Article a, an, the in English: examples of use, rule

In many foreign languages there is such a thing as an article. To begin studying the grammar with this theme will be a good option for those who want to know English. Article (the rule of use will help to understand the issue) - the official part of speech in English. It shows the certainty or ambiguity of the noun's name. Hereinafter, the rules for its use are given, when the article a (an), the is omitted.

Types of articles

In English there are two kinds of article:

• Specific - the;
• Indefinite - a (an) (two forms).

The definite article shows that it is a question of any known or familiar subject, which is more individualized, something stands out among others. And the indefinite testifies to the more generalized meaning or the subject, which appears in the text for the first time. Examples:

The girl has a dog./The girl has a dog.

From this sentence it can be understood that we are talking about some particular girl who is already familiar to the reader and she was mentioned earlier in the text, but the word "dog" is more generalized, which dog is unknown.

Further we will learn the rules, and also we will perform exercises on articles to fix the material.

Origin

We have already found out that in English there is such a part of speech as the article: a (an), the. They originally originated from other words and to some extent retained their old meaning.

For example, the definite article is an abbreviated form of the word that (that, that), which is why it carries so specific meaning.

The indefinite article is derived from the word one (one, some).

Definite article

In English, the definite article has two functions: the first is concretizing, and the other is generalizing. And this part of speech is used, if a person knows exactly what subject is talking about, or if this subject is unique.

The definite article in the instantiating sense

• It is used if one item is selected from the whole set, it has some excellent parameters, is highlighted by a unique case, context. Before the adjectives in an excellent degree.

He is the best player in our team.

• It is preceded by ordinal numerals, the words following, last, next, only and very. They make the noun more specific.

And not the next day./ And not the next day.

• Before the adjectives, a certain article is also placed in an excellent degree.

This is the worst day of my life.

The definite article in the generalized meaning

• In the generalizing - when a noun can be attributed to a whole kind of objects.

Examples include the German Shepherd - the double coat is straight, and short length. For example, the German Shepherd. Wool has two characteristics: straight and short length.

Here we are talking about all dogs belonging to a specific breed.

• Dropped if replaced by a possessive pronoun.

She definitely loves her German Shepherds.

• If the word "this" can be put before the noun.

The hotel is also easily accessible from several metro stations.

• When specifying an era, significant events.

The First World War./First World War.

• Before uncountable nouns, only if it is a question of a certain volume of matter.

Next, the farmer will have to find another way to produce juice.

• Before the names of parts of the body.

The hand.

• Before social classes and social strata.

The police./ Police officers.

The definite article with proper names and some names

It will help you better understand how to use the articles with your own and some names, the table below. Before all the words below, you need to add the article.

Own names	Examples
Rivers	The Nakdong
Names of newspapers	The Washington Post
Geographical names	The North Pole
Objects from astronomy	The moon
Names of mountains	The Andes
Parties of the world	In the East
Surnames in the plural (Meaning all members of the family)	The Adamsons
Channels	The Nicaragua Canal
Districts of cities	The west end
Nationalities	The Italian
Unique architectural structures	The Winter Palace
Deserts	The Bolivian
Names of reservoirs	The Black Sea
Names of ships	The Aurora
Some countries	The Argentine
Nicknames	The Tall Ben

Definite article. Plural

• If a definite article is used before a word in the singular, then it is placed before it in the plural.

If you want, take the ball with you.

If you want, take the balls with you.

• Also, the article remains before the plural, if it is a group as a whole.

The members of the golf club can breathe fresh air. (Everyone can breathe fresh air).

The indefinite article a (an)

"A" is used if the first letter in the word is a consonant, "an" - if the vowel:

• A table, a carpet, a dog / table, carpet, dog;
• An elephant, an eagle, an orange, an elephant, an eagle, an orange.

Exceptions to the rule:

• The article "a" is always placed before words that begin with the letter "u", if it is pronounced as / ju: / (English is a universal language);
• Before the words "one", "ones" is always used the article "a" (a one-parent family);
• If the abbreviations begin with a consonant letter, but are read with a vowel (F is pronounced as / ef /), then they always use the undefined article "an" (an FBI agent) before them.

The classifying, generalizing and numerical value of an indefinite article

• In sentences that have an expressive coloring, the exclamation sentences that begin with the word what use an indefinite article.

What a great! / How cool!

• With nouns in the singular, before which there are words such as rather, quite, such and most.

In a rather prescient way.

• If a noun is a generalizing value for the whole class, kind, layer, etc., then an indefinite article is put before it. Most often, such a noun is at the beginning of the sentence and does not carry any important information. More significant details are described later in the text.

A newspaper text is a very laconic and relevant essay. The gazette text is a concise and relevant essay.

• In the numeral meaning, the article denotes its original meaning-one.

I could stay in Paris for only a day. (Here it is clear that the particle -a can be replaced by one, the word from which the article a (an) (the - from that) was formed. In this sentence, the particle takes its usual place).

The indefinite article a (an). Plural

Artikli, which are used before nouns in the singular, are not used in the plural.

She had a book of astrology. She had a book on astrology.

She had two books. She had two books. (As you can see, the article is omitted).

Names own and article a (an)

The article a (an) is used before the names of its own, if they:

• Unknown

A Mr. Anderson has come to see you./New Mr. Anderson has come to see you.

• Are used as nominal

Do you think I'm Leonardo da Vinci?

• Show on individual family members

It is no wonder; In fact, she is a Smith./ It is not surprising, because she is Smith.

• Describe the position of a particular place or object

We saw a rebuild Rome. / We saw a rebuilt Rome.

In addition, there are stable expressions that, regardless of the context, never change and always remain in place. Such phrases you just need to learn:

A few / a few, it is a pity, a little, etc.

When the article is not needed

In English there is such a thing as "zero article", that is, when it is absent in sentences before nouns. Above in the article there have already been mentioned cases when the article is omitted. Let's consider some more characteristic rules.

• If there are adjectives old / old before the nouns, little / small, poor / poor, lazy / lazy, honest / honest.

She's a little girl. She's a little girl.

• If there is no definition of a noun.

I do not like Peter. I do not like Peter.

• Before titles, titles.

Lord Green./Lord Green.

Exercises on articles

To consolidate the acquired knowledge, you need to do some exercises. Then check your answers with the keys, analyze the errors. For example, you can do the task below.

Insert the missing article a (an), the:

Paris is ... beautiful town./Paris is a beautiful city.

What's going on? I think it's ... salute./ What's going on? I think it's a salute.

Britney Spears is ... singer./ Britney Spears is a singer.

This is Nick. He is ... engineer./ This is Nick. He is an engineer.

... spider has eight legs./ The spiders have eight legs.

It is ... tomato./ It's a tomato.

I am ... nurse./I am a nurse.

She is ... best./ She is the best.

To take ... seat./Sad.

In ... country./ In the country.

Answers to the exercise. How to correctly insert the article a (an), the:

1. a. 2. a. 3. a. 4. an. 5. a. 6. a. 7. a. 8. the. 9. a. 10. the.