An Kullanımı Ingilizce

Articles are used to define a noun as specific or unspecific. Please look at the examples below;

- After the long day, I went home and took a shower.
(We use "the" in this sentence because we want to express that it was one specific day and having a shower feld good.)

- After a long day, it is a good idea to go home and take a shower.
(We use "a" in this sentences because we are creating a general statement and sayin that taking a shower after any long day is good.)

More examples with explanations;

► The Definite Article

The definite article "the" limits the meaning of a noun to one particular thing. For example your mum tells you, "Don't touch the vase!" In this order sentence, you know which vase your mum is talking about. Because she used "the" in the sentence. 

The definite article can be used with singular, plural, or uncountable nouns. Look at the examples of definite and indefinite articles used in two sentences below;

- Please give me the pen! (The speaker wants you to give him a specific pen. Both you know which pen it is.)
- Please give me a pen!(The speakers needs a pen and it doesn't matter which pen it is.)

The is also used in the following categories of proper nouns:

Museums and art galleries:the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Art
Buildings: the Empire State Building, the Willis Tower
Seas and oceans:the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean
Rivers: the Mississippi, the Nile
Deserts:the Sahara Desert, the Sonora Desert
Periods and events in history: the Dark Ages, the Civil War
Bridges:the London Bridge, the Mackinac Bridge
Parts of a country:the South, the Upper Midwest

We use "the" with plural proper nouns.

- the Great Lakes
- the French
- the Rockies (as in the Rocky Mountains)

The is often used with proper nouns that include an “of” phrase.

- the United States of America
- the University of Minnesota
- the International Swimming Hall of Fame

We also use the when the noun being referred to is unique because of our understanding of the world.

- The moon moves around the earth.
- Wolves appear at the moon.

We use "the" when a noun can be made specific from a previous mention in the text. 

My son bought a cat. I am looking after the cat while he is on vacation.
I read a good book. The book was about how to use articles correctly in English.

The is used with superlative adjectives, which are necessarily unique (the first, the second, the biggest, the smallest, the next, the only, etc.).

- It was the first day of our marriage.
- She was the fastest player in the team. 
- He was the only person to sleep that night.

► The Indefinite Article

The indefinite articles are "a" and "an". The article "a" precedes a word that begins with a consonant. And the article "an" precedes a word that begins with a vowel.

The indefinite article indicates that a noun refers to a general idea rather than a particular thing. Look at the examples below;

- I need a phone. (Not a specific phone, any phone.)
- Mark wants a bicycle. (Not a particular bicycle, a bicycle in general.)
- Do you have a driver's license? (In general.)

We use "a" or "an" when we are talking about a new or unknown thing. It means we are introducing it to the listener for the first time. We also use "a" or "an" when we are asking about the existence of something.  

- I have a bike. (The bike is being introduced for the first time.)
- My uncle is a teacher. (This is new information to the listener.)
- Is there a pen in your drawer? (Asking about the existence of the pen.)

We use "a" or "an" to introduce what type of thing we are talking about.

That is an excellent book. (Describing the kind of book.)
Do you live in a small house? (Asking about the kind of house.)

Be Careful!

There are a few exceptions to the general rule of using a before words that start with consonants and an before words that begin with vowels. For example, the first letter of the word "hour" is a consonant, but it’s unpronounced. In spite of its spelling, the word "hour" begins with a vowel sound. So we "an" befor it. Look at the examples below;

- My mother is woman. (False)
- My mother is an honest woman. (True)

When the first letter of a word is a vowel but is pronounced with a consonant sound, we similarly use "a" as in the sample sentence below:

We need an university student for the project. (False)
We need a university student for the project. (True)

► Using Articles Before an Adjective

Sometimes an article can modifiy a noun that is also modified by an adjective. The word order for this structure is;

article + adjective + noun 

If the article is indefinite, we use "a" or "an" according to the word that follows it. Look at the examples below;

- I will buy a nice gift for you in London.
- I heard an interesting story on TV last night. 

► Indefinite Articles With Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are impossible (and sometimes very difficult) to count and they include intangible things  such as air, information. water, sand, wood etc. So, we should never use "a" or "an" with uncountable nouns. Because the indefinite article is only for singular nouns. We can modify uncountable nouns with quantity words like some. Look at the examples below;

- Please give me a water. (False)
- Please give me some water. (True)

Only when we use the water in terms of countable unist, we can use 
However, if you describe the water in terms of countable units (like bottles), we can use the indefinite article.

- Please give me a bottle of water.
- Can I have a glass of orange juice.