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Used when we (speaker and listener) don’t know which one, or it doesn’t matter which one

• I need a cup; could you get me one, please? (It doesn’t matter which one, I just need a cup.)
• She wants a doll for her birthday.

Used to talk about any one member of a class.

• A car is a necessity for many people. (any car)
• An elephant is big and gray.

Used to classify people or things.

• She’s a waitress.
• “What’s that?” “Oh, it’s just a wind chime, that’s all.”

Plural and uncountable nouns generally do not get an article—use some or any.

• I saw some geese flying overhead.
• Water, milk, bread, sugar, etc.
• Please give me some juice.
• Do you have (any) money?
• The store was out of butter.

When “a/an” is necessary:

• Negative expressions
•  “Let me borrow your calculator.” “I don’t have a calculator.” (Not I don’t have calculator.)
• Prepositions
• He sat down in the shade of a tree. (Not … of tree.)
• Fractions
• two-thirds of a mile (Not two-thirds of mile)

When “a/an” is NOT used:

• With adjectives alone (without a noun).
• It’s a nice day. (The article is used, since there is a noun.)
• It’s nice. (Not It’s a nice.)

Possessives—use the phrase a _______ of mine/yours/ etc.

• She’s my teacher.
• She’s a teacher of mine.

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A. Used when we (speaker and listener) know “which one”

1. We have mentioned it before.

• He has a mother. The mother is sick.

2. We say which one we mean.

• The man with the yellow hat is George’s friend.

3. It is clear from the situation which one we mean.

• Everybody went to the picnic.
• He spoke to the boss about getting a raise. (You know which one – my boss.)
• Please turn off the light when you’re done. (You know that the light in the room is the one I’m talking about.)

B. There is only one around.

• The Black Death devastated Europe in the 14th century.
• People say that the moon is made of green cheese.

C. It concerns the physical environment.

1. The city, the country, the weather, the sea, the future, etc.

• Listen to the falling rain.
• Do you want to go camping in the mountains on your vacation, or would you rather rent a cottage by the seashore?
• Some people would rather live in the country instead of the city.

2. Used with superlatives—usually only one best, biggest, etc., so we know which one.

• That’s the biggest park in our town.

3. Also used with first, next, last, same, only

• It was a coincidence that we got the same score on our tests.
• That’s the last straw – I will never shop there again.

4. “the” = “the well-known”

• The President will give his State of the Union address tonight.
• Did you ever see Yo-Yo Ma, the cellist?

When “the” is NOT used:

A. Possessives and demonstratives.

• My father is an engineer. (Not The my father is an engineer.)
• Give me that book when you’re done. (Not Give me that the book when you’re done.)

B. Proper names.

• They went to Canada on their vacation. (Not They went to the Canada on their vacation.)

C. Things in general.

• Cats are popular pets. (Not The cats are popular pets.)

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