A or the? What's the difference? Let's figure it out today!
Hello my dear friends and welcome to English Mania! My name is Antonia Romaker and today
we'll discuss one of the most confusing topics in the English grammar. We'll talk
about the indefinite article a and the definite article the. I've written a little poem for you.
A and the were sitting on some pipes, it was obvious that they were two very different types.
A didn't know what object she was talking about. There knew exactly what he meant and was very
loud. We use a when we do not say which person or which object exactly, it doesn't matter, we just
say one of, one of many. We do not specify which exactly. So a didn't know what object she was
talking about. We use the when we specify, we know which exactly, which person, which object exactly
we are talking about. That's why in my poem the knew exactly what he meant and was very loud.
So it's crystal clear what object we are talking about when we use the definite article the.
I need a pen to sign this document.Do
you have any? Which pen? Any pen, it doesn't matter which one exactly,
one of many. Any pan, just give me a pen to sign the document. It can be black, blue, red, glitter.
Another example: I need a blue pen to sign this document. I specify that I need a blue
pen. But still there are so many blue pens in the world. And I just need one of them. I need
a blue pen to sign this document. Which pen? Any blue pan, it doesn't matter which one exactly.
The pen isn't working, give me another one. The pen isn't working,
the pen I'm trying to use it isn't working. I know which pen, I'm talking about this pen,
the pen I'm holding, the pen I'm trying to use. That's why I say the pen isn't working.
What's your story behind a PB&J? I want a sandwich. I make a sandwich. I eat
the sandwich. What's your story behind a pbnj? I want a sandwich. I make a sandwich.
I eat the sandwich. So I want a sandwich, any sandwich, I do not specify. I make a sandwich,
just some sandwich, once again I do not say which one exactly. But I eat
the sandwich. I eat the sandwich that I have just made, it's a specific sandwich.
So coming back to my poem. Let's recite it to remember the difference better.
A and the were sitting on some pipes, it was obvious that they were two different types.
A didn't know what object she was talking about. The knew exactly what he meant and was very loud.
I hope that you enjoyed watching this class and now you understand
the difference between a and the a little better. If you have any questions write
a comment. And see you in my next video! Happy English and Russian practice! Bye!