Explaining the Article

There is some confusion over the use of articles in English language and I will try to explain their applications more specifically to clear that up. Both the a and the are used to refer to “a” singular object but the first is used to talk about a generality or an object that has not been singled out whereas the other is used when there is a specific reference or person wants one particular answer. A particular answer comes after a question like could you tell me “the best way to get to the station.” The person asking the question is unlikely to know of just any way to get there, he wants the right one!

The “a” is used to talk about something non-specific. This reference may not be found in grammar books as it should, instead the teacher should refer to being general or not when talking about an item because it will help the learner understand when an object is to be considered distinctively or not. In other words when I have a cup on the table it could be any one and not a specific type. The moment that I say, “The cup is on the table” then the listener ought to know which one the speaker is referring to. In the previous paragraph the specific article “the” often precedes a superlative like best.

Another way of explaining specificity is by saying “I have a book” and the listener does not know which one I have but that isn’t necessary for me to use “the”. Once I want to elaborate on where the book is or some other details, I would say “The book is in my bag.”

“The” is used to address places and locations, which are specific too but not all places get to use this article. This article can precede some geographical formations like rivers and lakes but mountain names are not. So I live near “the St. Lawrence River” but “Mount Royal is in the centre of Montreal”.

When the aspecfic article is in front of a noun, a word beginning with u which has a short vowel sound like “unusual” or an “h” that is not expired it will be in the form of “an”.