Articles — Defined

Articles — Defined

There are two articles in English: the definite article "the" and the indefinite article "a" (an). We use "the" in reference to an object already identified in the minds of those who are speaking (The book is on the table). We use "a" in referring to an object not yet identified in the minds of those speaking. The indefinite article "a" is really a reduced form of the numeral one (There is a man at the door = There is one man at the door).

We use the indefinite article "a" before words beginning with a consonant sound (a book, a chair, a big boy). Before words beginning with a vowel sound, we use "an" (an apple, an ear, an old man).

In Spanish the articles (both definite and indefinite) are adjectives and, as such, precede the noun they modify and agree with it in number and gender.