6 RULES OF ARTICLES A, AN, THE | How to use articles in English CORRECTLY

Main ideas / lessons about English articles (a, an, the)

Articles overview

English has three articles in this lesson:

• Indefinite articles: a / an
• Definite article: the

A vs an

• Use an before a vowel sound: an apple, an orange
• Use a before a consonant sound (implied throughout): a sandwich

The

Use the when the speaker means a specific/known item.

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Rule 1: First mention vs second mention

• First time introducing something → use a / an
  • A man was standing outside my house.
• Referring again to the same specific person/thing (the listener now knows which one) → use the
  • The man was dressed in a black coat…

Same idea with objects:

• I bought an apple and a sandwich. (first mention)
• The apple was green. (specific apple previously mentioned)

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Rule 2: Common knowledge / “only one”

Use the when something is uniquely identifiable or common knowledge in context.

Examples given:

• I have a hole in the roof (only one roof on the house)
• I put my clothes into the washing machine (assumes one washing machine at home)
• in the garden (assumes the garden attached to the home)

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Rule 3: General vs specific (plural patterns)

• General statement (no specific set) → no “the”
  • Elephants are my favorite animal.
  • Roses are my favorite flowers.
• Specific subgroup → use the
  • The elephants in my zoo…
  • The roses in my garden… (mainly pink)

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Common student difficulty: bed, church, school, university, hospital, prison, college

No article (primary purpose)

No article is used when these places/nouns are used for their primary purpose:

• I go to bed every night at 10:00.
• Where is Jonathan? He is in bed.
• The children go to school every day.
• My friend is in hospital (while sick)
• I go to church on Sundays.
• My son is studying economics in University.

Use “the” (visit/business/ceremony context)

Use the when someone goes to the place for a visit/business/ceremony context (not the person’s normal role):

• I went to the school to attend a parent-teacher meeting.
• I visited my friend in the hospital. (as a visitor)
• I like to visit the churches in that city. (tourism/photographs)
• There was a ceremony at the university… (attending for an event)

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Abstract expressions (no “the”)

Articles are typically not needed with abstract uses such as:

• at sea, at work, out of work, in town, out of town

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Exception: “office”

“Office” = workplace/job location → use the

• He is working in the office today.
• He went to the office at 6:00 this morning.
• The office where I work is full of glass / an old Victorian building.

“Office” = a position/role in government → typically no article

• The government has been in office for 4 years… (explained as ceremonial/appointed role, not a physical place)

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Countable vs uncountable nouns and how articles fit

Countable nouns

• Can be singular/plural: apple → apples, car → cars
• With singular countable nouns, use a / an or the:
  • An apple a day…
  • The apple I bought in the shop was red/bruised.

Uncountable nouns

• No plural form: information, advice, salt, water, bread
• Do not use a / an with uncountable nouns:
  • information / advice (not informations, advices, etc.)

Practical consequence

• Countable: a/an possible; plural uses the for specificity in context.
• Uncountable: use the for specificity, but no a/an.

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Speakers / sources featured

• Harry (main instructor; host of “Advanced English lessons with Harry”)
• Murphy (referenced grammar author: Murphy’s Grammar Book)