Articles
are adjectives that let the reader know if you are referring to a particular
thing or just one of those things.
Articles in the English language are a,
an, and the.
There
are two kinds of articles: definite and indefinite.
Definite Article: The
The
is considered a definite article, and it tells the reader that you are
referring to a particular thing that both you and the reader know and can
recognize.
The student standing by the
door. (Referring to a particular student
and a particular door)
The book that you brought is here.
(Referring to a particular book)
Indefinite Article: A, An
A
and
an are considered indefinite
articles, and they tell the reader that you are referring to just one thing
(not a particular thing).
She will bring an apple for lunch.
(It could be any apple)
He brought a pen so he could take
notes. (There is no specific pen he brought; it is just a pen)
Use
a for a word that begins with a
consonant (a car, a bed, a computer), and use an for a word that begins with a vowel (an elephant, an outlet, an
igloo).
Tips for Using Articles:
· The
first time you refer to an object use a/an.
The second and every subsequent time, you should use the.
I drive a minivan. The minivan is black with red and orange
flames painted on the side.
· Do
not use an article when referring to countries, states, lakes, counties, or
mountains. An exception would be when
referring to a collection of something: The Great Lakes, The United States.
I
have visited South America. She lives in
Hennepin County.
· Do
use an article when referring to a body of water.
I
have sailed on the Adriatic Sea. My
family lives on the Atlantic Ocean.