Challenge with articles 'a', 'an', 'the'

These three articles often confuse many people when using them. Try your hand at these 5 multiple choice questions about a, an and the.

1. Articles "a", "an"

Basically, the article "a" is often used before a countable, singular noun to talk about a person, thing or event in general.

For example: A car is more expensive than a bike.

I have brought a raincoat with me in case it rains.

The article "a" is also used to mention a person or thing for the first time in a conversation. The listener has never heard of this person or thing before, or does not know the details.

For example: We saw a lake when we went to our relative's house.

The article "an" is used in a similar way. The only difference is that "an" comes before a noun whose pronunciation begins with a vowel: an umbrella, an egg, an hour, an MC.

2. The article "the"

The article "the" is used before a noun to refer to a person or thing that has been identified - that is, has been mentioned before or is known to the listener.

For example: We saw a lake when we went to our relative's house. The lake was huge.

"The" is used before uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns to talk about specific people or things.

For example: I love music , but I don't like the music that bus drivers often play.

English also uses "the" to talk about people and things that exist only once in the environment, such as the sun, the moon, the King, the President.

"The" is placed before an adjective to refer to a group of people with that characteristic, for example the poor, the old, the deaf.

"The" also appears in a number of phrases referring to time (in the morning, in the 1990s), place (the Himalayas, the Black Sea), organization (the United Nations, the police), country (the United States), newspaper (The New York Times), media (the TV, the radio), inventions (the bulb, the camera), or environment and aspects of life (the environment, the weather, the future).

In particular, when going to a public building such as a hospital or school, the speaker will use "the" or omit it depending on the purpose of going there. If the person goes to these places for a normal purpose (going to school, going for a health check), we say "go to school", "go to hospital". If they only go to these places for a special purpose (going to a parent-teacher meeting, visiting a sick person), we must add "the" before those buildings.

Choose the best answer to complete the following sentences:

Khanh Linh

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