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.

Note: The words ‘hour’ and ‘honest’ begin with the letter ‘h’, but the ‘h’ is silent. Therefore, we say an hour, an honest man.

‘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.