
Learn English with Coffee Break English
‘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'.
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