Articles (a, an, the)
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For ease of comprehension and translation, include definite and indefinite
articles (a, an, and the) in your writing. Don't skip
articles for brevity, including in headings and titles.
Recommended: Create a VM instance
Not recommended: Create VM instance
For more information about using standard English word order and about writing
for a global audience in general, see
Write for a global audience.
For more information about writing clear headings and titles, see
Headings and titles.
For information about using articles before product names, see
Articles before product names.
For information about using a or an before an abbreviation when the pronunciation
of the abbreviation can vary, see
Indefinite articles before abbreviations.
Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2025-03-21 UTC.
[null,null,["Last updated 2025-03-21 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eAlways include definite and indefinite articles (\u003cem\u003ea\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ean\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ethe\u003c/em\u003e) in your writing for clarity and easier translation.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eUse \u003cem\u003ea\u003c/em\u003e before consonant sounds and \u003cem\u003ean\u003c/em\u003e before vowel sounds, remembering that this depends on pronunciation, not spelling.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ean\u003c/em\u003e are indefinite articles used with singular nouns referring to any member of a group, while \u003cem\u003ethe\u003c/em\u003e is a definite article used with singular and plural nouns referring to specific members of a group.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhen using abbreviations, choose the article based on how the abbreviation is commonly pronounced (e.g., \u003cem\u003ea\u003c/em\u003e SQL database, \u003cem\u003ean\u003c/em\u003e FAQ when spelled out).\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["Documentation should use definite (*the*) and indefinite (*a*, *an*) articles for clarity and translation. Use *a* before consonant sounds and *an* before vowel sounds, considering pronunciation. The choice between *a* and *an* with abbreviations depends on whether it's pronounced as a word or spelled out. For instance, *a SQL* but *an FAQ*. External resources for more detailed explanations on article usage are provided.\n"],null,["# Articles (a, an, the)\n\nFor ease of comprehension and translation, include definite and indefinite\narticles (*a* , *an* , and *the*) in your writing. Don't skip\narticles for brevity, including in headings and titles.\n\nRecommended: Create a VM instance\n\nNot recommended: Create VM instance\n\nFor more information about using standard English word order and about writing\nfor a global audience in general, see\n[Write for a global audience](/style/translation).\n\nFor more information about writing clear headings and titles, see\n[Headings and titles](/style/headings).\n\nFor information about using articles before product names, see\n[Articles before product names](/style/product-names#the-with-names).\n\nFor information about using *a* or *an* before an abbreviation when the pronunciation\nof the abbreviation can vary, see\n[Indefinite articles before abbreviations](/style/abbreviations#articles)."]]
