Articles

Question 1

What is an articles?

Answer 1

Are either definite or indefinite;

The definite article is “the”
The indefinite article is a/an

Question 2

What is the use of definite article a/an?

Answer 2

It is used when we don’t specify the things or people we are talking about.

Ex.
I met a friend.
I work in a factory in New York.

Question 3

What is the use of article “the”?

Answer 3

It is used when the speaker talks about a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know.

Ex.
The car over there is fast.
The president of the United States is giving a speech tonight.

Question 4

What are the other things to know of articles a/an?

Answer 4

When we speak of something or someone for the first time we use “a” or “an”, the next time we repeat the object we use the definite “the”.

Question 5

When is the article do not use?

Answer 5

1) Do not use an article with countries, states, counties or provinces, lakes and mountains except when the country is a collection of states such as “The United States “.
Ex. He lives in Washington near the Mount Rainier.
They live in Northern British Columbia.

2) We do not normally use an article with plurals and uncountable nouns to talk about things in general.
Ex. He writes books.
She likes sweets.
Do you like jazz music?

Question 6

Using of English articles countable and uncountable nouns

Answer 6

1) “The” can be used with uncountable nouns, or the article can be dropped entirely.

Ex. The two countries reached the peace after a long      
       disastrous war (some specific peace treaty);or 
       The two countries reached peace after a long disastrous war ( any peace).

2) “a / an” can be used only with countable nouns.
Ex. I’d like a piece of cake.
I lent him a book.
I drank a cup of tea.