<aside> 💡 See also Determiners.

</aside>

https://youtu.be/RDkx4J__-QY

Articles are a type of determiner in English that provide information about the noun they precede. There are two main types of articles: definite and indefinite.

1. Definite Article: "The"
   • Usage: "The" is used to refer to a specific noun that is known to both the speaker and the listener. It indicates that there is only one of that particular item, or the speaker is referring to a specific instance.
   • Examples:
     • The car is parked outside.
     • I saw a movie last night. The movie was excellent.
     • She is the manager of the company.
2. Indefinite Articles: "A" and "An"
   • Usage:
     • "A" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound.
     • "An" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound.
     • Both "a" and "an" indicate that the noun is non-specific or introduces a noun for the first time.
   • Examples:
     • I want to buy a car.
     • She has an interesting story to tell.
     • He is a doctor.
     • Can I have an apple?

Important Note:

• The choice between "a" and "an" is determined by the sound that follows the article, not necessarily the first letter. For example, "an hour" (because "hour" starts with a vowel sound) and "a university" (because "university" starts with a "ju" sound, which is a consonant sound).

Articles are essential in English because they help clarify whether the speaker is referring to something specific or something non-specific. They also play a crucial role in making sentences grammatically correct and conveying precise meaning.

When are articles not used in English?

• General ideas with uncountable or plural nouns
  • Use no article to talk about things in general.
  • Examples: Students need feedback. Information is power. Cats are independent.
• Proper nouns
  • Most names don’t take an article.
  • Examples: Mexico, Aguascalientes, Benjamin, Microsoft, Monday
  • Take “the” only with certain place types: the United States, the Netherlands, the Pacific, the Alps, the U.N.
• Languages, school subjects, sports, and academic fields
  • Examples: I study English and chemistry. They play soccer. She researched linguistics.
• Meals, days, and times in a routine sense
  • Examples: We have class on Monday. I eat breakfast at 7. See you tomorrow.
  • Use an article when specifying: The breakfast at that hotel was great.
• Abstract nouns when speaking generally
  • Examples: Freedom is essential. Honesty builds trust.
  • Use an article when specified: The freedom we value is political freedom.
• Jobs, roles, and titles after “as” or “become” when the role is generic in some dialects
  • Common: She became president. They worked as manager.
  • Note: Many dialects prefer an article with singular count jobs: She became a manager. Use the article if you mean one specific role.
• Zero article after “at” + common institutions
  • Go to or be at school, university, work, church, home, bed, sea, court, prison when used for their primary purpose.
  • Examples: She’s at school. He’s in bed. They went to church.
  • Use an article when referring to the building as a place: We toured the school.
• Transportation and communication with “by” and “on”
  • Examples: by bus, by car, by email, on foot, on television
  • Specify with an article when particular: I took the bus that stops here.
• Headlines, notes, labels, and instructions
  • Examples: Push door. Add salt to taste. Battery low.
• Appositions and lists with categories
  • Examples: Mexico, country in North America, has… My friend Ana, teacher and author, will speak.
  • Use articles if you need specificity: Ana is the teacher who…
• Countable nouns used as categories in certain fixed expressions
  • Examples: at night, in spring, from top to bottom