Grammar, compared
A, an, the or no article
A means one of many. The means we both know which one. No article is for general ideas.
Book a trial classThe short answer
| A, an | The |
|---|---|
| I saw a dog. (Any dog, first mention.) | The dog was huge. (That dog.) |
| I need a pen. | Pass me the pen. (The one we both know.) |
| She is a doctor. | The doctor is on holiday. (A specific one.) |
When to use each
| Article | Use it when | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a, an | One of many, first mention, a job | I have a car. She is a teacher. |
| the | Both know which one, only one exists, superlatives | The sun. The best day. |
| No article | General plurals and uncountables, sports, languages, meals, most countries | Dogs are loyal. I speak English. Let's have lunch. I play football. |
Watch out if you speak Spanish
- Spanish uses the article for general ideas: me gusta la música. English says I like music, with no the.
- A job needs a: She is a doctor, not She is doctor.
- Most countries take no article: Argentina. Some do: the US, the UK, the Netherlands.
- The sound decides a or an, not the letter: an hour, a university.
Practice
Grammar practice
Choose or type the answer for each sentence, then check.
0 of 8 checked
Questions
- Why is it an hour but a university?
- The sound matters, not the letter. Hour starts with a vowel sound, and university starts with a y sound.
- Why no the before Argentina?
- Most countries take no article. The exceptions include the US, the UK, the Netherlands and the Philippines.
Keep going
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Book a trial class. She writes back with times in Buenos Aires time.
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