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A, An or The?

When do we say "the dog" and when do we say "a dog"? (On
this page we talk only about singular, countable nouns.)
The and a/an are called "articles". We divide them into
"definite" and "indefinite" like this:
Articles
Definite Indefinite
the a, an
We use "definite" to mean sure, certain. "Definite" is
particular.
We use "indefinite" to mean not sure, not certain. "Indefinite"
is general.
When we are talking about one thing in particular, we
use the. When we are talking about one thing in general, we
use a or an.
Think of the sky at night. In the sky we see 1 moon and
millions of stars. So normally we would say:
I saw the moon last night.
I saw a star last night.
Look at these examples:
the a, an
The capital of France is
Paris.
I have found the book that
I was born in a town.
John had an omelette
for lunch.
I lost.
Have you cleaned the car?
There are six eggs
in the fridge.
Please switch off the TV
when you finish.
James Bond
ordered adrink.
We want to
buy anumbrella.
Have you got a pen?
Of course, often we can use the or a/an for the same word.
It depends on the situation, not the word. Look at these
examples:
We want to buy an umbrella. (Any umbrella, not a
particular umbrella.)
Where is the umbrella? (We already have an umbrella.
We are looking for our umbrella, a particular umbrella.)
This little story should help you understand the difference
between theand a, an:

A man and a woman were walking in Oxford
Street. The woman saw adress that she liked in a shop. She
asked the man if he could buy thedress for her. He said: "Do
you think the shop will accept a cheque? I don't
have a credit card."







1. When you talk about things in general:
*The main rule to remember is: you dont need an article when you talk about things in
general. The does NOT = all.
Use plural count nouns:
Cats make great pets!
*Youre not talking about one specific cat or one specific pet; youre just talking about all
cats in general.
Women love it when men send them flowers!
Houses are expensive in that neighbourhood.
People think all Canadians speak English and French, but theyre wrong!
Companies in Canada pay very high taxes.
I love reading books.

Use non-count nouns:
I love listening to music.
*Here you are just saying that you enjoy music in general not any specific kind of
music or song.
Shes afraid of heights, so we couldnt go to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
I love chocolate!
Have you eaten lunch yet?
Shes a vegetarian. She doesnt eat meat.

2. Names holidays, geography, companies, languages.
[*these are all proper nouns]
a) Holidays
I got a beautiful new dress for Christmas.
I got my mom a movie catalogue for Mothers Day.
On St. Patricks Day everybody wears green.
What are you doing on Valentines Day?

b) Geography
*Articles are not used before countries, states, cities, towns, continents, single lakes,
single mountains.
I live in Canada.
Im going to Europe next month on vacation.
Lake Ontario and Lake Huron are 2 of the Great Lakes.
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.
Mt. Rosa is part of the Alps mountain range.
*Mt. Rosa is one mountain; The Alps describe a group of mountains.
*Of course, there is an exception to every rule in English:
the United States
the Czech Republic
the Philippines

c) Companies
Bill Gates founded Microsoft.
Wal-Mart is the largest employer in the U.S.
McDonalds has restaurants in 119 countries.
I use Twitter and Facebook every day.

d) Universities
Her son graduated from Harvard.
She goes to Oxford.
He applied to Cambridge, Yale, and Stanford.
*However, if the name of the university begins with University, then you must use the:
He has a masters degree from the University of Toronto.

e) Languages
I am studying Russian.
I speak French.
In Brazil people speak Portuguese.
I teach people how to speak English.

3. Places, locations, streets
*Streets, some locations and places do not need an article:
I left my book at home.
I have to go to work [the place where I work / the location] early tomorrow.
He was found guilty of murder and sent to jail for life.
My office is located on Main street.[a street name is also a proper noun]
I usually go to church on Sundays.
Good night everyone! Im going to bed.
Did you go to school today?
When I was in high school, everyone had to study French.
Shes studying business at university.
NOTE: you dont need an article for subjects you study at school: math, geography,
business, history, science
*Places that you DO need to use an article:
the bank, the movies, the hospital, the post office, the airport, the train station, the bus
stop, the doctor, the dentist.

4. Sports
*Sports and other physical activities do not need an article:
I love to go skiing in the winter.
I play football every day after school.
He loves watching hockey on TV.
She tries to do yoga at least 3 times a week.
My daughter really enjoys dancing.

5. Noun + number
Hes staying at the Hilton hotel in room 221.
[NOT the room 221]
The train to Paris leaves from platform 2.
My English class is in room 6 on the first floor.
*First is an adjective in this sentence, used to describe the floor.
Picture number 6 matches with window
[This is something learners say when doing a matching activity in an English class]

6. Acronyms
An acronym is an abbreviation (a short form) of a name. It uses the first letter of each
word to form a new word.
a) If the acronym is pronounced as a word (not individual letters), dont use the.
NATO ambassadors met to discuss the situation.
(NATO is the acronym used for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. UNESCO is
pronounced as one word, /neto/.)
UNESCO was formed in 1946.
(UNESCO is the acronym used for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization. UNESCO is pronounced as one word, /junsko/.)

b) The is not used before university acronyms:
John Smith got his MBA at UCLA.
She has a Ph.D. from MIT.

EXCEPTION:
You need to use the before acronyms of organizations & countries when the letters
arepronounced individually, not as a word.
The UN was created after the Second World War.
(UN is used to represent the United Nations. UN is pronounced you-N /jun/. It is not
pronounced un /n/, like in the word under.)
Other acronyms that need the:
the EU
the US
the CIA
the FBI







When to Use 'A,' 'An,' or 'The'
There are several exceptions, or more complicated situations than the above chart covers. Below we
have laid out some of the general and specific rules about using A, AN, and THE.
Remember, in order to use A, AN, and THE properly, you must know whether or not a noun is a Count or
Non-Count Noun. (A count noun is the name of something that can be counted: one book, two books,
three books. A non-count noun is the name of something that cannot be counted: milk, flour, freedom,
justice).


Use "a" or "an" Use "the" Don't Use "a," "an," or "the"
General Rules
Use "a" or "an" with a
singular count noun
when you mean "one of
many," "any," "in
general."
Bob is a student
(one of many
students).
I like a good movie
(one of many
movies).
Use "the" with any noun
when the meaning is specific;
for example, when the noun
names the only one (or one) of
a kind.

Adam was the first man
(the only 'first man').
New York is the largest
city in the United States
(only one city can be 'the
largest').
We live on the earth (the
only Earth we know).
Have you heard the news
(specific news)?
Don't Use "a," "an," or "the" with
a non-count noun when you mean
"any," "in general."
We believe in love (in general).
He gave me information (not
specific).
Use "a" or "an" the
first time you use a noun
in a paragraph.
I saw a movie last
night.
A man ran into the
street.
Use "the" the second time
you use that same noun in the
same paragraph.
I saw a movie last night.The
movie was entertaining.
A man ran into the street.
A car hit the man.
Don't Use "a," "an," or "the" with
a plural count noun when you
mean "some of many things,"
"any," "in general."
Movies are entertaining (some
movies; movies in general).
She likes men (in general).
Title
Use "a" or "an" if the
title is not a specific title.
a president
a doctor
a queen
Use "the" if a specific person
has a title or if only one
person has a title.
the president
the doctor
the Queen of England
Don't Use "a," "an," or "the" if
the person's name is given.
President Kennedy
Dr. Yang
Queen Elizabeth
Names of Countries
Non-specific
a country
Use "the" if the name of the
country is plural or indicates
a group (of states, islands,
etc.)
Don't Use "a," "an," or "the"
Russia
South Africa
Holland
the United States
the Netherlands
the Phillipines
Canada
Great Britian
England
Names of
Continents
Non-specific
a continent


Don't Use "a," "an," or "the"
Africa
Asia
Europe
North America
Names of Some
Geographical Areas


Use "the"
the South Pole
the West
the South
the North East
Don't Use "a," "an," or "the"
Western Europe
Names of Cities and
States
Non-specific
a city
a state


Don't Use "a," "an," or "the"
New York
Paris
Washington
Exception:
the District of Columbia
Names of Streets




Don't Use "a," "an," or "the"
Pennsylvania Avenue
Fourth Street
Florida Avenue
Names of Oceans,
Rivers, Seas,
Deserts, Forests,
Canals
Use a/an for non-specific
an ocean
a river
a sea
a desert
Use "the"
the Pacific Ocean
the Mediteranean Sea
the Potomac River
the C & O Canal
the Atlantic Ocean
the Painted Desert


Names of Lakes
Non-specific
a lake


Don't Use "a," "an," or "the"
Lake Ontario
Lake Geneva
Names of
Monuments,
Memorials, Parks,
and National
Shrines
Use a/an if you write
about a non-specific
building or monument.
a building
a museum
an institution
Use "the"
the Capitol
the White House
the Senate Office
Building
the Sam Rayburn
Building
the National Archives
the Library of Congress
the National Gallery of
Art
the Smithsonian Institute


Names of Colleges,
Universities, and
Other Schools
Use a/an for non-specific
colleges or schools.
a school
a university
Use "the" if the title of the
school has "of" or "for" in it.
the University of
Maryland
the Catholic University of
America
the Maryland School for
the Deaf
The Model Secondary
School for the Deaf
Don't Use "a," "an," or "the" if
the school is named for a person or
place.
Gallaudet University
Harvard University
George Washinton University
Georgetown University
Maryland University
Catholic University
Names of Buildings
on Gallaudet
University Campus
Use a/an for non-specific
buildings.
a dorm
an office
Use the with specific places
that have no names.
the infirmary
the library
the dorm
the cafeteria
the bookstore
Don't Use "a," "an," or "the" if a
building on campus is named for a
person.
Peet Hall
Ely Center
Dawes House
Krug Hall
Hall Memorial Building
Hughes Gymnasium
Merrill Learning Center
Kendall School















Uncount nouns
You cannot say a/an with an uncount noun.
You cannot put a number in front of an uncount noun. (You cannot
make an uncount noun plural.)
You use an uncount noun with no article if you mean that thing in
general.
You use the with an uncount noun when you are talking about a
particular example of that thing.
Count nouns
You can put a number in front of a count noun. (You can make a count
noun plural.)
You can put both a/an and the in front of a count noun.
You must put an article** in front of a singular count noun.
You use a plural count noun with no article if you mean all or any of
that thing.
You usually use a/an with a count noun the first time you say or write
that noun.
You use the with count nouns:
o the second and subsequent times you use the noun in a piece of
speech or writing
o when the listener knows what you are referring to (maybe
because there is only one of that thing)
You use an (not a) when the next word (adverb, adjective, noun)
starts with a vowel sound.
Note:
The above rules apply whether there is or there is not an adjective in
front of the noun.
Some nouns can be either count or uncount, depending on the context
and meaning:
o Do you have paper? I want to draw a picture. (uncount = a
sheet of paper)
o Can you get me a paper when youre at the shop? (count = a
newspaper)
Uncount nouns are often preceded by phrases such as: a lot of ..
(luck), a piece of .. (cake), a bottle of .. (milk), a grain of .. (rice).
* Instead of an article, the noun can also be preceded by a determiner
such as this, that, some, many or my, his, our, etc.

Following are some of the most important guidelines listed above, with
example sentences:
1. You use an uncount noun with
no article if you mean all or any of
that thing.
I need help!
I don't eat cheese.
Do you like music?
2. You use the with an uncount
noun when you are talking about
a particular example of that thing.
Thanks for the help you
gave me yesterday.
I didn't eat the cheese. It
was green!
Did you like the music they
played at the dance?
3. You usually use a/an with a
count noun the first time you say
or write that noun.
Can I borrow a pencil,
please?
There's a cat in the garden!
Do you have an mp3
player?
4. You use the with count nouns
the second and subsequent times
you use the noun, or when the
listener already knows what you
are referring to (maybe because
there is only one of that thing).
Where's the pencil I lent
you yesterday?
I think the cat belongs to
the new neighbours.
I dropped the mp3 player
and it broke.
Please shut the door!
5. You use a plural count noun
with no article if you mean all or
any of that thing.
I don't like dogs.
Do they have children?
I don't need questions. Give
me answers!
6. The above rules apply whether
there is or there is not an
adjective in front of the noun.
I don't eat German cheese.
Can I borrow a red pencil,
please?
There's an extremely large
cat in the garden!
I don't like small, noisy
children.

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