Articles: A, An, The

Indefinite Articles: A and An

We use a or an when we are talking about something in a general way, or when we mention something for the first time.

• Use a before words that start with a consonant sound.
  • Example: a book, a car, a university
• Use an before words that start with a vowel sound.
  • Example: an apple, an hour, an umbrella

Definite Article: The

We use the when we are talking about something specific, something that has already been mentioned, or something unique.

1. Specific Nouns:
   • I saw a cat. The cat was black. (The specific cat I just mentioned)
2. Unique Things:
   • The sun, the moon, the internet
3. Superlatives:
   • The tallest building, the best student

No Article

We don't use an article when talking about general ideas, concepts, or plural nouns in a general sense.

• Example: I like music.
• Example: Cats are independent animals.