USES OF ARTICLE

(1) INDEFINITE ARTICLES (A / AN)

No.
1.
2.
3.

No.
1.
2.
3.
4.

/ /+ Consonant-sounded Word

Uses
Noun / Noun phrase
Abbreviations said as words
Abbreviations said as individual letters (B,
C, D, G, J, K, P, Q, T, U, V,W, Y, or Z)

An /

/ + Vowel-sounded Word

Uses
Noun / Noun phrase
Words with silent letter h
Abbreviations said as words
Abbreviations said as individual letters
(A, E, F, H, I, L, M, N, O, R, S, X)

Example
An orange / An umbrella / An ugly girl
An hour/An honest child/An honor/An honorary degree
An OPEC
An MP / An FBI agent/ An IOU

INDEFINITE ARTICLE

No
.
1.

First mention

2.
3.

One (of many)

Job / Profession

4.

7.
8.
9.

Before singular countable noun not

already mentioned
To mean one or each
Before uncountable noun having an
adjective in front of them or phrase
following them
To mean any / every
A member of a group
Before two nouns seen as a single unit

10.

Instead of one before some numbers

11.

Prices, qualities, rates, frequency

12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

A person like someone

Before somebodys name not known
Before a particular day
aof uncountable noun
aof possessive
To describe a particular instance

5.
6.

Example
A university / A European / A one-off pen
A NATO general / A FIFA official /A JICA office
A UFO / A BBC program / A GTC student

Uses

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Examples
I have a cat. A thief went into a supermarket in Sule
road.
She is a cashier in a restaurant.
He is a doctor. She is an author. He is an engineer in the
factory.
There is a girl in a room.
I saw a man. The cost is $ 20 a copy.
Its a good knowledge of French.
Thats a sadness that wont go away.
We had a very nice lunch.
A lion is a dangerous animal. A bird flies.
Shes a Buddhist. He is a Christian.
You should eat it with a knife and fork. A husband and
wife is a tongue and tooth.
A thousand people were there. A hundred soldiers were
in the camp.
They cost 50 P a kilo. I can type 50 words a minute. He
was driving at 50 miles an hour.
Shes a little Hitler. He is a little manager.
There is a Mrs. Green to see you.
She died on a Tuesday.
I drank a glass of water. I bought you a bottle of milk.
Shes a colleague of mine. He is a friend of Bills.
When I woke up, there was a bright blue sky. She
dreamt of a future where she could spend more time
painting.

(2) THE DEFINITE ARTICLE (THE)

The / / +Consonant-sounded Word

The book / The pretty / The urine / The US dollar

Second mention
Before noun already mentioned

3.

Easily understood

4.
5.

Only one thing

The normal or obvious one of their
kind
Superlative adjective
Entertainment (musical instruments)
Institution
Before names of oceans / seas / rivers
canals

Uses

10.
11.

Plural countries, islands, mountains

Republic, State, Kingdom

12.

The hotel, restaurants, pubs, cinemas,

theatres, museum
Adjectives representing a class

13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.

The engine/ The honor / The honest man/ The earth

DEFINITE ARTICLE

No
.
1.
2.

6.
7.
8.
9.

The /i/ + Vowel-sounded Word

Nationality adjective to form all the

people
Plural of somebodys last name
(meaning family or couple)
Before some countable nouns to refer
to classes of things, or people , type of
animal, machine, etc
Which persons or things particular
Before plural countable nouns in
particular sense
Which person or thing you mean/ the
process of specifying or identifying

20.

General rather than a particular

example

21.

Familiar features of life

22.

The first noun in a group

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Examples
I have a cat. The cat is black.
There were three questions. The first two were relatively
easy and the third one was hard.
Did you see the dog on the road? The nights are getting
longer.
Look at the moon. The sun is shining.
The Monalisa / The Nile / The Queen
Whats the matter? How is the baby?
He is the youngest student in the class.
I can play the piano. Can you play the guitar?
The army / The police
The Ayeyarwaddy River / The Atlantic Ocean / The
Mediterranean (Sea) / The Panama Canal and the Suez
Canal are made by men.
The Netherlands / The Canary Islands / The Philippines
The Republic of Ireland or The Irish Republic / The
United States / The United Kingdom
I stayed in the Yuzana Hotel. / The National theatre /
the Science Museum
The young are eager to learn everything. There is home
for the aged in the town.
The Dutch are a much taller race than the British.
The Earnshaws went to the zoo yesterday.
Dont forget to invite the Jordans.
In those days, people relied on the horse for transport.
The bicycle is an excellent mean of transport.
Alexander the Great
Horses are strong animals. The horses in the field belong
to the farmer.
It was the best day of my life. Youre the third person to
ask me that. The candidates we interviewed seemed
better.
I heard it on the radio. Im usually out during the day.
They placed the African elephant on their endangered
list.
The weather is fine. The train doesnt run at the
weekend.
The wheel of a car / the death of a child / on the fourth
finger of his left hand

23.
24.
25.
26.

Sufficient, adequate ,enough of

something in a particular purpose,
especially with negative or in question
A unit of measurement to mean every

27.
28.

Pair conjunction
Stressing the to show the famous or
important somebody or something
A unit of time to mean the present
Nouns used in a particular sense

29.

We say

I wanted it but I didnt have the money.

He hadnt the strength to argue.
You get paid by the hour. My car does forty miles to the
gallon.
The more you work, the more you progress.
Oh look. Over there is the Michael Jackson.
The dish of the day
Water is necessary to life. The water in the kitchen is
dirty. English is a funny language. The English she
speaks is not correct.
The north, the south, the west, the east, the left, the
right, the top, the end, the middle of..
I have been to the north of Italy but not the south.

ZERO ARTICLES
No
.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

11.
12.
13.
14.

ZERO ARTICLE
Uses
General meaning / general idea

Examples
Life is short. Water is cold. I hate exam. I like
music, especially classical music.
Abstract nouns in general
Love is blind. Education ends with life.
Everybody needs money.
Places in general
France is a very lager country. Peru is in South
America.
Streets, squares
I live in Newton Street. I met her in Thazin
Street. Where is Bogyoke Aung San road,
please? Times square is in New York.
Place(person)+airport/station/university/castle Yezin Agricultural University/ London Zoo /
Kennedy Aiport / Victoria Station / Cambridge
University
Games / sports
I like tennis. I play football every evening.
Languages
English is a funny language.
Academic subjects
I found Physics boring. I like English.
Meals
I have breakfast at 8 oclock every morning.
Noun + number
Our train leaves from Platform 5. Have you got
these shoes in size 43?
Room 126 in a hotel / page 29 of a book /
question 3 in an exam / Gate 10 at an airport
A place we always go to
I go to school. I go to bed at 9 o clock every
night.
Days / months
I was born on Tuesday. He came on Monday.
She came back on January.
Movement or transport
I go to school on foot. He goes to work by bus.
Exclamination with countable or uncountable What sad news!
nou s

( )
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article a, an, the




Article (Noun) (Noun phrase)
Determiner
(Noun Modifier)

Article
Article a, an, the
() Indefinite article (a,an)
() The definite article (the)
() Indefinite article (a,an)
a,e,i,o,u an

a


a an

an
a


A + Consonant-sounded Word
1. Noun/Noun phrase e.g., A university/A European/ A one-off pen
2. Abbreviations said as words e.g., A NATO general/ A FIFA official/ A JICA
office
3. Abbreviations said as individual letters (B,C,D,G,J,K,P,Q,T,U,V,W,Y,Z) e.g., A
UFO, A BBC program/ A GTC student

An + Vowel-sounded Word
1. Noun/Noun phrase e.g., An orange/ An umbrella/ An ugly girl
2. Words with silent letter h e.g, An hour/ An honest child/ An Honor/ An
honorary degree
3. Abbreviations said as words An OPEC
4. Abbreviations said as individual letters (A,E,F,H,I,L,M,N,O,R,S,X) e.g., An
MP/ An FBI agent/ An IOU
4 |Page

 a an


(Article Microsoft word )

( )
A An
First mention ( )
I have a car. A thief went into a supermarket in Sule road.
One (of many) (( ) )
She is a cashier in a restaurant.
Job / Profession ( )
He is a doctor. She is an author. He is an engineer in the factory.
Before singular countable noun not already mentioned (
)
There is a girl in a room.
To mean one or each ( )
I saw a man. The cost is $ 20 a copy.
Before uncountable nouns having an adjective in front of them or phrase
following them

( -
a/an )
It is a good knowledge of French. Thats a sadness that wont go away. We had a
very nice lunch.
To mean any/every
A lion is a dangerous animal. A bird flies.
A member of a group
Shes a Buddhist. He is a Christian.
Before two nouns seen as a single unit

You should eat it with a knife and fork. A husband and wife is a tongue and tooth.
5 |Page

 Instead of one before some numbers

A thousand people were there. A hundred soldiers were in the camp.
Prices, qualities, rates, frequency

They cost 50 P a kilo. I can type 50 words a minute. He was driving at 50 miles an
hour.
A person like someone
Shes a little Hitler. ( ) He is a little manager.
Before somebodys name not known
There is a Mrs. Green to see you.
Before a particular day
She died on a Tuesday.
a(noun).of uncountable noun ( )
I drank a glass of water. I bought you a bottle of milk.
a.(noun) of possessive ( - )
Shes is a colleague of mine. He is a friend of Bills. (mine Bills )
To describe a particular instance
When I woke up, there was a bright blue sky. She dreamt of a future where she
could spend more time painting.


( )
() The Definite Article (The)
the a/an



() the + Consonant-sounded Word (the thuh )
the book/the pretty/the urine/ the US dollar ( - )
() the + Vowel-sounded Word (the thee )
the engine/ the honor/ the honest man/ the earth ( - )
6 |Page

 link
http://www.learnenglish.de/pronunciation/pronouncethe.html

the
() Second mention - ( a/an
the )
I have a cat. The cat is black.
() Before noun already mentioned
There were three questions. The first two were relatively easy and the third one
was hard.
() Easily understood
Did you see the dog on the road? The nights are getting longer.
() Only one thing
Look at the moon. The sun is shining.
() The normal or obvious one of their kind

The Monalisa / The Nile / The Queen /
Whats the matter? How is the baby?
() Superlative adjective
He is the youngest student in the class.
() Entertainment (musical instruments) ( )
I can play the piano. Can you play the guitar?
() Institution
The army / The police
() Before names of oceans/seas/rivers/canals


The Ayeyarwaddy River/ The Atlantic Ocean/ The Mediterranean (Sea)/
The Panama Canal and the Suez Canal are made by men.
() Plural countries, islands, mountains

7 |Page

The Netherlands/ The Canary Islands/ The Philippines

() Republic, State, Kingdom
The Republic of Ireland or The Irish Republic / The United States/ The United
Kingdom
() the hotel, restaurants, pubs, cinemas, theatres, museum

I stayed in the Yuzana Hotel.
The National theatre/ the Science Museum

() Adjectives representing a class

The young are eager to learn everything.
the young the young people
the young the young
people


the young the
young people

There is home for the aged in the town. (the aged
home for the aged )
() Nationality adjective to form all the people

The Dutch are a much taller race than the British.
The

( )
(The )
() Plural of somebodys last name (meaning family or couple)
( )
The Earnshaws went to the zoo yesterday. (Earnshaw )
8 |Page

Dont forget to invite the Jordans. (Jordan )

() Before some countable nouns to refer to classes of things, or people, type of
animal, machine, etc

In those days, people relied on the horse for transport.
The bicycle is an excellent mean of transport.
() Which persons or things particular

Alexander the Great
() Before plural countable nouns in particular sense

Horses are strong animals. ( )
The horses in the field belong to the farmer.
() Which person or thing you mean / the process of specifying or identifying


It was the best day of my life.
Youre the third person to ask me that.
The candidates we interviewed seemed better.
() General rather than a particular example

I heard it on the radio.
Im usually out during the day.
They placed the African elephant on their endangered list.
() Familiar features of life
The weather is fine.
The train doesnt run at the weekend.
() The first noun in a group ( )
The wheel of a car
9 |Page

The death of a child

On the fourth finger of his left hand
() Sufficient, adequate, enough of something in a particular purpose, especially
with negative or in question



I wanted it but I didnt have the money.
He didnt have the strength to argue.
( money strength article )
() A unit of measurement to mean every

You get paid by the hour.
My car does forty miles to the gallon.
() Pair conjunction

The more you work, the more you progress.
(the morethe less pattern )
() Stressing the to show the famous or important somebody or something
the

Oh look. Over there is the Michael Jackon.
() A unit of time to mean the present

The dish of the day ( )
() Nouns used in a particular sense

Water is necessary to life. ( )
The water in the kitchen is dirty. ( )
English is a funny language.
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The English she speaks is not correct.

( water, English article

the )
() We say..
The north, the south, the west, the east, the left, the right, the top, the end, the
middle of.
I have been to the north of Italy but not the south.
I am in the middle of pond.


( )
Article a,an,the
zero article
article
Zero article -
() General meaning/ general idea
Life is short. Water is cold. I hate exam. I like music, especially classical music.
() Abstract nouns in general
Love is blind.
Education ends with life.
Everybody needs money.
() Places in general
France is a very larger country.
Peru is in South America.
() Streets, squares

I live in Newton Street.
I met her in Thazin Street.
Where is Bogyoke Aung San road, please?
11 | P a g e

Times square is in New Youk.

() Place(person) + airport/station/university/castle
( ) + / / / ( )
Yezin Agricultural University / London Zoo/ Kennedy Airport / Victoria Station /
Cambridge University
() Games / sports /
I play tennis.
I play football every evening.
() Languages
English is a funny language.
() Academic subjects
I found Physics boring.
I like English.
() Meals
I have breakfast at 8 o clock every morning.
() Noun + unmber = +
Our train leaves from Platform 5.
Have you got these shoes in size 43?
Room 126 in a hotel / page 29 of a book/ question 3 in an exam/ Gate 10 at an
airport
() A place we always go to
I go to school.
I go to bed at 9 o clock every night.
() Days / months
I was born on Tuesday.
He came on Monday.
She came back on January.
() Movement or transport
I go to school on foot.
12 | P a g e

He goes to work by bus.

() Exclamination with countable or uncountable nouns

What sad news!


Article (a,an,the)
Article ()
Article
a

an

the


Article English

Article


% Article
Go. .
Come.

I love you.
She knows him.


An I love a you very much.





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dog
dog

Article Article English

website
Article

Article download

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