Articles

These are modifiers used before nouns to indicate whether the speaker is referring to specific
persons, places or things, or whether he is referring to them in a generic way.

A and AN
'A' and 'an' are called indefinite articles and indicate general reference. They are singular in
form and cannot be used with plural nouns.

'The' is a definite article and indicates specific reference. It may be used with both singular and
plural nouns.
Examples:
An illustration is placed on the board to make my point more understandable.
The illustration he presented is clear and understandable.

Use 'a' when the following noun begins with a consonant and 'an' with nouns that begin with a
vowel (a, e, i, o, u)

Examples:
a book an egg
a pen
an apple
a dog
an igloo

But the difference between 'a' and 'an' is one of pronunciation, so we also use 'an' in front of a
silent 'h' because judging only by sound, the word begins with the vowel that follows the 'h'.

Examples:
an honor
an herb

We also use 'a' before words that starts with a vowel when their pronunciation sounds like 'you'.

Examples:
a European
a unit
a university

If a noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between 'a' and 'an' depends on the initial
sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:

Examples:
a broken egg

an unusual problem

THE
The definite article 'the' is used with mass nouns for specific reference. It's not used with
noncountable nouns referring to something general in use.

Examples:
(no article) Coffee is being brewed inside the cafeteria.
(no article) Japanese was his native language.

'The' is used with non-countable nouns that are made more specific by a limiting modifying
phrase or clause.

Examples:
The coffee in my cup is too hot to drink
The Japanese he speaks is often heard in the country-side.

'The' is also used when a noun is referring to something that is unique.

Examples:
The Universe
The White House
The theory of relativity

WHEN NOT TO USE AN ARTICLE:

1. Names of languages and nationalities
a. Chinese
b. English
c. Spanish
d. except if it's being used as an adjective. (Many people in the US speaks the Spanish
Language.)

2. Names of sports
a. volleyball
b. hockey

c. baseball

3. Names of academic subjects

a. mathematics
b. biology
c. history

4, Names of countries
a. Italy
b. Mexico
c. except if the words united, union, republic is in the name or if the word of is in it like
the Netherlands and the US, the Republic of China, The Philippines, The United Kingdom

5. Names of cities
a. Manila
b. Morocco
c. Seoul

6. Names of streets, boulevards, lanes, roads or avenues

a. Araneta street
b. Sampaloc
c. Aurora Blvd.

7. Names of lakes, bays, parks, malls and stadiums

a. Manila bay
b. Discovery Park
c. SM
d. Husky stadium
f. except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes

8. Names of mountains
a. Mount Everest
b. Mount Fiji
c. except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the
Matterhorn

9.
a.
b.
c.

Names of continents
Europe
East
North America

10. Names of islands

a. Easter Island
b. Jeju Island

c.

except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands

11.
a.
b.
c.

Names of diseases
measles
Tuberculosis
colds

12. Before directions

- North, east, south or west if the word follows a verb. (She is driving north right now)

13. Names of universities and colleges

a. Boston University
b. New York University
c. except there is 'of' in the name of the university like the University of the Philippines

14. Ordinal numbers

- first, second, third, fourth, next or last when there is a list. (When making a pie, first you have
to...)
- Use an article before ordinal numbers when they are used as adjectives (She is the first
person to arrive.)

15. With the words 'few' or 'little'

- if the meaning is negative. (Sorry I have little time)
- use an article if the meaning is positive. (I can help you with that. I have a few ideas)

PREPOSITIONS

AT
- PRECISE TIME - at 1 o'clock p.m.
- POINT - at the corner, at the subway station, at the bus stop
- DESTINATION - at the top of the mountain
- LOCATION - at the back of the department store
- TIME OF THE DAY - at noon, at night
- DESIGNATED SPECIFIC - The train is due at 12:15 p.m.
- SPECIFIC ADDRESSES - She lives at 55 Boretz Road in Durham.

ON

- DAYS - on Monday

- DATES - on the 1st of July

- SURFACE - on the wall, on the table
- PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - on the train
- DIRECTIONS - on the left, on the right
- FLOORS - on the 1st floor
- STREET - on Mapo Street
- AVENUES - on the 5th avenue
- DESIGNATED DAYS AND DATES - My brother is coming on Monday.
We're having a party on the Fourth of July.
- DESIGNATED NAMES OF STREETS, AVENUES, ETC - Her house is on Boretz
Road.

IN
- MONTHS - in June
- YEARS -in 2008
- CENTURIES - in the 22nd century
- LONG PERIODS - in 6 months
- ENCLOSED SPACE - in the box, in my pocket
- PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION - in a car, in a taxi, in a lift (elevator)
- COUNTRIES - in America, in Korea
- TIME OF THE DAY - in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening
- NON-SPECIFIC TIMES DURING A DAY, A MONTH, A SEASON OR A YEAR - He
started the job in 1971
She likes to jog in the morning.
It's too cold in winter to run outside.
- NAMES OF LAND AREAS (towns, counties, states, countries, and continents)
- She lives in Durham
Durham is in Windham County.
Windham County is in Connecticut.

MORE EXAMPLES:
IN

AT

in bed
at work
in the bedroom
at home
in the car
at the library
in the library
at the office
in school
at school
in London
in my pocket at the bus stop

ON
on the bed
on the ceiling
on the floor
on the horse
on the plane
on the train
on the door

at the door
in a building
at the top
in the garden
at the exit
in my wallet
at the bottom
in May
at 3:00 pm
in summer
at noon
in 1990
in the 1990's at dinnertime
at bedtime
in the Ice Age
at sunrise
in the past
at sunset
in the future
at
the
moment
in the morning
at weekend

on the carpet
on a page
on the menu
on a bicycle
on television
on the right
on the left
on Sunday
on March 6th
on Labor Day
on my
birthday

Definite Article: the

The definite article is used before singular and plural
nouns when the noun is particular or specific. The
signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a
particular member of a group.
Examples:

The dog (that specific dog) is barking.

The apple (that specific apple) is big.

DO NOT USE THE BEFORE:

- names of
countries except the Netherlands, the Philippines
and the US.
Examples:

The Italy
The Germany
The United States
- names of cities, towns, or states.
Examples:

The Manila
I went to the Seattle.

- names of streets
Examples:

The Main street

The Keele street
- names of lakes and bays except with a group of
lakes like the Great Lakes.
Examples:

The Lake Erie

The Great Lakes
- names of mountains except with ranges of
mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual
names like the Matterhorn.
Examples:

The Mount Everest

The Mount Fuji
The Rockies
The Andes
- names of continents
Examples:

The Asia
The Europe
- names of islands except with island chains
like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary
Islands.
Examples:

The Easter Island

The Key West

the Hebrides
the Canary Islands
- The is NOT used with non-countable nouns
referring to something in a general sense:
Examples:

The Coffee is a popular drink.

The Japanese was his native language.
The Intelligence is difficult to quantify.
- names of languages and nationalities.
Examples:

I can speak the Chinese.

Can you understand the English?
Are you the Russian?
- names of sports.
Examples:

I can play the chess.

We played the basketball yesterday.
- names of academic subjects.
Examples:

She flunked the Music.

Is the Math your favorite subject?
- names of seasons and months.
Examples:

My birthday is in the October.

It's the winter.

- names of festivals and holidays.

Examples:

They still celebrate the Chinese New year.

I will not go to work today because it's the Christmas.

DO USE THE BEFORE:

- names of rivers, oceans and seas.
Examples:

The Nile River

The Pacific Ocean
- points on the globe.
Examples:

The Equator
The North Pole
- geographical areas
Examples:

The Middle East

The West
- deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas
Examples:

The Sahara
The Persian Gulf
The Black Forest
The Peninsula
- with time expressions
Examples:

the past
the present time
- used with non-countable nouns that are made
more specific by a limiting modifying phrase or
clause:
Examples:

The coffee in my cup is too hot to drink.

The Japanese he speaks is often heard in the
countryside.
The intelligence of animals is variable but undeniable.
- used when a noun refers to something unique (only
one exists) or widely-known
Examples:

the White House

the theory of relativity
the internet
the computer
the Mona Lisa
- superlatives
Examples:

the highest temperature

the lowest rate