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Wooden Alphabets

Definite and indefinite articles

1. We use a/an to talk about:

  • before a singular, countable noun or noun phrase

  • when we first talk about a person, an object or a place

2. We use the to talk about:

  • before a noun if there is only one of its kind

  • before a person, an object or a place that we already talked about

  • when our listener or reader knows which person, object or place

3. We use a before words that start with a consonant sound.

4. We use an before words that start with a vowel sound.

5. The use of a or an depends on the pronunciation of the word, not the spelling.

6. The pronunciation rule also applies to abbreviations.

Elementary

Intermediate/Advanced

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