe hospital the station

4. Where do they come in sentences?Where do they come in sentences?
 At the beginning of a noun phrase:At the beginning of a noun phrase:
I sawI saw a housea house..
 Immediately before a noun or an adjective (a) orImmediately before a noun or an adjective (a) or
before an adverb + adjective + noun (b):before an adverb + adjective + noun (b):
(a) I saw(a) I saw an ugly housean ugly house..
(b) I saw(b) I saw a really ugly housea really ugly house last nightlast night..

5. How do we choose articles?How do we choose articles?
The noun that follows the article tells usThe noun that follows the article tells us
which article to choose.which article to choose.
There areThere are NONO articles beforearticles before
 Plural nounsPlural nouns
 Uncountable nounsUncountable nouns

6. Rules for using a/anRules for using a/an
 A/an is used with singular nouns toA/an is used with singular nouns to
introduce something new that the listenerintroduce something new that the listener
or reader does not know about.or reader does not know about.
I saw an accident. I have a new bag.I saw an accident. I have a new bag.
I have an older sister.I have an older sister.
 A/an is used in expressions of time andA/an is used in expressions of time and
quantity.quantity.
Forty times an hour Thirty pence a kilo.Forty times an hour Thirty pence a kilo.

7. Rules for using theRules for using the
The is used when the listener or reader knows or will soon know whatThe is used when the listener or reader knows or will soon know what
we are talking about. It tells the listener or reader to think about thingswe are talking about. It tells the listener or reader to think about things
they have already or seen.they have already or seen.
The is used with a noun to show:The is used with a noun to show:
1.The noun refers to1.The noun refers to
something that has beensomething that has been
said or written.said or written.
2.Or is going to be said or2.Or is going to be said or
written.written.
1.When I was shopping I1.When I was shopping I
bought a new jumper, itbought a new jumper, it
waswas thethe warmest one Iwarmest one I
could find.could find.
2.2. I will collect him fromI will collect him from thethe
airporairport on Friday.t on Friday.

8. Rules for using the continued:Rules for using the continued:
3. It is also used to refer to3. It is also used to refer to
shared experience.shared experience.
4. Or general knowledge.4. Or general knowledge.
3.3. We could go toWe could go to thethe
library tomorrow.library tomorrow.
4. There are twenty-six4. There are twenty-six
letters inletters in thethe alphabet.alphabet.

9. The is also used with some topicThe is also used with some topic
groups:groups:
 Entertainment:Entertainment:
I went toI went to thethe cinema.cinema.
I went toI went to thethe pub.pub.
I went toI went to thethe shops.shops.
 TransportTransport
I arrived atI arrived at thethe airport.airport.
I arrived atI arrived at thethe bus stop.bus stop.
 Musical instrumentsMusical instruments
I playI play thethe piano. I playpiano. I play thethe guitar.guitar.

10. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESEWHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE
SENTENCES?SENTENCES?
WHEN DO YOU USE A / AN?WHEN DO YOU USE A / AN?
 AA
 1.1. It isIt is aa ddogog
 2.2. It isIt is anan
uumbrellambrella
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENTHE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THESE SENTENCES IS THETHESE SENTENCES IS THE
FOLLOWING:FOLLOWING:
ININ GROUP “A”GROUP “A” THERE ARETHERE ARE
SINGULAR SENTENCES ANDSINGULAR SENTENCES AND ININ
GROUP “B”GROUP “B” THERE ARETHERE ARE
PLURAL SENTENCESPLURAL SENTENCES
BB
1.1. They areThey are ccatsats
2.2. They areThey are aapplespples
YOU USEYOU USE A / ANA / AN WHEN THEWHEN THE
SENTENCES ARE IN SINGULAR.SENTENCES ARE IN SINGULAR.
YOU USE THE ARTICLEYOU USE THE ARTICLE AA WHENWHEN
THE WORDS START WITH ATHE WORDS START WITH A
CONSONTANT AND YOU USECONSONTANT AND YOU USE
THE ARTICLETHE ARTICLE ANAN WHEN THEWHEN THE
WORDS START WITH A VOWEL.WORDS START WITH A VOWEL.

11. OTHER GRAMMATICAL RULES:OTHER GRAMMATICAL RULES:
1.1. WE USEWE USE A/ANA/AN TO REFER SOMEONETO REFER SOMEONE
OR SOMETHING THAT IS MENTIONEDOR SOMETHING THAT IS MENTIONED
FOR THE FIRST TIME.FOR THE FIRST TIME.
2.2. WE ALWAYS USEWE ALWAYS USE A/ANA/AN BEFOREBEFORE
THE NAMES OF PROFFESSIONS.THE NAMES OF PROFFESSIONS.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
MARIO ISMARIO IS AA TEACHERTEACHER
DAVID ISDAVID IS ANAN ACTORACTOR
NEVER:NEVER: DAVID IS ACTORDAVID IS ACTOR
3.3. WHEN THE SENTENCES ARE INWHEN THE SENTENCES ARE IN
PLURAL YOU NEVER USEPLURAL YOU NEVER USE A / AN.A / AN.
YOU CAN USEYOU CAN USE SOMESOME..
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
I HAVEI HAVE SOMESOME ENGLISH BOOKSENGLISH BOOKS
44.. YOU USEYOU USE ANAN WHEN THEWHEN THE
WORDS START WITH THEWORDS START WITH THE
CONSONANT “ H” BECAUSE IT ISCONSONANT “ H” BECAUSE IT IS
NOT PRONOUNCED.NOT PRONOUNCED.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
I NEED JUSTI NEED JUST ANAN HOUR MORE.HOUR MORE.
5.5. YOU USEYOU USE AA WHEN THE WORDSWHEN THE WORDS
START WITH A VOWEL BUT IT ISSTART WITH A VOWEL BUT IT IS
PRONOUNCED AS APRONOUNCED AS A
CONSONTANT.CONSONTANT.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
A UNIVERSITY (YOU PRONOUNCEA UNIVERSITY (YOU PRONOUNCE
IT LIKE THIS:IT LIKE THIS: /A/ /YUNIVERSITY//A/ /YUNIVERSITY/ ))
A HORSE (YOU PRONOUNCE ITA HORSE (YOU PRONOUNCE IT
LIKE THIS:LIKE THIS: / A / /JORS// A / /JORS/

12. EXERCISESEXERCISES
1.1. WRITE A ORWRITE A OR
AN.AN.
1.1. _____old book_____old book
2.2. _____Window_____Window
3.3. _____horse_____horse
4.4. _____airport_____airport
5.5. _____new airport_____new airport
6. _____ umbrella6. _____ umbrella
7. _____organisation7. _____organisation
8. _____university8. _____university
9. _____hour9. _____hour
10. _____economic10. _____economic
problemproblem
AnAn
AA
AnAn
AA
AnAn
AnAn
AA
AnAn
AnAn
AA

13. DEFINITE ARTICLE: THEDEFINITE ARTICLE: THE
WHEN DO WE USE THE ARTICLE “THE”?WHEN DO WE USE THE ARTICLE “THE”?
WE USEWE USE “THE”“THE” WHEN WE REFER TOWHEN WE REFER TO
SOMEONE OR SOMETHING INSOMEONE OR SOMETHING IN
PARTICULAR.PARTICULAR.
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
-WHAT ISWHAT IS THETHE NAME OF THIS STREET?NAME OF THIS STREET?
(THIS STREET HAS ONLY ONE NAME)(THIS STREET HAS ONLY ONE NAME)
- WHO ISWHO IS THETHE BESTBEST PLAYER IN YOURPLAYER IN YOUR
TEAM?TEAM?
- CAN YOU TELL MECAN YOU TELL ME THETHE TIME PLEASE?TIME PLEASE?
( THE TIME NOW)( THE TIME NOW)
- MY OFFICE IS ONMY OFFICE IS ON THETHE FIRST FLOOR.FIRST FLOOR.
(THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING)(THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING)
DON’T FORGET:DON’T FORGET:
DO YOU LIVE NEARDO YOU LIVE NEAR THETHE CITY CENTRE?CITY CENTRE?
EXCUSE ME, WHERE ISEXCUSE ME, WHERE IS THETHE NEARESTNEAREST
BANK?BANK?
WHEN WE USE THE PHRASEWHEN WE USE THE PHRASE
“THE SAME”“THE SAME” :
EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:
- WE LIVE IN- WE LIVE IN THE SAMETHE SAME STREET.STREET.
- ARE THESE- ARE THESE TWOTWO BOOKSBOOKS
DIFFERENT?DIFFERENT? ..
NO, THEY ARENO, THEY ARE THE SAMETHE SAME
WE SAY:WE SAY:
THETHE SUN,SUN, THETHE MOON,MOON, THETHE WORLD,WORLD,
THETHE SKY,SKY, THETHE SEA,SEA, THETHE COUNTRY ,COUNTRY ,
THETHE POLICE OF PERU,POLICE OF PERU, THETHE FIREFIRE
BRIDGE OF A COUNTRY,BRIDGE OF A COUNTRY, THETHE ARMYARMY
OF A COUNTRYOF A COUNTRY(THEY ARE(THEY ARE
SPECIFIC THINGS)SPECIFIC THINGS)..

14. EXERCISESEXERCISES
1. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH THE ARTICLE “THE”1. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES WITH THE ARTICLE “THE”
ONLY IT’S NECESSARY.ONLY IT’S NECESSARY.
1.1. WHAT IS _____ NAME OF THE STREET.WHAT IS _____ NAME OF THE STREET.
2.2. WE HAD _____ DINNER AT THE RESTAURANT LAST NIGHT.WE HAD _____ DINNER AT THE RESTAURANT LAST NIGHT.
3.3. MY HOUSE IS AT _____ THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.MY HOUSE IS AT _____ THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
4.4. TOKIO IS _____ CAPITAL OF JAPAN.TOKIO IS _____ CAPITAL OF JAPAN.
5.5. WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR _____ LUNCH? A SALAD.WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR _____ LUNCH? A SALAD.
6.6. WE LIVE IN _____ SAME STREET.WE LIVE IN _____ SAME STREET.
7.7. _____BREAKFAST IS READY!_____BREAKFAST IS READY!
8.8. HE IS WATCHING _____ TELEVISION.HE IS WATCHING _____ TELEVISION.
9.9. THEY ARE LISTENING TO _____ RADIO.THEY ARE LISTENING TO _____ RADIO.
10.10. PAULA IS LEARNING TO PLAY _____ PIANO.PAULA IS LEARNING TO PLAY _____ PIANO.
THE
-
THE
THE
-
-
-
THE
THE
THE

15. WRITE 5 SENTENCES IN YOURWRITE 5 SENTENCES IN YOUR
NOTEBOOK BY USING THENOTEBOOK BY USING THE
ARTICLES “THE”, “A/AN”ARTICLES “THE”, “A/AN”