Analisi grammaticale

Definite and Indefinite Articles: Rules and 5 Solved Exercises

The definite article 'the' points to something specific and known; the indefinite articles 'a' and 'an' introduce something general. Clear rules plus five solved exercises from easy to hard.

Recommended for: Grade 6 · Grade 7 · Grade 8

The definite article the points to something specific and already known; the indefinite articles a and an introduce something general, mentioned for the first time. Sometimes English uses no article at all, and knowing when is just as important.

A or an: follow the sound

Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. The rule is about pronunciation, not spelling, which is why we write an hour (the h is silent) but a university (it begins with the sound /j/, like you). The same logic gives an honest answer, a European country and an MP (pronounced “em-pee”).

When to use the

Use the when the person you are speaking to knows exactly which thing you mean: because it has been mentioned before, because it is unique, or because the context makes it obvious. So you say the sun, the first time, the tallest boy in class, and the book I lent you.

The definite article also appears with oceans, seas and rivers (the Atlantic, the Thames), with mountain ranges (the Alps), and with countries whose names are plural or contain words like states, kingdom or republic (the United States, the United Kingdom).

When to use no article

Plural and uncountable nouns used in a general sense take no article: dogs are loyal, water freezes at 0 °C. Most singular proper names also go without one: Paris, Mount Everest, Sarah. The same is true of meals, languages and school subjects: we had breakfast, she speaks Spanish, he studies history.

The five exercises below move from the basic a/an choice to a full passage where all three options, including the zero article, appear together.

Solved exercises

1. Write a or an: ___ apple, ___ book, ___ orange, ___ elephant. base

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  1. Use 'an' before a vowel sound and 'a' before a consonant sound.
  2. apple starts with the vowel sound /æ/, so: an apple.
  3. book starts with the consonant sound /b/, so: a book.
  4. orange starts with the vowel sound /ɒ/, so: an orange.
  5. elephant starts with the vowel sound /e/, so: an elephant.

Answer: an apple ; a book ; an orange ; an elephant

2. Fill in with a, an or the: "I saw ___ cat in the garden. ___ cat was black." base

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  1. In the first sentence the cat is mentioned for the first time and the listener does not know which one: use the indefinite article, 'a cat'.
  2. In the second sentence we are talking about the same cat, now known: use the definite article, 'The cat'.
  3. This first-mention / second-mention pattern is the most common use of a vs the.

Answer: a cat ; The cat

3. Choose a or an: ___ hour, ___ university, ___ honest answer, ___ European country. intermedio

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  1. The rule follows the sound, not the spelling.
  2. hour begins with a silent h, so the first sound is the vowel /aʊ/: an hour.
  3. university begins with the consonant sound /j/ (as in 'you'): a university.
  4. honest also has a silent h, so the first sound is a vowel: an honest answer.
  5. European begins with /j/ as well: a European country.

Answer: an hour ; a university ; an honest answer ; a European country

4. Add 'the' only where it is needed (write - for no article): "___ dogs are loyal animals." "She plays ___ piano." "He goes to ___ school by bus." "___ Mount Everest is the highest mountain." intermedio

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  1. Plural nouns used in a general sense take no article: - dogs are loyal animals.
  2. Musical instruments after 'play' take the definite article: she plays the piano.
  3. With school, church, prison and hospital used for their purpose we use no article: he goes to - school by bus.
  4. Names of single mountains take no article (unlike mountain ranges, e.g. the Alps): - Mount Everest.

Answer: - dogs ; the piano ; - school ; - Mount Everest

5. Complete the passage: "Yesterday I bought ___ new phone. ___ phone was ___ present for my sister, who is ___ engineer. She lives in ___ United States, near ___ Pacific Ocean." avanzato

Show solution
  1. 'new phone' is mentioned for the first time and 'new' starts with a consonant sound: a new phone.
  2. The phone is now known to the reader, so the second mention takes the definite article: The phone.
  3. 'present' is one of many, first mention, consonant sound: a present.
  4. Jobs after the verb 'to be' take a or an; 'engineer' starts with a vowel sound: an engineer.
  5. Countries whose name is plural or contains 'states', 'kingdom', 'republic' take the: the United States.
  6. Names of oceans and seas take the: the Pacific Ocean.

Answer: a new phone ; The phone ; a present ; an engineer ; the United States ; the Pacific Ocean

FAQ

Is it "a university" or "an university"?

It is a university. The choice depends on the sound, not the letter: university begins with the consonant sound /j/, like the word 'you', so it takes a. The same happens with a European country and a one-way street.

When do I use no article at all?

With plural and uncountable nouns in general statements (cats are independent, water is essential), with most singular proper names (Paris, Mount Everest), and with meals, languages and school subjects: we had lunch, she studies history.

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

Use a or an when the noun is one of many or is mentioned for the first time, and the when the listener already knows which one you mean: I read a book yesterday, and the book was excellent.