Here, on this page let’s learn about articles which is one of the parts of speech.
What are the articles / Determiners?
Articles are those words used to describe or point out nouns and adjectives.
“A, An and The” are the articles which refer to a name of a person, place, thing, idea or a belief.
Example:
I am a student. My father is a doctor. My mother is a housewife. I have a sister and a brother. My brother is an engineer and my sister is a beautician. I like to play football. I watch cookery programs on Television. Hell’s Kitchen is the most interesting and lovable show. I love it a lot.
Types of Articles
There are two types of articles.
- Definite Articles
- Indefinite Articles
Definite articles
It is used to point out a specific noun or group of nouns. It can be used with singular, plural and uncountable nouns in a sentence.
Example:
I have a sister. She is a beautician.
I have a brother who is an engineer.
I love the show Hell’s Kitchen most.
Indefinite articles
These are the words which describe a noun but not a particular noun. It can be used with only a general singular noun.
Example:
I am a student.
I need a book.
I want an apple.
‘A’ and ‘An’
‘A’ and ‘An’ used instead of the word ‘one’. These are used to refer a person, place, thing or an idea. A / An is used before a singular countable noun.
- ‘A’ is used if the words start with the consonant sound.
- ‘A’ is used in the expression of quantity.
- ‘A’ is also used before ‘u’ when it sounds like the word ‘you’.
- ‘A’ is also used before ‘eu’.
Example:
He is in a union.
A lot of people affected by COVID-19 in 2020.
She lived in a motel.
Stella is a European girl.
- ‘An’ is used if the word begins with a vowel sound “a, e, i, o, and u”.
Example:
Raj bought an apple, an orange and an ice-cream.
Dev is an honest officer.
There is an S-bend on the way.
Nithya missed out an ‘r’ in a letter.
The
- ‘The’ is an article which refers to a particular noun and unique things.
Example:
New Delhi is the capital of India.
- Generally, ‘the’ is not used with plural nouns unless you refer to a specific noun.
Example:
It is a fact that the people in China work hard.
- ‘The’ is used before the word same.
Example:
‘Are these two bikes different?’ ‘No, they are the same.’
Uses of ‘The’
the is used to:
- Talk about a particular person, place or thing which has been already referred to.
Example: We go to the temple near our house every day.
Example: The dog is the faithful animal.
But this rule is an exemption to ‘man’ and ‘woman’.
Example: Woman makes life happy.
- Before the proper names of rivers, seas, gulfs, oceans, islands and mountains and place.
Example: The Ganga River is beautiful.
- Before the names of certain books.
Example: The Bible is a holy book.
- Before the common nouns which are unique of their kinds.
Example: The sun shines brightly.
- Before the proper noun when it is qualified by an adjective or a defining adjective clause.
Example: The great Alexander has changed the course of history.
- With superlatives.
Example: The darkest cloud has a silver lining.
We don’t use articles in some cases:
- Before the name of the game.
Example: Ravi plays cricket every day.
- Before an uncountable and abstract noun.
Example: You can gain knowledge by reading books.
- Before plural countable nouns.
Example: Children like to play.
- Before breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Example: I had breakfast with my friend.
- Before television.
Example: I watch reality shows on television.
- Before languages.
Example: We speak English at home.
- Before the names of the festival.
Example: Hindus wear new dresses on Diwali.
- Before next/last day, week, month, year.
Example: I am going out next Friday.
Here, is an example paragraph which includes articles. This would help you to understand the articles.
Example
Mia is very keen on dressmaking. Last week, she went to visit a friend who is in Mumbai. The two beautiful girls discussed the latest fashion and the trending outfits in Mumbai. Later, they planned to go shopping. They left the flat and got in a lift. Then for the surprise, the lift had stuck between the seventh and sixth floors. They were afraid. They were trapped for two hours. Fortunately, a boy saw them and informed the janitor. A mechanic arrived and repaired the lift. The girls got out and thanked the boy and the mechanic and went for shopping.