English grammar - Articles

Resource centre - English grammar - Articles

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Form and meaning

1. We use the when the listener or reader knows which person or thing we are talking about. This may be because:
   
   • we have mentioned this person or thing before and so there is some shared knowledge between speaker/writer and listener/reader
   • it is clear from the context which person or thing we are talking about
   • there is only one of a particular person or thing
   We use a / an when the listener or reader doesn't know which person or thing we are talking about.
   
   
   • She took a glass of water and started to drink. (One of many glasses of water)
   • She took the glass of water nearest to her. (It is clear which glass we are referring to)
   • She took the glass of water and started to drink. (There is only one glass of water)
   • Can you turn on the TV? (It's clear we are talking about the TV in this room and not some other TV)
   • I need to see a doctor. (Not any specific doctor)
   • I have to see the doctor tomorrow. (It's clear I am talking about my usual doctor)
   • How many people have walked on the moon? (There is only one moon)
   • The best film I've ever seen is Top Gun. (there can only be one best film)
2. We use zero article when we are talking about people or things in general.
   • Carrots are good for you. (carrots in general)
   • The carrots growing in my garden are almost ready to eat. (specific carrots)
   • English people drink a lot of tea. (English people in general)
   • The English people in this hotel are very nice. (specific English people)
3. We use a / an to say what kind of person or thing someone or something is (often with an adjective, or to say it belongs to a particular group).
   • You have a nice house.
   • That's a very expensive car!
   • A cat is an animal and a bus is a vehicle.
4. With school, university, prison, hospital, church, bed, work and home we use the when we are talking about a particular one, and zero article when we are talking about the idea of school, university...
   • The church on our street was built in the 17th Century. (a particular church)
   • I go to church every Sunday (the idea of church, not a particular building)
   • My friend works at the prison outside the city centre.
   • My husband is in prison.
   • The work isn't finished yet.
   • I was feeling sick yesterday so I didn't go to work.
   • The new bed is bigger than the old one.
   • I put my children to bed a 8pm.
5. We use the with singular countable nouns to talk about a type of thing.
   • The computer was invented in the 20th Century. (not a particular computer)
   • The computer in my office is broken. (a particular one)
   • The crocodile is very dangerous. (this type of animal)
   • The crocodile in the river is very big. (a particular one)
   • She plays the piano. (not a particular piano but this type of instrument)
   • The piano she is playing is very old. (a particular one)
6. We use the + adjective to talk about a group of people (including nationalities).
   • I always give money to the homeless.
   • The unemployed receive money from the government.
   • The French produce good wine.
7. We use a / an to talk about someone's job.
   • My wife is an optician.
   • She works as a mechanic.
8. We use zero article with continents, countries, regions, cities, streets, mountains, lakes and parks.
   • Asia, Italy, California, Bristol, Main St., Mount Everest, Lake Superior, Central Park
9. We use the if the country contains Kingdom, Republic, State, Union
   • The United Kingdom
10. We use the with plural names of people and places.
    • The Smiths, The Netherlands, The United States, The Bahamas, The Alps (also The Caribbean)
11. We use the with oceans, seas, rivers and canals.
    • The Atlantic Ocean, The Red Sea, The Nile, The Panama Canal
12. We use the with north, south, east and west to talk about the location of a place within another place, but zero article to compare the location of two places.
    • Greece is in the south of Europe.
    • Spain is south of France.
13. We use zero article with northern, southern, eastern and western:
    • Greece is in southern Europe.
14. We normally use the with buildings, except if the first word is the name of a place.
    • The White House, The Sheraton Hotel.
    • Oxford University, Buckingham Palace.

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Pronunciation

(See the phonemic chart for IPA symbols used below)

1. the is usually pronounced as /ðə/, but is often pronounced as /ði/ before words beginning with vowel sounds or to add emphasis.
2. a is usually pronounced as /ə/.
3. an can be pronounced as /æn/ but in fast connected speech is usually pronounced as /ən/.

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Teaching ideas for articles

How do you teach articles? Add your idea »

Larissa

  You can use a quiz. Divide students into teams and each of them must create questions and answers with no articles. The opposing team must find the right places for the articles and answer the questions.

Sasi

  Ask students to encircle the articles present in a selected text. Students can apply the rules and get teacher feedback.

teachie96

  Prepare cards with all the rules for articles and divide the class into two groups. Ask a student from group 1 to take one card and read the rule aloud. Now the members from group 2 must write a sentence based on that rule on the board. The second group chooses a card and the game goes on.

Vikas

  This will be a fun and interactive learning practice session:
Building a Story:
The trainer/teacher starts by saying a sentence which has all the three artices, and then explains the following: The concept is very simple where each trainee in the class needs to form sentences using all the three artices and narrate his/her part of the whole story and then name the next trainee who will continue the story from there, and hence forth we create a new story; the trainer/teacher will end this story playing by the same rules. So we have a new and interesting story.

Kaia

  Ask students to get any object from their bag and talk about that object for one minute. For example: "I am holding a toothbrush. The toothbrush in my hand is red. Toothbrushes are used to clean one's teeth." Take note of lapses or errors using articles. Write them down on the board (without mentioning who said it), and ask the class to work together to make the sentences correct.

Rinoa Ye

  When I teach my young students a or an, I do this:
1. Draw a picture to show them 'Mr. An' - 'a' and 'e' for two eyes, 'i' for the nose and 'o' for the mouth. And draw a big 'u' for the face.
2. Tell students later, when they see this, they need to use 'an'.

Abdeen

  Teaching indefinite articles is not a difficult one. But teaching "the" is difficult. Learners often confuse where to place it. You could select a paragraph from a book and identify the articles and the need for those articles in such places. Then a paragraph can be written without any articles and guide the learners to place articles where they feel necessary. At the end teachers can discuss with students.

Steinbeck

  Scan or photocopy a page from a book or a newspaper. Ask someone to cover all the articles in your copy using a felt tip pen. Then try to write the correct articles above the markings. Verify your answers by comparing with the original what you have written in the copy.

Mitch

  The teacher divides the class into two groups. She makes 10 sentences for both groups (the sentences are the same). Students categorize the sentences as SPECIFIC or NOT SPECIFIC. Example: Give me 'the' book. Give me 'a' book and so on.

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