Articles

Sakshi Education

Articles are demonstrative adjectives: a, an, the. The three articles are categorized as 'indefinite' and 'definite'. Indefinite articles 'a' and 'an' do not specify things. The definite article 'the' refers to a person or thing.

USAGE OF ‘a’
The article ‘a’ is used
(a) Before a countable singular noun.
E.g. a box, a man, a book, a house

(b) Before expressions which refer to countable things.
E.g. a hundred, a kilo

(c) To indentify somebody or something as one of a class.
E.g. He is a doctor. It is a car.

(d) Before a proper noun to make it a common noun.
E.g. A David is needed to fight this Goliath.

(e) Idiomatically with 'few and little.'
E.g. a few coins, a little fame

(f) In exclamatory sentences.
E.g. What a pity! Or what a grand Procession!

(g) When referring to special meals for celebrating.
E.g. A lunch was given in his honor.
What a grand dinner!

USAGE OF 'AN’
(Note: The letters a, e, i, o and u are vowels. The rest of letters of alphabets are called consonants.)
Usage of 'an' is similar to that of 'a', but varies in the following respects:
(a) An is used before a word starting with a vowel. The article 'a' is used before words beginning with a consonant sound.
E.g. an ass, an egg, an orange, an interesting idea, an omelette, an umbrella.
Words that are pronounced with the vowel sound of 'u' are preceded by 'an'.
E.g. an umbrella, an uncle, an unctuous person.
Words that are pronounced with consonant sound of 'u' are preceded by 'a'.
E.g. a university, a union, a uniform.

(b) Similarly, 'an' is also used before the silent 'h'.
E.g. an hour, an honest man.
However, when 'h' is aspirated (pronounced), 'a' is used.
E.g. a house (and not an house)

(c) It is also used before short-forms beginning with f, e, 1, m, n, r, s and x
E.g. an M.A., an L.L.B.

USAGE OF ‘THE’
It is used
(a) With things which are one in the universe.
E.g. the earth, the moon, the human race

(b) When a particular thing is distinguished from other things mentioned.
E.g. the man who was talking to you was a politician. The book you gave me was boring.

(c) With the superlative degree.
E.g. the best book, the best school

(d) Before the name of rivers, seas, mountains, countries, musical instruments, historical documents, wars etc.
E.g. the Himalayas, the Indian ocean, The Ganges, The Constitution, The Upanishads, the Trojan war, the first chapter, the second World War....

(e) Before a double comparative.
E.g. the more, the merrier.

(f) Before adjectives used to represent a class of person
E.g. the rich, the young

OMISSION OF ARTICLES
Do not use articles in the following circumstances:

before abstract nouns such as 'honesty', 'fear', 'virtue'.
Incorrect: A fear of death haunted him.
Correct: Fear of death haunted him.
Before names of meals, like, lunch, breakfast, dinner, unless we are talking of a special or specific meal.
Incorrect: I will meet you for a lunch.
Correct: I will meet you for lunch.
Before names of languages and games.
Incorrect: I played a cricket with my friends.
Correct: I played cricket with my friends.
When a name is prefixed to the name of a book.
E.g. Valmiki's Ramayana and not The Valmiki's Ramayana
before words like heaven, paradise, nature, space, God.

PROBLEMS IN USE OF ARTICLES
Rule 1: The indefinite article 'a' or 'an' is used before a singular noun which is countable as well as with a noun complement; as
A terrorist has been killed in an encounter.
A water pump is a must in a house in Rajasthan.

Rule 2: An indefinite article 'a' or 'an' is necessary in expressions referring to numbers, speed, price and frequency; as
A kilogram of sugar.
A dozen of oranges.

Rule3: Sometimes the use of indefinite article a before and after certain adjectives changes the very sense of the word with which it is used. For example, the use of ‘a’ before the adjectives 'few', 'little', 'slight', etc. changes the very meaning expressed by these words. 'Few' mean 'nearly nothing 'but 'a few' means 'some'. Note the following illustrations:
He has little time to spare. (Means 'no time')

Rule 4: Definite article 'the' is used with the things which are only one; for example:
The moon, the earth, the sky, the North Pole
The Prime Minister, the President.
In other words, the nouns which single out one individual or thing.

Rule 5: Definite article 'the' is used before a superlative as also before only when it is used as an adjective; as
This is the best book in the subject.
This is the only reason.
This is the biggest blunder you have made.
This is the only purpose of my visit.

Rule 6: The is used before names of periodicals and newspapers, names of important buildings, before names of rare or unique objects, names of rivers, oceans, bays, mountains, religious groups, communities, institutions, etc.
1 have read this news in the Tribune. (Newspaper)
The earth revolves round the Sun. (heavenly bodies)
The Taj Mahal is located at Agra in Uttar Pradesh. (Important / rare building)
The Ganges is the largest river of India. (River)
Similarly, definite article 'the' is used before the names of books.
The Bible, the Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi
The Two Faces of Indira Gandhi, the Quran.

Rule 7: Definite article 'the' is used before words pointing out a class or kind of a thing. It is sometimes done by using it before an adjective to represent a whole class; as
The crow is a clever bird. (Means 'all the crows')
The young will have to shoulder the responsibility. (Means 'all the young’)

Assignment -1
Fill in the blanks with the correct article and write when no article is necessary.