Hello! Today we learn about ‘a’, ‘an’, and ‘the’ – small words that are very important in English. They help us talk about things in a clear way. Let’s start easy and learn how to use them right.
“A” is used before singular, countable nouns which are not specific. It’s like saying “any one of” these things. For example, “a cat” means any cat, not a specific cat.
Examples:
- a horse
- a dictionary
- a hotel
- a building
- a spider
- a polar bear
- a car
- a book
- a city
- a tree
- a chair
- a school
- a garden
- a phone
- a cup
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“An” works just like “a,” but it’s used before singular, countable nouns that start with a vowel sound. This makes it easier to say. So, instead of “a apple,” we say “an apple.”
Examples:
- an insect
- an ant
- an airplane
- an orange
- an umbrella
- an egg
- an apple
- an elephant
- an ice cream
- an owl
- an hour (‘h’ is silent)
- an engineer
- an octopus
- an island
- an opera
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“The” is used before nouns that are specific or unique. This article tells you that the speaker and the listener both know what’s being talked about. For example, “the sun” refers to that one big star we all know and love.
- the supermarket – Where you go for groceries.
- the kitchen – Where meals are prepared and cooked.
- the morning – The first part of the day.
- the weekend – Saturday and Sunday, a break from work.
- the bus stop – Where you wait for the bus.
- the park – A public area with green space for recreation.
- the library – A place with lots of books you can borrow.
- the movie theater – Where you go to watch movies on a big screen.
- the school – Where students go to learn.
- the bathroom – Where you take showers and get ready.
- the bank – Where people save or borrow money.
- the gym – A place for exercise and fitness.
- the internet – Used for browsing, information, and connecting with others.
- the fridge – Where you keep your food cold.
- the bedroom – Where you sleep and relax.
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