Part 7Grammar TroubleshootingSection 1 of 6
7.1Articles: a, an, the
Arabic has no exact equivalent of a and an, so they are the most commonly omitted words in student writing.
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Use a or an for a singular countable noun mentioned for the first time | I bought a laptop yesterday. |
| Use the when both speaker and reader know which one is meant | The laptop I bought is already broken. |
| Use the with things there is only one of | the sun, the internet, the government |
| Use no article for plurals and uncountable nouns in general statements | Students need support. Water is expensive here. |
| Use an before a vowel sound, not a vowel letter | an hour, an honest man, a university, a European city |