Lesson 4 - Articles THE, and A/AN (grammar rule)

ARTICLE THE: definite article (a specific object) that both the person speaking and the listener know. 

Do not use THE before proper names, name of countries, states, lakes, etc. Except when the country is collection of the states such as The United States.

Examples:

Maracaibo Lake is in Venezuela. Spanish is very difficult.

Do not use AN when speaking about things in general except when they represent a particular amount or quality.

Examples:

Gold in an important metal.  The gold in this ring is very old.

 ARTICLE A: indefinite article (not specific object, one of a number) used with consonants or when U sound /iu/

Examples:

a pen, a book, a calculator, a university.

ARTICLE AN: indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number) used with vowels or unsound H.

Examples:

an eraser, an exercise, an apple, an hour.