ARTICLES
a house
an umbrella
the white house
- beauty (zero article)
a, an = indefinite articles = they are used about a member of a group that is not specific; in other words, it is one of many.
a car = one of many cars
a house = one of many houses
a dog = one of many dogs
the = definite article = it is used about a specific member of a group. in other words, there is no other member of the group.
the car = the particular car we have specified in the conversation
the house = it is the particular house we are referring to
the dog = the one and only dog we are referring to
let's compare
I want to buy a house = I want to buy any house. I do not have any specific house in mind that I want to buy
I want to buy the house = I want to buy this particular house. I know exactly which one I am referring to
using a or an depends on the following sound = the sound with which a word begins
|
A + SINGULAR NOUN BEGINNING WITH A CONSONANT |
A MUG, A HAT, A BAT, A ROOM, A COT, A DOG, A CAR, A FUR, A SISTER, A MOTHER |
|
AN + SINGULAR NOUN BEGINNING WITH A VOWEL |
AN EXAMPLE, AN ICON, AN ORDER, AN ORANGE, AN EAR, |
|
A + SINGULAR NOUN BEGINNING WITH A CONSONANT SOUND (STARTS WITH Y SOUND) |
A UNIVERSITY, A UNITY, U UNIVERSE, A USE |
|
A + SINGULAR NOUNS STARTING WITH A PRONOUNCED H |
A HOME, A HOUSE, A HOG |
|
AN + NOUNS STARTING WITH SILENT H |
AN HOURGLASS |
Where we put an article:
let's compare:
it's a/the house; it's an egg - put an article before the noun if there is no adjective describing that noun
it's a/the beautiful house; it's an expensive egg - put an article before the adjective if there is an adjective describing a noun
it's a/the very beautiful house; it's an extremely expensive egg - put an article before the adverb if there is an adverb and adjective before a noun