WHEN DO WE USE INDEFINATE ARTICLES – a / an?

When the listener does not know exactly which person or thing we mean.

• For example: I saw a good Japanese film yesterday. The listener does not know which Japanese film.

When we say what a person’s job is.

• For Example: She’s an architect

When we use singular countable nouns – film, man, car, dog, house etc. – but the listener does not know exactly what we mean.

• For example: I saw a house for sale in a German newspaper this morning. (It could be any house and any German newspaper.)

WHEN DO WE USE THE DEFINITE ARTICLE – the?

We use the when the listener or reader knows exactly which person or thing we mean.

• For example: I met a Japanese girl and a Brazlian boy. I didn’t like the boy, but the girl was very nice.

When we talk about something more certain.

• For example: I’m going to take the dog for a walk. The dog is a pet. It’s a special dog.

When there is only one.

• For example: The Pope is visiting Germany.

When we talk about musical instruments.

• For example: Paula, a Brazilian woman, plays the guitar.

For countries whose names include words like kingdom, states or republic.

• For example: The United Kingdom, the United states, The Peoples Republic of China

For geographical features such as mountain ranges, groups of islands, rivers, seas, oceans and canals.

• For example: the Himalayas, the Amazon, the Panama canal.

For well-known buildings or works of art.

• For example: the Empire State Building, the Taj Mahal, the Mona Lisa

 For hotels, pubs and restaurants (but not if the hotel etc. is named after its owner).

• For example: Last night I went to the Red Lion Hotel. / Last night I went to Brown’s restaurant.

WHEN DO WE NOT USE AN ARTICLE?

With plural nouns – dogs, aeroplanes, ships, doors etc. – when not being specific,

• For example: Dogs need feeding every day; Aeroplanes take off and land every 90 seconds at Beijing Airport in China.

(Usually) with uncountable nouns – water, sand, flour etc. we often use NO article.

• For example: Birds eat worms. Water flows downhill.

With countries, states, counties, provinces, lakes and mountains.

For example: Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan. Pico da Neblina is the highest mountain in Brazil.

QUESTIONS

Complete the following sentences with a, an, the or nothing:

1. My mother is ……. doctor, my father is ………. author.
2. …..Mount Vesuvius is………..volcano in ………..Italy.
3. Sam recommended……….. book to Lisa, but she didn’t like ……….book.
4. Do you have ……… dictionary? I need to look up ………… word.
5. There’s ……. big bear in the garden. I think……. bear is looking for something to eat.
6. Are you coming to……..party next Saturday?
7. I watched ………… video you gave me.
8. I bought ……….. new TV
9. I am crazy about reading ……….. history books.
10. …..love is a beautiful thing.
11. Peter visited …..Amazon last December.
12. I want to stay at …..Ritz when I next visit London.
13. My brother has just got a job in …..People’s Republic of China.
14. My sister is learning to play ……piano.
15. That is ….oldest building in Paris.

ANSWERS

Complete the following sentences with a, an, the or nothing:

1. My mother is A doctor, my father is AN author
2. Mount Vesuvius is A volcano in Italy.
3. Sam recommended A book to Lisa, but she didn’t like THE book
4. Do you have A dictionary? I need to look up A
5. There’s A big bear in the garden. I think THE bear is looking for something to eat.
6. Are you coming to THE party next Saturday?
7. I watched THE video you gave me.
8. I bought A new TV 
9. I am crazy about reading history books.
10. Love is a beautiful thing.
11. Peter visited THE Amazon last December.
12. I want to stay at THE Ritz when I next visit London.
13. My brother has just got a job in THE People’s Republic of China.
14. My sister is learning to play THE piano.
15. That is THE oldest building in Paris.