Article

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''' The Simple English Wikipedia article on the Article (Grammar) makes the following generalization:

‘ A ’ or ‘ an ’ is used to introduce a new idea; whereas ‘ The ’ is used to refer to an idea already presented in the conversation. '''

The
''' ‘The’ is used when it is clear from the context which is being talked about.

If you should be using ‘the’, then you should easily be able to construct a ‘What-question’ where the answer is “the ”.

e.g. In the sentence, “The producer had the movie made in China.” What producer? What movie? If you can’t answer the question, you should probably be using “a” instead. '''

A/an
''' ‘A/an’ is used to refer to an arbitrary from a collection of s.

'''

Examples:
''' Question 1:

“Would you like apple?”

Which-question: “Which apple?” Answer: N/A

Therefore, “the” is not the answer.

Here we are talking about an arbitrary apple from a collection of apples, therefore “a/an” apple is the correct article to use.

Question 2:

2.a. “ If I learn language, I want to learn language of Northern Europe.”

Which-question: “Which language?” Answer: N/A

The first clause should not have a ‘the’ because the which-question, “Which language?” cannot be answered (from the information in the first clause).

Instead, the language being talked about here is an arbitrary language from a collection of languages; therefore the indefinite article ‘a/an’ should be used instead.

2.b. “If I learn language, I want to learn language of Northern Europe.”

Which-question: “Which language?” Answer: The language of Northern Europe.

In the second clause, the language of Northern Europe

Question 3:

There is an aquarium under Sky Tree.

Question 4:

I saw the sea last year.

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