In English grammar, which word is the definite article?
Answerthe
'The' refers to a specific thing; 'a' and 'an' are the indefinite articles.
Language · Facts & stats
Article facts & stats
7 fact-checked facts about articles in writing and grammar, each with the reason behind it. 5 more are in today's round and join this page after it closes.
The basics
What is a 'byline' in a news article?
AnswerThe line that names the writer
A byline, usually 'By' and a name, credits the journalist who wrote the piece.
Going deeper
Why do we say 'an hour' rather than 'a hour'?
AnswerThe h is silent, so hour starts with a vowel sound
'Hour' is pronounced like 'our', so it starts with a vowel sound and takes 'an'.
The 'inverted pyramid' style of news writing puts what first?
AnswerThe most important information
News stories lead with the key facts so readers get the essentials even if they stop early.
What is the 'dateline' at the start of a news article?
AnswerThe line giving where, and often when, the story was reported
Datelines open many reports with a place name, such as 'LONDON', and sometimes the date.
Expert level
How many articles does the original United States Constitution contain?
Answer7
The Constitution's seven articles set up Congress, the presidency, the courts and more.
In German, what are the three singular definite articles in the nominative case?
Answerder, die, das
German nouns are masculine (der), feminine (die) or neuter (das).
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