Articles: Indefinite and Definite: a, an, the
A, an (before vowels), and the, are the commonest words in the English language and are a form of adjectives.
A /an is a weak form of one and is used before a singular countable noun which is not proper, nor definite. Its function is not to define but to generalize. Example: a book, an orange etc.
The is a weak form of that and is used before singular and plural, countable and uncountable nouns, provided they are identified or definite. It is generally not used before proper nouns.
a/an is indefinite, any, one of many, not one particular thing.
the points out a particular thing.
The choice between a and an is decided by the sound of the word which is used after them. When it is a vowel sound, an is used and if it is a consonant sound, a is used, e.g. an hour, an umbrella, an apple, an elephant, a table, a horse, a door, a goat. Remember it is the sound of the initial letter that matters and not the spelling. Thus a is used before vowels beginning with a u when they are pronounced with a y /j/ sound as though it were a consonant, as a unit, a unicorn, a university, a useful animal. Similarly, an is used , for example before words beginning with the letter h where this is not pronounced, as in an hour, an heir, an honest officer, an honourable man.
The is spoken as /thi: /, when it is followed by a word beginning with a vowel sound and as /the /, when it is followed by a word beginning with a consonant sound.
The is used to refer back to a person that has already been mentioned, as in –
- I met a young man in the college yesterday. The man was very smart and efficient.
- We’ve bought a new car. The car is very luxurious.
The can be used to make a general statement about all things of a particular type, as in –
- The industries are responsible for environmental pollution.
- The television and the computer have reduced our physical activity.
The can be used to refer to a whole class or group, as in ‘the Indians’, ‘the French’, ‘the Smiths’, ‘the dog’, ‘the rich’, ‘the poor’ etc.
The indicates a person or thing to be the only one, as in the sun, the moon, the sky, the earth, the Bible, the Gita, the Prime Minister, the President, the Speaker etc.
The can also be used to refer to services or systems, as in –
- The Browns are not on the phone.
- I prefer to travel by the train.
The is used in front of superlative adjectives, as in ‘the tallest boy’, ‘the longest river’, ‘the most beautiful woman’ etc.
The can be used instead of a possessive determiner to refer to parts of the body, as in –
- He caught her by the hair.
- The dog bit him on the leg.