ARTICLES  

Using An and A
(a)    A dog is an animal	A and an are used in front of singular count nouns. In (a) : dog and animal are singular count nouns.
(b)   I work in an office (c)    Mr. Lee is an old man	Use an in front of words that begin with the vowels a, e, i and o : an apartment, an elephant, an idea, an ocean. In (c) : notice that an is used because the adjectives (old) begins with a vowel and comes in front of a singular count noun (man).
(d)   I have an uncle Compare (e)    He works at a university	Use an if a word that begins with ‘u’ has a vowel sound : an uncle, an ugly picture. Use a if a word that begins with ‘u’ has a /yu/ sound : a university, a usual event.
(f)    I need an hour to finish my work Compare (g)   I live in a house. He lives in a hotel.	In some words that begin with ‘h’, the ‘h’ is not pronounced. Instead, the word begins with a vowel sound and an is used: an hour, an honor. In most words that begin with ‘h’, the ‘h’ is pronounced. Use a if the ‘h’ is pronounced.

Using ‘The’
(a)    A: where’s David? B: he’s in the kitchen. (b)   A: I have two pieces of fruit for us, an apple and a banana. Which do you want? B: I’d like the apple, thank you. (c)    A: it’s a nice summer day today. The sky is blue. The sun is hot. B: yes, I really like summer.	A speaker uses the when the speaker and the listener have the same thing or person in mind. The shows that a noun is specific. In (a) : both A and B have the same kitchen in mind. In (b) : when B says “the apple” both A and B have the same apple in mind. In (c) : both A and B are thinking of the same sky (there is only sky for them think of) and the same sun (there is only sun for them to think of)
(d)   Mike has a pen and a pencil The pen is blue. The pencil is yellow. (e)    Mike has some pens and pencils The pens are blue. The pencils are yellow. (f)    Mike has some rice and some cheese. The rice is white. The cheese is yellow.	The is used with : ·         Singular count nouns, as in (d) ·         Plural count nouns, as in (e) ·         Uncounted nouns, as in (f) In other words, the is used with each of the three kinds of nouns.
	Notice in the examples : the speaker is using the for the second mention of a noun. When the speaker mention a noun for a second time, both the speaker and listener are now thinking about the same think. First mention : I have a pen Second mention : the pen is blue.

Using ‘This and That’
(a)    I have a book in my hand. This book is red (b)   I see a book on your desk. That book is blue. (c)    This is my book (d)   That is your book	This book = the book is near me That book = the book is not near me
(e)    That’s her book	Contraction : that is = this’s                       That is = that’s
(f)    This is her book	In spoken English, this is usually pronounced as ‘this’s’. It is not used in writing.
Using ‘these and those’
(g)   My books are on my desk. These are my books. (h)   Your books are on your desk. Those are your books.		Singular This That	Plural These Those

There + be
There + be + subject + place	There + be is used to say that something exists in a particular place. Notice : the subject follows be : There + is + singular form There + are + plural form
(a)    There is a bird in the tree (b)   There are four birds in the tree
(c)    There’s a bird in the tree (d)   There’re four birds in the tree	Contractions : There + is = there’s There + are = there’re