English has two articles: the and a/an.
The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify
non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article
and a/an the indefinite article.
the = definite article
a/an = indefinite article
For example, if I say, "Let's
read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a
book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.
Here's another way to explain it: The
is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group.
For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There
are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore,
we use the.
"A/an" is used to refer to a
non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example,
"I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific
movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want
to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.
Let's look at each kind of article a
little more closely.
Indefinite
Articles: a and an
"A" and "an"
signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of
a group. For example:
- "My
daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This refers to any
dog. We don't know which dog because we haven't found the dog yet.
- "Somebody
call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need
a specific policeman; we need any policeman who is available.
- "When
I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a
single, non-specific thing, in this case an elephant. There are probably
several elephants at the zoo, but there's only one we're talking
about here.
Remember, using
a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So...
- a
+ singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a
zoo; a dog
- an
+ singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an
idiot; an orphan
- a
+ singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds
like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used);
a university; a unicycle
- an
+ nouns starting with silent "h": an hour
- a
+ nouns starting with a pronounced "h": a horse
- In some cases where "h" is pronounced,
such as "historical," you can use an. However, a is more
commonly used and preferred.
A historical event
is worth recording.
Remember that these rules also apply
when you use acronyms:
Introductory
Composition at Purdue (ICaP) handles first-year writing at the University.
Therefore, an ICaP memo generally discusses issues concerning English 106
instructors.
Another case where this rule applies
is when acronyms start with consonant letters but have vowel sounds:
An
MSDS (material safety data sheet) was used to record the data. An SPCC plan
(Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures plan) will help us prepare for
the worst.
If the noun is modified by an
adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the
adjective that immediately follows the article:
- a
broken egg
- an
unusual problem
- a
European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant
'y' sound)
Remember, too, that in English, the
indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:
- I
am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group known as teachers.)
- Brian
is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.)
- Seiko
is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people known
as Buddhists.)
Definite
Article: the
The definite article is used before
singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals
that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group.
For example:
"The dog that bit me ran
away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit
me.
"I was happy to see the policeman
who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular
policeman. Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a particular
policeman because it is the one who saved the cat.
"I saw the elephant at the
zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun. Probably there is
only one elephant at the zoo.
Count and
Noncount Nouns
The can be used with noncount nouns,
or the article can be omitted entirely.
- "I
love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I
love to sail over water" (any water).
- "He
spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the
milk you bought earlier that day) or "He spilled milk all over the
floor" (any milk).
"A/an" can be used only with
count nouns.
- "I
need a bottle of water."
- "I
need a new glass of milk."
Most of the time, you can't say,
"She wants a water," unless you're implying, say, a bottle of water.
Geographical
use of the
There are some specific rules for
using the with geographical nouns.
Do not use the before:
- names
of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the
Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the
United States
- names
of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami
- names
of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
- names
of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of
lakes like the Great Lakes
- names
of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of
mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names
like the Matterhorn
- names
of continents (Asia, Europe)
- names
of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the
Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
Do use the before:
- names
of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific
- points
on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole
- geographical
areas: the Middle East, the West
- deserts,
forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black
Forest, the Iberian Peninsula
Omission of
Articles
Some common types of nouns that don't
take an article are:
- Names
of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian (unless
you are referring to the population of the nation: "The Spanish
are known for their warm hospitality.")
- Names
of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
- Names
of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science
