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For ease of comprehension and translation, include definite and indefinite
articles (a,an, andthe) 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, seeWrite for a global audience.
For more information about writing clear headings and titles, seeHeadings and titles.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-03-21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)."]]
