Use of A, An, The
‘A’ and ‘An’ are indefinite articles. They are used to refer things which we do not know specifically. They are the same for all genders.For example: a girl, an apple, an umbrella etc.
‘A’
- ‘A’ is used before a word that begins with a consonant sound.
- All other letters of alphabet excluding vowels are called consonants.
- Example: a bag, a cat, a drum, a book, a tree, a cow, a school, etc
‘An’
- ‘An’ is used before a word that begins with a vowel sound.
- Letters a, e, i, o, u of the alphabet are called vowels.
- Example: an apple, an orange, an elephant, an airplane, an umbrella, an orange, an ink-pot, etc.
‘The’
- ‘The’ is called as the definite article as it points to a specific person or thing.
- ‘The’ is used to point out one person, animal, place or thing, from all others.
- Example:
- A boy and a girl were present there.
- The boy was tall, but the girl was short.
- ‘The’ is used when we speak of the same noun again.
- The first time we mention something in a story, we use a/an. After that, we use the.
- Example:
- Once there was a lion.
- The lion was very hungry.
- ‘The’ is used when noun is unique and one of its kind.
- ‘The’ is used before sun, moon, earth, sky, etc.
- Example:
- The sun shines brightly in the sky.
- The moon shines at night.
- The earth moves round the sun.
- ‘The’ is used before the names of rivers, canals, deserts, mountains, newspapers, holy books, oceans, seas, famous buildings, etc.
- Example:
- Delhi is on the Yamuna.
- The Taj Mahal is in Agra.
Practice Exercise
QA) Put ‘A’, ‘An’, or ‘The’ in the spaces.
1. I want ________cookie.
2. The scientist had ________ idea.
3. Jimmy fell asleep in ________ green chair.
4. ________ sun is shining today.
5. Anna told Rick ________ secret.
6. Tia gave her sister ________ apple.
7. Tina is holding ________ pencil.
8. Tia is in ________ garden.
9. There is ________ fountain in the middle of the park.
10. Ravi is running ________ race.
11. ________ ring is very expensive.
12. May I borrow ________ sheet of paper?
13. It is bad luck to open ________ umbrella indoors.
14. She is wearing ________ dress.
15. I ate ________ pancake for breakfast.
1. I want ________cookie.
2. The scientist had ________ idea.
3. Jimmy fell asleep in ________ green chair.
4. ________ sun is shining today.
5. Anna told Rick ________ secret.
6. Tia gave her sister ________ apple.
7. Tina is holding ________ pencil.
8. Tia is in ________ garden.
9. There is ________ fountain in the middle of the park.
10. Ravi is running ________ race.
11. ________ ring is very expensive.
12. May I borrow ________ sheet of paper?
13. It is bad luck to open ________ umbrella indoors.
14. She is wearing ________ dress.
15. I ate ________ pancake for breakfast.
QB) Put ‘A’, ‘An’, or ‘The’ in the spaces.
1. Tia is looking at _________ world map.
2. He is giving her _________ ring.
3. They had _________ accident.
4. _________ umbrella is _________ useful thing.
5. She came here _________ hour ago.
6. My brother is in _________ classroom.
7. Selena has got _________ purse.
8. We have _________ beautiful garden.
9. Can you give me _________ envelope, please?
10. He waited _________ hour.
11. Dia bought _________ dress today.
12. He is reading _________ magazine.
13. We are going to _________ beach.
14. _________ Taj Mahal is _________ beautiful building.
15. _________ sun rises in _________ east.