Articles are special modifiers that appear before nouns or noun phrases. Like other adjectives, they help clarify the meaning of the noun in your sentence. There are only two articles in the English language: “the” and “a” (and its variant “an,” used before a word that starts with a vowel sound). A noun may also appear without an article in front of it.
The definite article “the” refers to something specific, while the indefinite article “a” or “an” refers to something general.
When to use “a” or “an”:
- Use “a” before words that begin with consonants.
- Use “an” before words that begin with vowels.
When to use “the”:
- Use “the” when you are referring to something specific.
- Use “the” when there is only one of something.
Use “the” when you are referrring to something that has already been mentioned.
