Grammar: ✨ Grammar F: 🧩 Parts of Speech - Basics (A1) - Lesson 14: Definite Article 'the'

Lesson 14: The Definite Article 'the'

In our last lesson, we learned that 'a' and 'an' are used for one general thing. Today, we will learn about the definite¹ article: the.

We use the when we talk about a specific² thing that the speaker and listener both know about.

When to Use 'the'

Here are the two most common rules for beginners.

Rule 1: For something we already mentioned (the second mention³).
We introduce something with 'a' or 'an'. When we talk about it again, we use 'the'.

• I see a boat on the river. The boat is green.
• She has an apple. The apple looks delicious.
• There is a big market in town. Let's go to the market.

Rule 2: For something that is unique⁴ (there is only one).

• The sun is hot today. (There is only one sun)
• Look at the moon! (There is only one moon)
• I like to walk by the Kampot River. (There is only one in this context)
• Let's meet at the Durian Roundabout. (A specific, unique landmark)

Pronunciation⁵ Tip: The spelling of 'the' never changes, but the sound does!

• We say "thuh" /ðə/ before a consonant sound: the boat, the market, the sun.
• We say "thee" /ðiː/ before a vowel sound: the apple, the old bridge, the orange.

Practice Quiz: Choose 'a', 'an', or 'the'

Choose the correct article to complete the sentences.

1. My father has ___ new moto. ___ moto is black.
   → a, The
2. Can you see ___ Old Bridge from here?
   → the
3. I would like to eat ___ egg.
   → an
4. She is ___ very kind person.
   → a
5. I bought ___ book yesterday. ___ book is very interesting.
   → a, The

Homework: Complete the Story

Fill in the blanks with a, an, or the to complete the short story.

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Yesterday was ___ beautiful day. I went to ___ market near my house. In ___ market, I saw ___ woman selling fruit. She had ___ big watermelon and ___ bunch of bananas. I bought ___ watermelon. ___ watermelon was heavy, but delicious!

(Answers: a, the, the, a, a, a, the, The)

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Definite: (Adjective) - កំណត់ - Specific, certain, or clear. ↩
2. Specific: (Adjective) - ជាក់លាក់ - Clearly identified or particular. ↩
3. Second mention: (Phrase) - ការនិយាយលើកទីពីរ - To talk about something for the second time. ↩
4. Unique: (Adjective) - តែមួយគត់ - Being the only one of its kind. ↩
5. Pronunciation: (Noun) - ការបញ្ចេញសំឡេង - The way in which a word is spoken. ↩