Using Articles in English: A/An and The

• Countable Nouns: Can be preceded by a number (e.g., one day, three apples, five people).
• Uncountable Nouns: Cannot be preceded by a number (e.g., water, music, honesty, luggage).

• Use a/an for “any one” or “one of many” (e.g., a tree = any tree; a hair = one hair).
• Use a/an for identification (e.g., “Tom is a barber”).
• Use a before consonant sounds (e.g., a lesson, a chair).
• Use an before vowel sounds (e.g., an elephant, an apple).

• Use the for a specific or particular noun (e.g., the chair in the corner).
• Use the for the only one (e.g., the floor, the sky).
• Use the for nouns already mentioned (e.g., “I found a photograph. The photograph was old.”).

• Use the before specific plurals (e.g., the last three days).
• Use no article for general plurals (e.g., students, rock bands).
• Use no article for general uncountable nouns (e.g., religion, exercise).
• Use the for capitalized nouns:
  • Country names ending in -s (e.g., the United States, but America).
  • Country names with “Republic” (e.g., the Republic of South Africa, but China).
  • School names starting with “College” or “University” (e.g., the University of Iowa).
  • Rivers, oceans, seas (e.g., the Atlantic Ocean, but Lake Erie).

• Means “one” or “any one” and is used only with singular countable nouns (e.g., Take a pencil = any pencil; I ate an apple = one of many apples).
• Used for identification (e.g., He is a lawyer, It is an adjective).
• Use a before consonant sounds (e.g., a lesson, a chair) and an before vowel sounds (e.g., an elephant, an awful experience).

• Points to a specific noun (e.g., the assignment for Wednesday, the new Chevrolet).
• Used for the only one (e.g., the roof, the sky).
• Used for nouns previously mentioned (e.g., “I bought a car. The car has a five-year guarantee.”).

• Use the for specific plural countable or uncountable nouns (e.g., the people on my block, the water in Lake Erie).
• Use no article for general plural countable or uncountable nouns (e.g., birds are interesting, water is plentiful).

• Use the for specific country names (e.g., the Netherlands, the Soviet Union), rivers/seas (e.g., the Nile River), and schools (e.g., the University of Illinois).
• Use the for generic singular countable nouns in specific contexts, such as species (e.g., the whale), inventions (e.g., the telephone), or musical instruments (e.g., the piano).

Fill in the blanks with a, an, or the based on the context of the dialogues:

1. A: I have       idea. Let’s go on       picnic Saturday.
   B: Okay.
2. A: Did you have fun at       picnic yesterday?
   B: Sure did. And you?
3. A: You’d better have       good reason for being late!
   B: I do.
4. A: Did you think       reason Jack gave for being late was believable?
   B: Not really.
5. A: Where’s my blue shirt?
   B: It’s in       washing machine. You’ll have to wear       different shirt.
6. A: I wish we had       washing machine.
   B: So do I. It would make it a lot easier to do our laundry.
7. A: What happened to your bicycle?       front wheel is bent.
   B: I ran into       parked car when I swerved to avoid       big pothole in the street.
   A: Did you damage       car?
   B: A little.
   A: What did you do?
   B: I left       note for       owner of       car.
   A: What did you write on       note?
   B: My name and address. I also wrote       apology.
8. A: Can you repair my car for me?
   B: What’s wrong with it?
   A:       radiator has       leak, and one of       windshield wipers doesn’t work.
   B: Can you show me where       leak is?
9. A: Have you seen my boots?
   B: They’re in       closet in       front hallway.

Complete the sentences with a, an, the, or leave blank if no article is needed:

1.       beef is       kind of       meat.
2.       beef we had for dinner last night was excellent.
3. Jack is wearing       straw hat today.
4. Jack likes to wear       hats.
5.       hat is       article of clothing.
6.       hats are       articles of clothing.
7.       brown hat on that hook over there belongs to Mark.
8. Everyone has       problems in       life.
9. My grandfather had       long life.
10. That book is about       life of Helen Keller.
11. Tommy wants to be       engineer when he grows up.
12. The Brooklyn Bridge was designed by       engineer.
13. John Roebling is       name of       engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. He died in 1869 from       infection. He died before       bridge was completed.
14.       people wear       jewelry to make themselves more attractive.
15.       jewelry Diana is wearing today is beautiful.