Level 1 — Foundation · Sentence Accuracy
Task 6: Using Articles Correctly
Choose between a, an, the, and no article at all with confidence — the same new-vs-known distinction Lesson 6 teaches you to read, now applied to your own writing.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this task, you should be able to:
- Introduce a noun with a/an, then refer back to it with the across two or more sentences
- Leave out the article correctly when speaking about something in general
- Avoid the countable/uncountable mistake behind errors like 'informations' and 'a research'
Introduction
Bangla has no direct equivalent of a, an, and the, which is exactly why articles are one of the most persistent small mistakes in Bangla speakers' English writing — not because the rule is hard, but because there's no habit in your first language to build on. Lesson 6 taught you to read the new-vs-known signal every article carries; this task asks you to send that same signal yourself.
The Rule, for Writing
Core Concept
Use a/an the first time you introduce something the reader doesn't know yet: "I saw a ship." Use the once it's already identified — either because you mentioned it a moment ago, or because context makes it obvious which one you mean: "The ship was already loaded." A becomes an only when the next word starts with a vowel sound, not a vowel letter: an hour, but a university.
Common Mistake
Two traps worth watching for. First: information, advice, and research are uncountable — never informations or a research; say some information or a piece of research instead. Second: speaking generally needs no article at all — "Ships carry cargo" (ships in general), not "The ships carry cargo" (specific ships).
Your Turn
Your Turn
Write six sentences describing a task at work, using at least one article correctly in each. Include one sentence introducing something new with a/an, a following sentence referring back to it with the, and one sentence speaking generally with no article at all.
Vocabulary in Context
specificadjectiveneutral
one particular thing, not just any example of it (নির্দিষ্ট)
Often with specific example, specific requirement, be specific
“The email asks for a specific date, not just 'sometime next week'.”
uncountableadjectivetechnical
a noun with no plural form, treated as a mass rather than individual units (অগণনীয়)
Often with uncountable noun, treat as uncountable, uncountable form
“'Information' is uncountable, so we write 'some information', never 'an information'.”
Model Answer
Show a model answer
I received a report from the shipping agent this morning. The report listed every container due to arrive this week. Ships carry cargo across long distances every day. I needed some information before I could confirm the numbers. The information turned out to be correct.
Self-Check
Self-Check
- Did you use "a/an" the first time something was mentioned, and "the" once it was already known?
- Did you leave out an article where the sentence speaks generally?
- Did you avoid treating information, advice, or research as countable nouns?
Next: Writing 7 — describing a relationship between two things with a preposition, following Lesson 7.