ARTICLES-A/AN/THE

Articles

In the English language, the words that describe whether the given noun is specific or general are called Articles. Actually, articles are adjectives.

Types of articles

1. Indefinite Articles: The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general.

2. Definite Articles: The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate whether the noun is specific or is identified by the reader.

 

                        General Rule for the use of Articles

1.      Proper nouns generally do not take any articles.

2.      Singular common noun may take any article-‘a’ or’an’ or ‘the’.

3.      Plural common noun may take either ‘the’ or no article..

Examples-

a.      I saw a monkey. (any monkey)

b.      I saw monkeys in my garden. (No article is required)

c.      I saw the monkeys of Naina park. (Particular monkeys of Naina Park)

d.      I saw the monkey again. (a specific monkey)

Use of Indefinite Articles

Rule 1:

1.      When a word begins with the vowel sound then ‘an’ is used before the words.

2.      When a word begins with the consonant sound then ‘a’ is used before the words.

Examples-

a.      a university

b.      an umbrella

c.      a one-man army

d.      an orange

e.      a BSC

f.       an MA

g.      an egg

h.      a European country

Rule 2:

Proper nouns generally do not take any articles, but when a proper noun is used as a common noun then it takes article.

Example: 

a.      He thinks he is a Kishor Kumar. (Here, ‘Kishor Kumar’ refers to someone like him.)

Using Definite Article: the

Rule 1:

‘The’ is used to indicate a particular person(s) or thing(s) in the case of common nouns. Proper nouns generally do not take an article.

Example:

a.      The boy was sitting on the bench. (A particular boy)

b.      I saw the man stealing. (A particular man)

c.      My father like the pen I gave him last year. (A particular pen)

Rule 2:

In a case of repetition of common noun-

Either indefinite (a and an) or no article is used for the first time but when it is repeated, it takes definite article (the) before it.

Examples

a.      Vinod called a student for prayer. The student made an excuse.

b.      My mother cleans chairs. The chairs were brought by my father.

c.      My sister gave me a plant. The plant is medicinal.

Rule 3:

1.      Sometimes ‘the’ is used to generalize a group/whole class.

2.      The + noun= whole species (use singular verb)

3.      The + adjective= plural noun (use plural verb)

Example:

a.      The dog is a faithful animal.

b.      The honest are respected.

c.      The poor are not always dishonest.

Rule 4:

A non-count noun takes ‘the’ before it if it is particularized.

Example:

a.      The water of the Arctic ocean is freezing.

b.      He has not returned the money I lent him last year.

c.      The milk in the judge is put in fridge.

Rule 5:

‘The’ is mandatory before a thing which is only one of a kind in the universe.

Example:

a.      The moon is shining tonight.

b.      The earth is moving around the sun.

Rule 5:

Use of ‘the’ before geographical places :

     1.      ‘The’ must not be used before the-

a.      Name of continent: Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, North America, Antarctica.

b.      Name of countrie: India, England, Ukraine, Australia, England, France, etc.

c.      Name of states, or city, or town: Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujrat, Assam, Meerut, Mawana etc.

d.      Name of street: Tilak Street, Shivaji Street, Sardar Patel Street, etc.

e.      Name of singular lake and bay: Bay of Bengal, Bay of Kachchh, Dal lake, etc

f.       Name of single mountain: Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, Mount k2, Mount Fuji, etc.

g.      Names of single island: Easter Island, Bare Island, Bird Island, etc.

h.      Names of language: Hindi, Spanish, Russian, English, etc.

i.       Names of sport: hockey, cricket, football, basketball, etc.

j.       Names of discipline/subject of studie: Hindi, biology, history, computer science, mathematics, etc. 

k.      Proper noun:Archana, Arun, Lokesh, Krishna, Brij, Ayushi, Ritu, etc.

       2.      ‘The’ must precede:

a.      Name of ocean, gulf, sea, and river: the Indian ocean, the Atlantic, the Coral Sea, the Timor Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Ganga, the Yamuna River, etc.

b.      Name of country with plural name or with united or states or islands: the United States of America (the USA), the UK, the UAE, the Philippines, etc.

c.      Name of group of lakes: the Great Lakes, the African Great Lakes

d.      Name of mountain range: the Himalayas, the Alps, the Andes, etc.

e.      Names of a group of Islands: the Nikobars, the Andamans, etc.

Exercises