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Guide to Using the Articles A - An - The in English!

The articles A, An, and The are very important grammar points that Preppies need to pay attention to during their English exam preparation as well as in daily communication. In the following article, PREP would like to provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to use A, An, and The in English.

I. A, An, The - What are Articles?
II. Distinguishing the Use of Articles A, An, and The
III. The usage of articles in English
III. When Not to Use Articles?
IV. Exercises on Articles A, An, The in English

I. A, An, The - What are Articles?

An article in English is a word that typically comes before a noun to refer to a specific or non-specific object. In fact, articles are not a separate type of word but are considered a part of adjectives that modify nouns. There are three articles: A, An, and The. Specifically, we use the word "The" when the noun refers to an object or thing in the English conversation that both the speaker and the listener clearly understand what it is. On the other hand, when the speaker refers to a general or unspecified object, we use the two indefinite articles, which are A and An.

For example:

The pen that you bought for me is lost.
A cat has wandered into my house.
I found an umbrella lying on the street.

II. Distinguishing the Use of Articles A, An, and The

There are two types of articles in English:

Definite article: The
Indefinite articles: A/ An

The basic uses of these two types of articles are as follows:

Type of article	A/ An	The
Usage	When referring to a general or unspecified object. When mentioning an object for the first time. A/An is only used with countable nouns.	When referring to a specific object that is already identified. When mentioning an object that has been referred to previously. The can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
Example	A car is parked illegally. A cat just jumped into my room. An elephant is blocking the entrance to the forest.	The cat you gave me last year has given birth to two kittens. The project we discussed last week has made significant progress. The water in the Doce River is polluted. The girl in the red dress is my best friend.

Note: You should be proficient in using the articles A, An, and The when preparing for the IELTS or TOEIC exams, as this is one of the most basic and important pieces of knowledge that can help you improve your test performance, especially in the three skills: Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

There are two types of articles: definite articles and indefinite articles.

III. The usage of articles in English

1. How to used the definite article - The

Usage	Example
The is used when the object/group of objects being referred to is unique.	The sun is essential for life. The world always loves us in its own way.
The + N (the noun that has just been mentioned earlier)	I saw a cat. The cat ran away. I just bought a new night lamp. It's very beautiful.
The + N (the noun is specified by a phrase/clause)	The boy that I help with his homework is very smart. The boy that I help to cross the street is my neighbor.
The + N (the noun refers to a specific item)	Please give me the English dictionary. I've always dreamed of visiting the Great Wall of China.
The is placed before superlatives. The + first, second, only… when these English words are used as adjectives/pronouns.	The first and foremost goal is to improve page load speed. The second thing I want you to do is to add more content to the website.
The + singular noun (N represents a group of animals/objects)	The dinosaur has been extinct for a long time. The dolphin is one of the most intelligent animals in the world.
The + singular noun + singular verb. The pronoun in the sentence will be he/she/it.	The first-class passenger on that flight pays more so that she enjoys some comfort. The last student to enter the exam room fell asleep and was escorted by the police.
The + adjective represents a group of people.	The elderly need to be taken care of by their descendants. The rich should do more social activities.
The + noun referring to rivers, seas, mountain ranges, archipelagos, plural country names, deserts, regions.	The Pacific Ocean is very vast and mysterious. I'm trying to study abroad in the Netherlands.
The + plural surname refers to the family…	John's family is going on a trip to Singapore. The Smith family is preparing to settle in Canada.

Note that The should not be used in the following cases:

Cases that “the” should not be used	Example
Do not use The + name of a country/continent/mountain/lake/street.	Correct: I really love traveling around Europe, but I don't have enough money. Wrong: I really love traveling around the Europe, but I don't have enough money. Correct: I really enjoy walking along Serangoon Road. Wrong: I really enjoy walking along the Serangoon Road.
In no case should you use The + plural noun/abstract noun that has a general meaning.	Correct: Happiness is important in our life. Wrong: The happiness is important in our life. Correct: Love makes me happy. Wrong: The love makes me happy.
Do not use possessive adjectives/possessive nouns + the.	Correct: My boyfriend turned 30 this year. Wrong: My the boyfriend turned 30 this year. Correct: My computer is outdated and I need an upgrade. Wrong: My the computer is outdated and I need an upgrade.
Do not use The + names of meals.	Correct: I usually prepare my own lunch. Wrong: I usually prepare my own the lunch. Correct: He invited me to dinner. Wrong: He invited me to the dinner.
Do not use The + titles.	Correct: President Putin is great. Wrong: The President Putin is great. Correct: President of Viet Nam is excellent. Wrong: The President of Viet Nam is excellent.

2. How to use the indefinite articles - A/An

Article	Cách dùng	Example
A	A is used with nouns that begin with a consonant. A is used with nouns that begin with "u" pronounced as /juː/. A is used with fractional units. A is used with "half"/half combined with another noun. A is used in English idioms referring to price, speed, rate, and frequency. A is used in English idioms referring to a certain quantity: a lot of/a couple/a dozen. A is used with certain counting numbers (one hundred, one thousand).	A year, A uniform, A house A union, A university, A eulogy. I go to sleep at a quarter past ten. My mom bought a half kilo of bananas. Jack goes to this workshop three times a month. My sister wants to buy a dozen oranges. My class has a hundred students.
An	An is used with nouns that begin with the vowels "a, e, i, o". An is used with words that begin with the vowel "u" pronounced as /ʌ/ or /uː/. An is used with nouns that begin with a silent consonant.	An apple, an orange, an egg An umbrella An hour

Note that A and An should NOT be used in the following cases:

Since A/An does not have a plural form, you cannot use A/An + plural nouns. For example:
- Wrong: A dogs
- Correct: Dogs
Do not use A/An + uncountable nouns. For example:

Wrong: A milk
Correct: Milk

Do not use A/An + nouns that refer to meals (unless there is an adjective preceding those names).

Correct: Lunch
Wrong: The lunch

3. Other Uses of the Articles A, An, The

Use the article A/An when referring to someone's profession.

For example:

Jack is a university student.

My boyfriend is a software engineer, he is very good.

Use the article The when there is only one object or person.

For example:

The French Revolution is an important historical event.

The Second World War was a catastrophic world war.

Use the article The to specify an object, an action, or a specific relationship: The (noun) of… / The (noun) to Verb.

For example:

The answer to the question is simple.

The way to learn English is to practice regularly.

III. When Not to Use Articles?

Absolutely do not use the articles A, An, or The in the following cases:

Cases Where Articles Are Not Used	Example
When talking about common nouns that refer to general things or events.	Bella is interested in history. My sister loves to play musical instruments.
When discussing sports and recreational activities.	My team plays football together every weekend. Bolla enjoys playing chess.
Before the names of countries/languages.	Bali will visit France next month. Mery speaks English fluently.
Before meals of the day. If there is an adjective modifying the meal, then an article must be used	Jenny has breakfast at 7 am. Rose had a big lunch.
When referring to subjects, languages, towns, cities, provinces, districts, or specific mountains.	Vietnamese is my native language and I love it. Ha Noi is the capital of Vietnam. It is beautiful. I hate Math because it is difficult.
Before abstract nouns.	Love is beautiful. Happiness is important in my life.
After possessive adjectives or after nouns in possessive form.	I like Bella's new house. Rose is playing with my toys.

IV. Exercises on Articles A, An, The in English

Practice some exercises on articles A, An, and The below to reinforce your knowledge!

Exercise 1: Fill in the appropriate article A, An, or The in the blanks.

Jack is studying at………… university in New York City.
Msr. John speaks ………… English.
Bella borrowed ………… pen from your pile of pencils and pens.
Bob likes to play ………… soccer.
Jenny bought ………… umbrella to go out in the rain.
They lived on ………… Serangoon Street when I first came to Ha Noi city.
Paris is the capital of ………… French.
My boyfriend’s family speaks ………… English.
………… orange a day keeps my enemy away.
Our neighbors have ………… cats and ………… hedgehogs.

Exercise 2: Fill in the appropriate article A, An, The or leave it blank.

1. Your beef soup is so good. ______ meat is pretty tender.

2. Are you interested in ______ principle of attraction or ______biology?

3. Mary got married but ______ marriage wasn’t very happy.

4. Do you know any of ______ people who live across ______ river?

5. After ______ work my leader usually invites us to ______ bar.

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

The
The / –
the
the /the
– / a

This is the most comprehensive guide on the usage of articles A, An, and The in English that PREP has compiled. Take the time to practice a lot to better reinforce your knowledge! Follow PREP for more useful language insights!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.