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The indefinite article “a” or “an” is used to talk about something in general.

The indefinite article is used to talk about a general thing among many of its type. The exact one is not yet known.

The indefinite article is also used to show a noun belongs to a group or category.

The definite article “the” is used to talk about a specific person or thing that everyone understands.

It is used when a person or thing has been mentioned already, “the” is used the next time the thing or person is talked about.

The definite article is used before superlatives.

The definite article is also used with unique objects and also, unique titles.

“The” can be followed by a prepositional phrase or a defining relative clause to specify which thing someone is talking about.

Some adjectives can be used with the definite article to refer to a group or class of people. 

An article is not needed with uncountable and plural nouns used in a general context. This is known as the zero article.

The zero article is also used with some places and institutions when it is clear what their purpose is.

We use no article before the names of Continents, Countries, Mountains, Lake, Villages, Town and Cities.

Also, before road names and some diseases like flu, indigestion and depression.

The zero article can be used with plural nouns to talk about a class of things in general. This can also be done with the definite article, plus a singular noun.

The zero article is normally used with the name of a person.

The definite article is used before a person’s name to differentiate them from another person with the same name.

The indefinite article is used when the focus is on a particular name, rather than the person.