a, an, the article

Name : Alisa Agustia

NPM : 10216616

Class: 1EA19

Articles - A An The

English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.

the = definite article

a/an = indefinite article

For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's 

read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.

Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.

"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.

Indefinite Articles: a and an

"A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:

• "My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This refers to any dog. We don't know which dog because we haven't found the dog yet.

• "Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a specific policeman; we need any policeman who is available.

• a broken egg

• an unusual problem

• a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound)

• I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group known as teachers.)

• Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.)

• Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people known as Buddhists.)

• "I love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I love to sail over water" (any water).

• "He spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you bought earlier that day) or "He spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk).

• "I need a bottle of water."

• "I need a new glass of milk."

• names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States

• names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami

• names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.

• names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes

• names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn

• names of continents (Asia, Europe)

• names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands

• names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific

• points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole

• geographical areas: the Middle East, the West

• deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula

• Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian (unless you are referring to the population of the nation: "The Spanish are known for their warm hospitality.")

• Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball

• Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science

Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So...

a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog

an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan

a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle

an + nouns starting with silent "h": an hour

a + nouns starting with a pronounced "h": a horse

In some cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical," you can use an. However, a is more commonly used and preferred.

If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:

Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:

Definite Article: the

The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example:

"The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.

"I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular policeman. Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a particular policeman because it is the one who saved the cat.

"I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.

Count and Noncount Nouns

The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.

"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.

Geographical use of the

There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns.

Do not use the before:

Do use the before:

Omission of Articles

Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:

(https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/)

exercises :

1.     My father works as ___ engineer.

2.     I prefer to choose ___ blue T-shirt rather than ___ red one.

3.     Is your father still working in ___ old company?

4.     I know who ___ murder is.

5.     ___ sun is shining bright.

(http://www.caramudahbelajarbahasainggris.net/2014/04/30-soal-bahasa-inggris-tentang-a-an-the-beserta-jawaban.html)