❓ How do we use articles in English?
💡 Quick answer:
💡 Quick answer:
NOUNS
|
In general
(indefinite / non-specific)
|
In particular
(definite / specific)
|
Uncountable
Countable Plural
|
(1) Zero article
|
(3) the (el, la, los, las)
|
Countable Singular
|
(2) a / an (un, uno, una)
|
💡 EXTENDED ANSWER:
(1) When we talk about an uncountable noun or a countable plural noun in general (i.e. we talk about all the items in a group, or there is no need to specify an item in particular), we do NOT use an article:
➧Cuando hablamos de un sustantivo (=nombre) incontable o contable plural en general (es decir, hablamos de todos los elementos de un conjunto o no hay necesidad de especificar uno en particular), NO usamos artículo:
⟶ Advances in technology (❌
⟶ Modern technology (❌
⟶ Students (❌
⟶ People (❌
👉In these examples, we are talking about 'technology', 'students', and 'people' in general.
(2) When we talk about a countable singular noun in general (i.e. we talk about one non-specific item in a group), we use a / an (the indefinite article):
➧Cuando hablamos de un sustantivo contable singular en general (es decir, hablamos de un elemento no especificado en un conjunto), usamos 'a' / 'an' (un, uno, una = el artículo indefinido):
⟶ I went to a pub last night. (Fui a un bar anoche.)
⟶ I’ve got a car. (Tengo un coche.)
⟶ He gave me an apple. (Él me dio una manzana.)
🔺 ‘A’ or ‘an’?
Use ‘a’ before words that start with a consonant SOUND:
➧Usamos ‘a’ antes de palabras que comienzan con un SONIDO consonante:
➧Usamos ‘a’ antes de palabras que comienzan con un SONIDO consonante:
⟶ A university degree ⇒ ‘u’ is pronounced /juː/ here, and /j/ is a consonant sound
⟶ a one-hour class ⇒ ‘one’ is pronounced /wʌn/, and /w/ is a consonant sound
⟶ a uniform / a house, etc.
Use ‘an’ before words that start with a vowel SOUND:
➧Usamos ‘a’ antes de palabras que comienzan con un SONIDO vocal:
⟶ An honest man ⇒ ‘h’ is silent here, and the first sound is a vowel: /ˈɒnɪst/
⟶ an hour ⇒ ‘h’ is silent here, and the first sound is a vowel: /aʊə/
⟶ an MBA degree, etc.
⟶ a one-hour class ⇒ ‘one’ is pronounced /wʌn/, and /w/ is a consonant sound
⟶ a uniform / a house, etc.
Use ‘an’ before words that start with a vowel SOUND:
➧Usamos ‘a’ antes de palabras que comienzan con un SONIDO vocal:
⟶ An honest man ⇒ ‘h’ is silent here, and the first sound is a vowel: /ˈɒnɪst/
⟶ an hour ⇒ ‘h’ is silent here, and the first sound is a vowel: /aʊə/
⟶ an MBA degree, etc.
(3) When we talk about an uncountable, a countable plural or a countable singular noun in particular (i.e. we talk about a specific item, or there is only one item in the group, and it is therefore clear which item we are talking about – e.g.: ‘the sun’), we use ‘the’ (the definite article):
➧Cuando hablamos de un sustantivo incontable, contable plural o contable singular en particular (es decir, hablamos un elemento específico, o hay un solo elemento en el conjunto, por ejemplo: ‘the sun’, ‘el sol’), usamos ‘the’ (el, la, los, las = el artículo definido):
⟶ A look at the advances in technology during the 1960s (los avances en tecnología durante la década de los 60), from washing machines to computers. (BBC Four) (a specific set of advances)
⟶ The students who failed the exam (Los alumnos que reprobaron el examen) should study hard for the resit. (a specific group of students)
⟶ The people who migrate (La gente que migra) are called migrants. (a specific group of people)
👉The rules above apply to almost all cases; however, there are some special uses that should also be taken into account. Read more:
- A, an, and the: how to use articles in English (From Cambridge Dictionary Blog)
- A/an and the (From Cambridge English Grammar Today)
- Use or articles with Geographical places (From Cambridge English Grammar Today)
- Use of articles with Place names (From Cambridge English Grammar Today)
- Nationalities, languages, countries and regions (From Cambridge English Grammar Today)
The definite article - BBC
English Class (2:22 minutes)
Learn about indefinite
articles with singular countable nouns - BBC English Class (2:40 minutes)
GRAMMAR: How to use the
definite article with abstract uncountable nouns (6:04 minutes)
📌 Practice:
- A / An / The Worksheets 1
- A / An / The or Nothing 2
- A / An / The or Nothing 3
- Articles Exercise 4
- Articles a/an/the 5
- Articles Worksheet 6
- Articles with Geographical Names Exercise 1
- Articles with Geographical Names Exercise 2
- ARTICLE or NO ARTICLE? 1
- ARTICLE or NO ARTICLE? 2
- ARTICLE or NO ARTICLE? 3
- ARTICLE or NO ARTICLE? 4
- Articles: A or THE? 1
- Articles: A or THE? 2
- Articles with geographic names 1
- Articles with idioms 1
- Articles with idioms 2
- Articles with idioms 3
- Articles with idioms 4
- Articles with idioms 5
- Articles with idioms 6
- Mixed Articles 1
- Mixed Articles 2
- Mixed Articles 3
- Mixed Articles 4
- Mixed Articles 5
- Mixed Articles 6
- Mixed Articles 7
- Mixed Articles 8
- Mixed Articles 9
- Mixed Articles 10
- Articles: The/A/An 1
- Articles: The/A/An 2
- Articles: The/A/An 3
- Choose the right article 1
- Choose the right article 2
- Choose the right article 3
- Choose the right article 4
- Choose the right article 5
- Choose the right article 6
- Choose the right article 7
- Choose the right article 8
- Choose the right article 9
- Choose the right article 10
