articles of english grammar

What is an article?

An article is a word that modifies or describes the Noun. It is used before the noun to show whether it refers to something specific or not. So, in a way, articles can also be described as a type of adjectives as they also tell us something about the nouns, like adjectives.

Types of Articles

There are two types of Articles in the English language. They are as follows:

1.      Definite Article ( The)

2.      Indefinite Article (a, an)  

Use of definite Article The

The is used before----

1.      The superlative degree:

He is the ablest man of the town.

Honesty is the best policy.

2.      The name of states, countries, etc. having a descriptive name:

The Punjab is a small state. (Punjab is descriptive name)

He live in the U.S.A. (U.S.A. is a descriptive name)

Not. A name which gives us some meaning is a descriptive

For example: Punjab = Punj+ab= a land of five rivers.

3.      The names of the scriptures:

The Gita is a holy book. (Gita is a scripture)

4.      Before name of news paper.

The Hindustan Times is a well known newspaper.

5.      Name of river, canals, sea, oceans, boy, gulfs, group of islands, etc.

6.      The name of famous buildings.

7.      The names of national, sects and communities:

 The rich should help the poor.

8.      Proper nouns used as common nouns:

             Delhi is the London of India.

              Kalidas is the Shakespeare if India.

9.      Famous historical events:

             The betel of panipat.

10.  The directions:

11.  Name of unique things: as the sun, the moon, etc,

12.  Name of the parts of the body in place of possessive adjective:

13.  Titles:

 Akbar, the Great was loved by his subject.

Alexander, the great conquered the whole world.

14.  Comparative degree of adjective when there is a sense of proportion:

The deeper the well, the cooler the water.

The more one has, the more one wants.

15.   Adjective of comparative degree when selection is meant:

She is more beautiful of the two sisters.

He is the cleverer of the two.

16.  When we speak of a particular person or thing, we have already referred to:

      The pen you want is not available.

      I dislike the fellow about whom you spoke to me.

17.  When a singular noun is meant to represent a whole class:

The dog is a faithful animal.

The cow is a useful animal.

18.  With ordinals:

She was the first to come.

The tenth chapter of the book is very interesting.

19.  Before musical instruments:

He can play the harmonium.

I can play the flute.

20.  The is sometimes placed before a common noun to give it ht before of abstract noun:

The father in him was moved seeing the suffering children.

Do NOT USE THE

1.      Before language:

2.      Before abstract nouns:

3.      Before the name of metals:

4.      Before the names of food grains:

5.      Before the name of meals:

6.      Before the name of games:

7.      Before collective nouns used in general terms:

8.      Usually before  proper nouns:

9.      Before school, college church, bed, table, hospital, market, prison, when these place are visited or used for the primary purpose:

Note: The used with these words when we refer to them as a definite place, building or object rather than to the normal activity that goes on there: as,

10.  Before names of relatives like father, mother aunt, uncle:

11.  In certain phrases consisting of a proposition followed by its object:

At home, at work, at university, in church, in hand, in debt, by night, at sunrise, at noon, at noon, at night, at sight, on demand, on holiday, in prison , by name , by water, by river, on foot, at dinner, underground, above, ground,  

Use of indefinite articles a and an

A is used before:

1.      All singular common nouns beginning with a consonant:

    A boy sings a song.

2.      If a word begins with a vowel but give the sound of a consonant, a should be used before it:

He is a one-eyed man.

It is a useful work.

3.      A is used in its numerical sense of  certainty:

A Mr. kapoor came here for a loan.

I met a Mr. Das in the market.  

An is used before:

1.      All singular common nouns beginning with a vowel (a,e,i,o,u):

He is an artist.

He is an old man.

I intend to buy an umbrella.

2.      If a word starts with a consonant but gives the sound of a vowel, an should be used before it:

He in an honor to his profession.

He is an L.L.B.

He is an M.A.

3.      If a word begins with h and not accented on the first syllable, an is used:

This is an historical novel.

No article x

1.      God word use for omnipresent:

A table to remember when or when not to use Articles

Different cases		Examples
‘A’/ ‘An’ is used	When mentioning something for the first time.	I went for a movie.
	When talking about something which belongs to a set of the same thing.	This is a pen.
	When talking about someone who belongs to a certain group.	She is an engineer.
	When talking about a certain kind of a thing.	I've have made a great movie.
	When wanting to say that someone is a certain kind of person.	She is a shy girl.
‘The’ is used	When talking about a particular thing.	The movie that I went for was fantastic.
	When talking about something that you are sure of.	I cleared the interview.
	When there is only one such thing.	I don’t like to go out in the sun.
No article is used	When talking about something in general.	Swimming is a great physical activity.
	When talking about cities, countries, streets, sports, etc.	We visited France. We watched soccer together.