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‘A' or 'the'? - How to use articles | The Coffee Break English Show 1.08

Dec 8, 2023

'A' or 'the'? Learn the difference between general and specific references. Use 'a' for singular things and 'the' for singular or plural. Avoid using 'a' for plural things. Discover when to use 'the' and 'a' for specific information. Examples given for jobs, professions, and non-specific plural or uncountable nouns.

13:15

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Quick takeaways

Using 'a' for singular, non-specific entities and 'the' for specifically identified entities, including unique entities and professions.

No article is used when referring to plural or uncountable nouns in a general sense, but 'the' is used for specific plural or uncountable nouns.

Deep dives

The use of 'a' and 'the' for general and specific things

The podcast episode explores the distinction between using the indefinite article 'a' and the definite article 'the' to describe general and specific things. 'A' is used for singular, non-specific entities, while 'the' is used for specifically identified entities. Examples include using 'a' to refer to a random dog or to ask for any pen, and using 'the' to refer to a specific dog that was mentioned before or a match that both speakers are aware of. Furthermore, the podcast explains how 'the' is used for singular, unique entities like 'the sky' or 'the Earth', as well as for professions like 'a teacher' or 'a doctor'.

Introduction

2min

Understanding the Difference between 'a' and 'the' in English

2min

Using 'a' and 'the' for general and specific things and jobs and professions

2min

The Usage of Articles with Plural Things

5min

The Use of Articles to Indicate Specificity

3min

In this new episode of The Coffee Break English Show, Mark and Josie chat about when to use ‘a’ and ‘the’ to talk about general and specific things. By the end of this episode you will feel confident using definite and indefinite articles.

➡️ Click here to access the blog article and worksheet that accompany this lesson ⬅️

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