We use definite article ‘the’ when it is clear in the situation which thing or person we mean such as “the light/ the floor/ the ceiling/ the door/ the carpet/ the wall” in a certain room the speaker and listener are sure of. Let’s see the following examples :

• Can you open the door, please ? ( the door of this room )
• Where’s the toilet, please? ( the toilet in this building )
• She rides a motorbike to the station. ( the station of that town )

There is a quite clear difference between a and an. A is used before consonants  ( b, c, d, f, g, h, etc. ). An is used before vowels ( a, i, u, e, o).

a car a book a house a university

an egg an aeroplane an artist an iron an owl an ipad an hour

Note : university is pronounced /yuniversiti/. That’s why, it is treated as consonant. So, we do not say or write an university. On the contrary, hour is pronounced /aue:/. It is treated as vowel. So, we do not say or write a hour.

Definite and Indefinite Article Exercises

Exercise I

Complete the following sentences with a or an.

1. It’s …… orange.

2. It’s …….mango.

3. He is ……honest employee.

4. It’s …….apple.

5. I can only buy ….used laptop.

6. It’s …..old house.

7. Have you got …..empty bottle?

8. It’s ……easy exercise.

9. She is ……unusual woman.

10. My house is near ….old hospital.

11. It’s …..hour till dinner.

12. I work in …..large library.

13. It’s …..exceptionally amazing innovation.

14. I live at …..one-hundred-story apartment.

15. It’s …..university where I studied.

Exercise II

Choose a, an or the to complete the sentences!

1. We live in … old house in Bandung.

2. I need … egg.

3. Did … police catch the burglar ?

4. Have you got … car?

5. I like … car you drive every day.

6. Where’s … station, please?

7. Can I turn on … light?

8. How often do you see … dentist?

9. I’m going to … bank to transfer some money to my son.

10. Can you hear … man talking to … woman outside the door?

 

Answer

Exercise I

 

1. It’s …an… orange.

2. It’s …a….mango.

3. He is …an…honest employee.

4. It’s …an….apple.

5. I can only buy …a..used laptop.

6. It’s …an..old house.

7. Have you got …an..empty bottle?

8. It’s …an…easy exercise.

9. She is …an…unusual woman.

10. My house is near an..old hospital.

11. It’s …an..hour till dinner.

12. I work in …a..large library.

13. It’s …an..exceptionally amazing innovation.

14. I live at …a one-hundred-story apartment.

15. It’s …a university where I studied.

 

Exercise II

 

1. We live in an old house in Bandung.

2. I need an egg.

3. Did the police catch the burglar ?

4. Have you got a car?

5. I like the car you drive every day.

6. Where’s the station, please?

7. Can I turn on the light?

8. How often do you see the dentist?

9. I’m going to the bank to transfer some money to my son.

10. Can you hear a man talking to  a woman outside the door?