Guide on the Meanings & Examples of Definite Article & Indefinite Article
DEFINITE ARTICLES – Here are the meanings and the examples of definite and indefinite articles in English.
Undeniably, in English, there are lessons that are applicable in almost all forms of sentence construction while there are those that are rarely used.
With regards to those lessons that are usually implemented, one of them is about the definite and indefinite articles. These two which indicate different aspects are often used in sentences.
In this article, we will discuss about the meanings and the examples of the definite article and as well as the indefinite article in English.
Based on an article on Talk English, there are two(2) indefinite articles in English while there is only one(1) definite article.
INDEFINITE ARTICLES
The two indefinite articles in English are ‘a’ and ‘an’. They are used several cases most especially when referring to an unspecified noun or subject.
Examples:
- a book
- a fireman
- an umbrella
With regards to the articles above, they refer to books, firemen, and umbrellas in general. There is no particular subject being talked about and it can be any book, any fireman, or any umbrella.
Indefinite articles may also be used in specifying numbers or indicating the degree of something. Here are some examples:
- a gallon
- a pitcher
- a bit happy
DEFINITE ARTICLES
The definite article which is “the” indicate or refer to a specific subject.
Examples:
- the water bottle
- the case
- the tuna
These examples refer to a specific water bottle, case, and tuna. It cannot be just any water bottle or any case or tuna. The speaker is referring to a definite subject.
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