When the indefinite article is used. What are articles in English for?

Hello again! The Article is the main determiner of a word in an English sentence. Before using any noun, you need to decide which subject to talk about: any or a specific one. In English, an article is almost always placed before a noun, depending on the type of word (specific / generalized) - definite (Definite) or indefinite (Indefinite). The indefinite article in English

In this article, we will look at what is the Indefinite Article and cases where the indefinite article is used in English.

Remember that the indefinite article "a/an" derived from the Old English evolved numeral " one". This service part of speech distinguishes one object from many similar ones, which is no different from its counterparts and you know a minimum of information about it: I had a sandwich.

Word with indefinite The article is the name of the subject as a whole, and not a pointer to a specific object. For example, saying the word " a book» we present books in general, not any particular book. In Russian, its meaning can be expressed in the following words: some, one of, any, one, any, some, each, any. Sometimes it can be replaced by pronouns any(anyone) and some(some).

The fact that Indefinite Article is derived from a numeral determines the basic rules for its use:

"a/an" is only used with countable persons or objects that we can count: a lamp, a car, an apple, a cup- have a drink
Since this is the numeral "one", then "a / an" is used only with words in the singular, and in the plural the article is omitted: lamps, cars - There are bottles

Use of the indefinite article

What is the difference between "a" and "an"?

In English, there are two types of neodef. article: "a" and " an". What is the difference between them? Look carefully at the examples presented and you will see a certain pattern: “a” is used when the next word begins with a consonant letter or sound ( a h ouse, a c at, a y ard), and "an" before a vowel or letter ( an h our, an o ld woman, an a pple).

See you later!

Watch the video lesson

27.11.2014

An article is a word that defines a noun.

There are two kinds of articles in English: definite (the) and indefinite (a/an).

Based on the names, respectively, the indefinite article is used when we are talking about a phenomenon that we meet for the first time, a subject in general, and a definite article is used when we are talking about something specific, or already encountered in a conversation.

The concept of the article is present in many languages of the world, but in the same number of languages it is absent.

So don't panic if your native language doesn't use articles.

The data will help you make fewer mistakes when speaking English.

It is very important to be able to use the correct articles in your speech or writing.

1. With the names of countries and continents

In this case, we do not use articles at all, BUT if the country name consists of parts, such as USA, UK, UAE, then our article appears the, and will be: the USA, the UK, the UAE, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands.

This also applies to continents and islands: usually we do not use the article, but if the name is collective, the definite article has a place to be.

For example: Africa, Europe, Bermuda, Tasmania BUT the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas.

She lived in America.
They live in England.
My friend is from the Czech Republic.

2. With the words breakfast, dinner, lunch

When it comes to eating in general, there is no article. But if you're talking about a specific breakfast, dinner, or lunch, use the.

For example:

I don't eat breakfast.
We didn't like the dinner.

3. With job titles, professions

In this case, the indefinite article is used. a/an.

For example:

I want to be a politician.
My younger brother wants to be a vet.

4. With the names of the cardinal points

Usually the names of the cardinal directions are capitalized, so they are easy to recognize: the North, the South, the East, the West .

True, if a noun indicates a direction, then it should be used without an article and written with a small letter.

For example:

They went east.
The North is cooler than the South.

5. With the names of oceans, seas, rivers and canals

Remember that the definite article is always used with the names of these bodies of water.

For example: The Amazon, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal .

I would like to swim in the Red Sea, and you?
The Amazon is the longest river in the world.

6. With the names of unique phenomena

It means that a phenomenon or an object exists in one copy, one in its kind, in particular, the sun, the moon, the inter net , the sky , the earth.

For example:

The sun is a star.
We looked up at all the stars in the sky.
He is always on the internet.

7. With uncountable nouns

This category of nouns implies those units and concepts that we cannot count. Plus, as an identification mark in most cases, they do not have an ending. -s- plural indicator.

But do not forget that there are ten exceptions to one rule, that is, if you are talking in general about any uncountable concept, there will be no article, but again, if the case is special, use the.

For example:

I like bread/milk/honey.
I like the bread/the milk/the honey. (Specifically this and nothing else.)

8. With surnames

If we are talking about members of the same family, you can put the article the before the surname. Thus, you designate a group of people, a family with one word.

For example:

The Smith are coming for dinner today.
Have you seen the Jonson recently?

These are not all uses of articles in English. However, to begin with, remember these rules, gradually deepening your knowledge.

Articles in English a/an and the indicate the degree of certainty of the subject in a given context or in general. In Russian, they are absent as function words and are not translated from English, but sometimes they can “meet” in phrases like: “I know one girl. This girl is in our school. Or: “One boy was very fond of reading. This boy once found a very interesting book ... "

Therefore, on an intuitive level, we sometimes also use the words “one / one / one / alone” when we first mention an object, and “this / this / this / these” when it is used again in speech. Especially often this can be found in fairy tales: "Once upon a time there was an old man ..."

The use of articles in English

correct use of articles in English often causes difficulty. There are, of course, rules for the use of certain articles - a/ an, the, zero article, but since native speakers trust, first of all, their intuition and logic, then by putting ourselves in their place and trying to think like them, we could greatly facilitate the task.

What is this certainty/uncertainty?

I have bought a dog. - I bought a dog. In this context, you are talking about a dog for the first time, this means “some kind of dog, one of many”, it is not yet clear to the listener which particular dog we are talking about, so in this example we use the indefinite article -a.

The dog is very cute. - The dog is very cute. Now you are already talking about “a particular dog - the one that you bought. The listener already understands that we are talking about your dog, so there is already a definite article -the. In other words, as in the “bearded” joke about English for the “new Russians”: the article -а means “type”, and -the means “specifically”, that is, one of many or a specific example.

Table of articles in English

It will help to systematize all of the above. table of articles in English.

The

The subject is mentioned in this context repeatedly:	I have an interesting idea. I have an interesting idea. Wow tell me about the ideas please! Wow, tell me about this idea please.)
The object or person is the only one in the given situation:	The actress is on the scene. The actress is on stage. (on a certain stage)
The noun is preceded by an ordinal number:	He is on the second floor. He's on the second floor.
A superlative adjective precedes a noun:	She is the most beautiful girl, I`ve ever seen. (She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.
A noun denotes a substance in a certain amount or a certain place, in a given setting:	Pass me the salt, please. Pass me the salt, please. Where is the water? Where is the water?
Noun singular of its kind: >	the sun, the moon, the sky, the universe, the earth
With the name of the countries, including such words as republic, union, kingdom, states, emirates, as well as with the names of countries in the plural:	the German Federal Republic the United Arab Emirates the Philippines
Before the names of oceans, seas, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of islands, deserts:	the atlantic, the pacific ocean, the Nile, the Bahamas, the Alps
With the cardinal points	The south, the North
The noun denotes a whole class of objects:	The giraffe is the tallest animals. The giraffe is the tallest animal.
After the words one/some/many/most/both/all of	Some of the mistakes are very bad. Some of the mistakes are very gross.
Before family name in plural:	The Smiths have moved to another town. The Smiths moved to another city.

A/An

At the first mention of the subject:	A man is waiting for you. A man is waiting for you. (some)
If it's an indefinite amount:	I can bring a coffee to your friend. I can bring coffee to your friend.
With job titles:	He is an engineer. He is an engineer.
In the nominal part of the compound predicate:	She is a smart girl.
If an object belongs to the class of homogeneous objects:	There is a bee in the cup. There is a bee in the cup. (not an ant).
In stable combinations like: what a.. a little a few a lot of as a rule as a result for a while to be in a to have a to see a there is a	What a lovely day! I'd like to say a few words. I have a little free time. I have a lot of friends.
Before words such, quite, rather, most (meaning "very"):	He is quite a young man. He is quite a young man.
If you can replace the article with the word "one". :	There is a flower in the garden. There is a flower in the garden. There is one flower in the garden.

Zero article:

Before nouns with definitions (pronouns, numerals, proper names in the possessive case.):	My mother works here. My mom works here. Tom's bag. Tom's bag.
When generalized in the plural. before countable nouns:	Apples are my favorite fruits. Apples are my favorite fruit.
Before nouns as a definition:	guitar lessons - guitar lessons
Before the names of countries, continents, cities, streets:	Germany, Poland, London, Hyde Park, High Street
Before abstract (uncountable) nouns:	This is important information. This is important information.
Before the names and surnames of people:	His name is Lee.
In adverbial combinations:	for breakfast, at lunch, to dinner, at night, by bus, on sale, in fact, from time to time, from school, to work, at work, from work…

If you still have questions on the topic of articles in English, Double You Studio - an English language school in Kyiv (suburb, Vyshneve, Sofievskaya Borshchagovka, Boyarka, Petrivske) will help you figure it out.

The indefinite article is used when you mention something for the first time or when you want to say: "some one", "any", "one of".

Use of the indefinite article a (an)

Article a (an) is only used before singular countable nouns - i.e. in front of those where you can mentally say one.

Countable nouns are those that can be counted. For example, books, trees, dogs, etc.

In the plural, the indefinite article is not used.

1. At the first mention

I've seen a new film. The film is called Slumdog Millionaire. - I saw a new movie. It's called Slumdog Millionaire.

This is a classic example: when first mentioned, the article is used. a, with repeated - article the.

2. General situation (some one, some, any)

It's about something in general, not about something specific.

Example

I'd like to buy a dress. - I want to buy a dress.
This is not about a particular dress, but about a dress.

And if you said:
I'd like to buy the dress - this would mean that you do not mean some unknown dress, but a specific dress, this.

3. We are talking about a representative isolated from a number of the same type

Example

Ludwig van Beethoven was a great composer. - Ludwig van Beethoven was a great composer.

Those. one of the great composers. If we put here instead of the article a article the, this would mean that Beethoven - the only one the greatest composer in the world. But that's not the case. There are many great composers, and Beethoven is only one of them.

The difference between the article a and an

Article a used before words that begin with a consonant, and the article an- from a vowel.

Examples

A book - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An apple - the word begins with a vowel sound.

It seems that everything is simple and clear? Yes, but there are more complex situations. Please note - from a consonant (vowel) sound, not letters.

Examples

A house - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An hour - the word begins with a vowel sound.
A university - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An umbrella - the word begins with a vowel sound.

How so, you ask? Why before the word university worth the article a? It's a vowel sound, after all! Remember, it's not about spelling, it's about pronunciation. Look at the transcription of the word university: it starts with . And this is a consonant sound! Incidentally, in Russian th is a consonant sound.

Examples

The words in the table below begin with a consonant, so they are preceded by always the article is put a.

The words in the table below start with a vowel, so they are preceded by always the article is put an.

Note

Choice of article a or an affects the first sound of the word that immediately follows the article. Please note - the first word will not always be a noun!

Example

An umbrella - the vowel in the word umbrella
A black umbrella - a consonant in the word black
An hour - the vowel in the word hour
A whole hour - consonant sound in the word whole

In many foreign languages there is such a part of speech as the article (The Article). This is a service part of speech and it acts as a determiner of a noun. There is no such part of speech in Russian, so it is difficult for Russian-speaking people who begin to learn English to get used to using articles in speech. How and why are articles used in English?

But if we do not use them, it may be difficult to communicate with an Englishman, because it will not be clear to him what kind of subject is being discussed, whether something is known about it or not. To avoid problems in communication and just to learn how to express yourself correctly, it is important and necessary to study the articles in English and their uses.

Today we will talk about such an important topic as the use of articles in English, and also consider cases when you need to use articles.

There are two types of articles in English:

Definite Article (definite article)
Indefinite Article (indefinite article)

THE- a definite article or Definite Article, and it is pronounced [ ðǝ ], when the noun begins with a consonant and [ ðɪ ] when the noun begins with a vowel. For example: the [ ðǝ ] school, the [ ðɪ ]apple.
A or AN- indefinite (Indefinite Article). When a noun begins with a consonant, we say " a banana", but if with a vowel, then " an orange".

To better understand what is the difference between a definite and an indefinite article in English, we will give an example in Russian: When articles are put in English

Cases of using articles in English

Here it is important to remember what are the rules for using articles in English:

The article is used before every common noun.
We do not use the article when a noun is preceded by a demonstrative or possessive pronoun, another noun in the possessive case, a cardinal number, or the negation of no (not not!).

This is a girl. - It's a girl.
My sister is an engineer. — My sister is an engineer.
I see the girls jumping rope. — I see girls jumping rope.

As a rule, the indefinite article in English is used when the subject is spoken about for the first time, and also if nothing is known about the subject. The definite article (Definite Article) is present where something is already known about the subject or it is mentioned in the conversation again. Let's follow this with a few examples. Note:

He has got a computer.- He has a computer (what kind of computer, what's wrong with it, what brand, etc. - we don't know.
The computer is new. - The computer is new (Now there is some information about the computer - it is new).
This is a tree. - This is a tree (it is not clear which tree, nothing is known about it).
The tree is green. - The tree is green (something is already known, the tree is covered with green foliage).
What articles and when are used in English?

Indefinite Article a, an can be used in exclamatory sentences beginning with the word what: What a surprise! - What a surprise! What a beautiful day! — What a beautiful day!
Indefinite article a, an in English it is used only with countable nouns: This is a book. - This is a book. I see a boy. - I see a boy.
Definite Article is used with both countable and uncountable nouns: The book I read is very interesting. The book I am reading is very interesting. The meat you've bought is fresh. The meat you bought is fresh.
Indefinite Article is used before an adjective if it is followed by a noun: We have a large family. - We have a big family. I read an interesting book. — I am reading an interesting book.
The indefinite article can be used in a sentence in the sense of the word "one, one, one": My father has three children, two sons and a daughter. My father has three children - two sons and one daughter. Today I bought a copy-book and two pens. Today I bought one notebook and two pens.
Definite Article is used in the superlative degree of adjectives: Pink Street is the largest street in that town. - Pink Street is the largest in this city.
The definite article is used with geographical names, that is, before the names of rivers, canals, seas, mountains, oceans, bays, straits, archipelagos. But it is not used with the names of lakes, countries, continents. Exceptions: the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, the Ukraine, the Congo, the Crimea.

And now, friends, pay attention to what stable phrases in English always have a definite article:

in the south
in the north
in the east
in the west
to the south
to the north
to the east
to the west
What's the use?
To the cinema
To the theater
To the shop
To the market
At the cinema
At the theater
At the shop
At the market.

There are still many separate cases of the use of articles in English. We will consider them in more detail in articles that are separately devoted to the definite article and separately to the indefinite article.

In general, the situation with articles in English is very serious. They need and should be used in speech, without them there is simply no way, otherwise we ourselves can get confused and confuse our interlocutor in the information presented. And in order not to get confused which articles exactly and when to use them, just memorize these cases. And you will see how this small but very necessary service part of speech will bring clarity to your conversation, and your speech will be beautiful and complete! So let the kids the, a and an become your helpers in your English speech!