This document discusses the rules for using articles (a, an, the) in English and provides examples. It notes that place names are usually article-less, except when plural, and discusses exceptions. Specific events, things, governments, and crises take "the". Nouns introduced for the first time take "a" or "an". Non-count nouns are usually article-less. The meanings and connotations of "few" vs "a few" and "little" vs "a little" are explored.

1. Problems with Articles
a/an, the

2. Usually there is no article before
the name of a place name,
BUT use “the” before the name of
a place that is plural.

3. I lived in Japan.
BUT
He lived in the United States.

4. The hurricane formed over
Jamaica,
BUT
Katrina formed over the Bahamas.

5. But none of the “rules” work
completely!
Katrina hit New Orleans.
(English speakers don’t follow the
rule because they don’t even know
that New Orleans is plural—it is
from French.)

6. However, usually a plural place
name has “the.”
Recently, a terrible storm hit the
Philippines.
He is from the Netherlands = He is
from Holland.

7. We live in the United States.
Tatiana is from Russia.
She is from the former Soviet
Union.

8. At first, Katrina was a Category 1
hurricane.
No article with Katrina because is is
a singular name. We give
hurricanes the names of people.
This is the first time I’ve mentioned
the storm category, so I use “a.”

9. Katrina was one of the largest disasters in U.S.
history because of the failure of the levee
systems.
I’m not talking about failure in general. I’m
talking about a specific event –the fact that the
levees broke and caused flooding.
We often use “the” for a specific noun that you
are picturing in your head when you say it.

10. There was great criticism of the way
the government handled the crisis.
I’m talking about a specific way and
a specific crisis.

11. DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE IN
HAITI

12. O n the afternoon of Jan. 12, 2010,
I’m talking about a specific
afternoon.
HOWEVER, don’t an article with an
actual date:
On Jan. 12, 2010,

13. The country of Haiti was struck
“The” is for a specific country, BUT
Don’t use it with the country name:
Haiti was struck

14. by a devastating earthquake.
I use “a” because it’s the first
time I have mentioned it.

15. that measured 7.0 on the
Richter Scale.
I am describing a specific kind of
scale.

16. The epicenter of the quake
Now I am continuing to talk
about an earthquake that I have
already mentioned, so I use
“the.”

17. was near Leogane, a town
approximately 16 miles west of
Port-au-Prince, the country’s
capital.

18. We use “a” when we define things
or explain the location of things:
Leogan is a town in Haiti.
Laney is a community college in
Oakland.
A hurricane is a very powerful wind
storm.

19. According to the Haitian
government
I am telling you which government

20. at least 230,000 were
killed, 300,000 injured, and
1,000,000 left homeless. There was
extremely severe damage.
NO ARTICLE
Never use “a/an” with a non-noun
noun because a = one.

21. Would you like a cup of tea?
Would you like (some/any) tea?

22. However, you can use “the” with a
non-count noun:
The meat we had for dinner was
spoiled, so we all go sick.

23. Permafrost

24. 2. into the atmosphere
(= the atmosphere that is
around the Earth)

25. 3. A research team– it’s the first
time I have mentioned this
research team, and we don’t
know anything about them yet.

26. 4. A research team led by the
GeoBiosphere Science Center
(The name identifies the specific
center I am talking about.)

27. 5. Research shows that part of
the soil
No article with expressions like
some of, most of, part of
But we say a few of, a lot of

28. BE CAREFUL!
“few” and “a few” have different
meanings.
“Quite a few” is a third meaning!

29. BE CAREFUL!
“few” and “a few” have
different opposite connotations.

30. “a few” is positive—
I have read a few books about
the subject. This emphasizes
that I have read something.

31. “few” is negative—
I have read few books about
the subject. This emphasizes
that I have not read very many.

32. The same thing happens with
“little” and “a little.”

33. He has little money = He doesn’t
have much money. He is poor

34. He has a little money = He has
some money. He can buy
something.

35. “quite a few” = a lot
They have quite a few children =
a lot of children. (In the U.S.,
that means four or more.)

36. connotation = a feeling about a word
She’s fat.
She’s heavy. (more positive connotation)

37. OR
5. Research shows that the part of
the soil
Later in the sentence, you see what
part of the soil you are talking
point.

38. 6. part of the soil The soil that
we have been talking about.
Soil is non-count, so never use
“a.”

39. 7. the team announced (the
team that we previously
mentioned)

40. 8. is more damaging to the
atmosphere

41. 9. than carbon dioxide (usually
no article with non-count
substances like air, gas, water,
etc.

42. 10. in discussion
(In this sentence, discussion is non-count,
so you cannot use a.)

43. Plastic Pollution: Answer Key
10. The 11. a 12. no article
13. an
14. the 15. the 16. The 17. the
18. no article
19. the 20. the 21. no article
22. the 23. the

44. Plastic Pollution: Answer Key
13. an environmental hazard

45. Problem with using an instead of a.
The rule is that a changes to and before a
vowel SOUND—it goes by the letter and
not by the sound.

46. an umbrella
an unhappy face
an interesting story
an awful time
BUT
a useful tool
an honest man
Use an before a vowel SOUND.