Articles: a/an, the

1.

4.2 Articles: a/an, the, no article
1 The first time we talk about one person or thing, we use a or an.
we use
an
before
vowel
sounds
1 Look! There’s an ambulance and a police car over there.
2 I need an hour to finish this work.
we use a
before
consonant
sounds
3 He lives in an old house in a small village.
2 The first time we talk about a plural noun, we do not use an article.
1 They haven’t got children.
2 She likes dogs and cats.
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2.

4.2 Articles: a/an, the, no article
1 When we already know which person or thing we are talking about, we use the.
1 The film we saw yesterday was very good.
2 I like the village she lives in – it is very pretty.
2 We use the when it is clear in the sentence which person or thing we are talking
about, because we have already talked about the thing or there is only one thing.
1 Jim has an oak tree in his garden. The tree is 300 years old.
2 What is the capital city of your country?
We’ve already talked
about it.
There is only one.
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3.

4.2 Articles: a/an, the, no article
We also use a/an, the or no article in certain situations or phrases.
1 We use a/an to talk about people’s jobs in the singular, but not in the plural.
1 He’s an engineer and she’s a bank manager. Their parents are teachers.
2 We use no article with people’s names, street names, cities and most countries (but
the UK, the Republic of Ireland)
1 This is Anna. She works on Oxford Street in London. She was born in Canada.
3 We use no article with days, times and meals, but we use the with parts of the day,
in the morning/the afternoon/the evening (but at night).
1 Can we have lunch now? It’s only 11.30 in the morning, but I’m hungry!
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4.

4.2 Articles: a/an, the, no article
Complete the sentences with a, an, the or – (no article).
The restaurants in my town are very good.
1 _____
a
– Saturday for my birthday. _____
The party is at
2 I’m having _____
party on _____
the Red Café.
_____
– Chile, but now he lives in _____
the U.S.A.
3 He comes from _____
the trees over there. It’s beautiful!
the sun behind _____
4 Look at _____
the salt?
5 Please, can you pass me _____
a nurse, but now he’s _____
an ambulance paramedic.
6 He was _____
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