"The" & "a"

[Balamut]

Please, could someone give me a link, where I can find info about correct using of the "THE" & "a". When to use what. Or maybe teach me on the spot (if this is easy)

Thank you

[Mark_Bloomfield]

hey balamut

some basic guidelines on the and a:

they are both known as 'articles'...the is a 'definate article' and 'a' is an 'indefinate article'.

definate article: the
is used prior to a noun, when the noun is something specific. like "the ball"...refers to one particular ball...
its used when the noun you're referring to is something definate or particular.

indefinate article: a
is used prior to a noun, when the noun is not something specific, like "a ball"...it could be one of many different balls... understand?

a ball: indefinate because its referring to any ball...
the ball: definate because its referring to a specific ball...

hope this helps

[Balamut]

Thank you, Mark, and .. welcome to the forum?
But I see you'r a moderator already

[Voyager13b]

Originally posted by Balamut
Thank you, Mark, and .. welcome to the forum?
But I see you'r a moderator already

Balamut,

Mark is the new VCI admin. His explaination was right on the money, but don't pay any attention to the fact that his shift key happens to be broken, or that an article may be definite, rather than definate.
(sorry)


Voyager

[Balamut]

No problem, I even didn't see those errors

[RC]

Another piece of information about "The & A".

"The".

1) We put "the" before a limiting attribute, like right/wrong, very, only, main, central, principal, latter, proper, previous... and so on and so forth.
2) When speaking about something unique, e.g. the sun, the moon, the stars, the Earth, the east/west/north/south, the horizon.
3) Before the things around us, like the wall, the corner, the window, the stairs, the fields...
4) "The" before the superlative degree. BUT: a best-seller (just pay attention).
5) "The" when a limiting of-phrase: the foot of the mountain, the city of Chicago, the position of a teacher.
6) This is only connected with posts, that can be taken by only one person in some fixed period of time, like the post of president of a country or its prime minister.
For example: George Walker Bush is president of the United States. Tony Blair is prime minister of Great Britain.
BUT: Winston Churchill was THE prime minister of Great Britain (We put "the" because he's dead).
Don't remember anything more about "the" now... Maybe later.

Now "A".

1) The object is the logical center of the sentence: The boy entered A room.
2) Usually after "there is", "it can be", "it's".
3) We are talking about smth. single. Usually about time/distance: Wait a minute.
4) If inan of-phrase, meaning:
a) quality: a sence of humour, a book of interest.
b) quantity or measure: a temperature of 20 degrees, a distance of 3 miles.
c) composition: a group of workers.
d) contents: a box of matches, a pile of wood.
e) age: a man of thirty.
f) size: a building of enormous size.
g) a friend of...

Heh, quite an article. (:

[Balamut]

Thank you very much.