Chapter 3
Noun Accomplices: Articles, Pronouns, and Adjectives

Articles

Articles are everywhere but few in number: just “the,” “a,” and “an.” They’re so quick and easy to use, almost everyone’s an expert. Still, some questions do arise, so here’s a quick article Q&A.

Another Quick Q&P Q&A…This Time About Articles

Q. When do you use “a” and when do you use “the”?
A. Use “a”—aka the “indefinite” article—when you mean a person or thing in general. For example, after dinner someone might say: “I am dying for a piece of cake.” They don’t mean a specific cake—any cake will do. But inside a bakery, you’d say: “I want the delicious-looking yellow cake—the one right there, on the left. Nope, not the one in the middle. The one on the left.” In English ...

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