indefinite article: a and an

1. We use the indefinite article, a/an, with count nouns when the hearer/reader does not know exactly which one we are referring to: Police are searching for a 14 year-old girl. 2. We also use it to show the person or thing is one of a group: She is a pupil at ondon !oad School. Police ha"e #een searching for a 14 year-old girl who has #een $issing since %riday. &enny 'rown, a pupil at ondon !oad School, is descri#ed as 1.( $etres tall with short #londe hair. She was last seen wearing a #lue )ac*et, a #lue and white #louse and dar* #lue )eans and #lue shoes.

+. We do not use an indefinite article with plural nouns and uncount nouns: She was wearing #lue shoes. ,- plural noun. She has short #londe hair. ,- uncount noun.

&enny 'rown, a pupil at ondon !oad School, is descri#ed as 1.( $etres tall with short #londe hair. She was last seen wearing a #lue )ac*et, a #lue and white #louse and dar* #lue )eans and #lue shoes. /nyone who has infor$ation should contact the local police on 0100+42311.

4. We use a/an to say what so$eone is or what job they do: 4y #rother is a doctor. 5eorge is a student. 6. We use a/an with a singular noun to say so$ething a#out all things of that *ind:

/ $an needs friends. ,- /ll $en need friends. / dog li*es to eat $eat. ,- /ll dogs li*e to eat $eat.

definite article: the

7he definite article the is the $ost fre8uent word in 9nglish. We use the definite article in front of a noun when we #elie"e the hearer/reader knows exactly what we are referring to. : #ecause there is only one: The Pope is "isiting !ussia. The moon is "ery #right tonight. The Shah of Iran was deposed in 1232. 7his is why we use the definite article with a superlati"e ad)ecti"e: ;e is the tallest boy in the class. <t is the oldest building in the town. : #ecause there is only one in that place or in those surroundings: We li"e in a s$all "illage next to the church. =ad, can < #orrow the car> When we stayed at $y grand$other?s house we went to the #each e"ery day. oo* at the #oy in the #lue shirt o"er there. - ,the church in our "illage. ,the car that #elongs to our fa$ily. ,the #each near $y grand$other?s house.

- ,the #oy < a$ pointing at.

: #ecause we ha"e already mentioned it: / wo$an who fell 10 $eters fro$ ;igh Pea* was lifted to safety #y a helicopter. The woman fell while cli$#ing. 7he rescue is the latest in a series of incidents on ;igh Pea*. <n &anuary last year two $en wal*ing on the peak were *illed in a fall. We also use the definite article: : to say so$ething a#out all the things referred to #y a noun:

7he wolf is not really a dangerous ani$al ,- Wol"es are not really dangerous ani$als. 7he *angaroo is found only in /ustralia ,- @angaroos are found only in /ustralia. 7he heart pu$ps #lood around the #ody. ,- ;earts pu$p #lood around #odies. We use the definite article in this way to tal* a#out musical instruments: &oe plays the piano really well.,- 5eorge can play any piano. She is learning the guitar.,- She is learning to play any guitar. : to refer to a system or service: ;ow long does it ta*e on the train> < heard it on the radio. Aou should tell the police. : With adjectives li*e rich, poor, elderly, une$ployed to tal* a#out groups of people: ife can #e "ery hard for the poor. < thin* the rich should pay $ore taxes. She wor*s for a group to help the disabled. The definite article with names: We do not nor$ally use the definite article with na$es: Willia$ Sha*espeare wrote ;a$let. Paris is the capital of %rance. <ran is in /sia. 'ut we do use the definite article with: : countries whose na$es include words li*e kingdom, states or republic: the Bnited @ingdo$C the *ingdo$ of DepalC the Bnited StatesC the People?s !epu#lic of Ehina. : countries which ha"e plural nouns as their na$es: the DetherlandsC the Philippines : geographical features, such as $ountain ranges, groups of islands, ri"ers, seas, oceans and canals: the ;i$alayasC the EanariesC the /tlanticC the /tlantic FceanC the /$aGonC the Pana$a Eanal.

: newspapers: 7he 7i$esC 7he Washington Post : well *nown buildings or works of art: the 9$pire State 'uildingC the 7a) 4ahalC the 4ona isaC the Sunflowers : organizations: the Bnited DationsC the Sea$en?s Bnion : hotels, pubs and restaurantsH: the !itGC the !itG ;otelC the @ing?s ;eadC the =I)J Ku HDote: We do not use the definite article if the na$e of the hotel or restaurant is the na$e of the owner, e.g., 'rown?sC 'rown?s ;otelC 4orel?sC 4orel?s !estaurant, etc. : families: the F#a$asC the &ac*sons