There are many rules for how to properly use articles in English. Here are two of the main rules:
Known or Unknown Nouns
When we introduce a noun for the first time, we use the indefinite articles, a or an.
When we have already talked about the noun, we use the definite article, the.
- I saw a man. The man had a dog. The dog was running around a tree. There was a cat up in the tree.
When do I use a and when do I use an?
- a = before consonant sounds (b,c,d,f,g,h,j,k,l,m,n,p,q,r,s,t,v,w,x,y,z)
- an = before vowel sounds (a,e,i,o,u)
**an honest man = the 'h' is silent and the first sound in "honest" is "ah" which is a vowel sound.
**a university = the "u" sound is a "y" sound which is a consonant sound.
Specific or General Nouns
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