What is an Article?
Articles are a type of determiner that function like adjectives. They are used before nouns to specify whether the noun is general or specific.
- Indefinite Articles (
a
,an
): Used for general or non-specific nouns. - Definite Article (
the
): Used for specific, particular, or unique nouns.
10 Examples Showing Usage:
- I saw
a
dog in the park. (Any dog, not a specific one) - She ate
an
apple for breakfast. (Any apple) The
dog I saw yesterday was very friendly. (A specific dog that was mentioned before)- He is reading
a
book. (Any book) - Can you pass me
the
book on the table? (A specific book) - She wants to be -
an
engineer. (A profession) The
sun is shining brightly today. (A unique object)- It was
an
honor to meet him. (A word starting with a vowel sound) - He is
a
university student. (A word starting with a consonant sound) The
Himalayas are a famous mountain range. (A specific geographical feature)
The Indefinite Article (A / An)
Used for singular, countable nouns when the noun is general, non-specific, or being mentioned for the first time. The choice between `a` and `an` depends on the **sound** of the first letter of the word that follows.
When and How to Use 'A'
Use `a` before words that begin with a **consonant sound**.
- I need to buy
a
new pen. - She is
a
doctor at the local hospital. - He saw
a
cat chasing a mouse. - What
a
beautiful painting! - He is studying at
a
university in Europe. (Starts with a 'y' sound) - I have
a
one-rupee note. (Starts with a 'w' sound) A
dog is a faithful animal. (Represents the whole class of dogs)- She has
a
headache. - He is
a
European citizen. (Starts with a 'y' sound) - I will be back in
a
little while.
When and How to Use 'An'
Use `an` before words that begin with a **vowel sound** (a, e, i, o, u sounds).
- She ate
an
apple for a snack. - He is
an
honest man. (The 'h' is silent) - I will be there in
an
hour. (The 'h' is silent) - My brother is
an
MBA graduate. (Starts with an 'em' sound) - We saw
an
eagle soaring in the sky. - It is
an
honor to be here. - She filed
an
FIR against the thief. (Starts with an 'ef' sound) - This is
an
old and valuable painting. - He wants to be
an
astronaut when he grows up. - I have
an
umbrella in my bag.
The Definite Article (The)
Use `the` to refer to specific, particular, or unique nouns that are understood by both the speaker and the listener.
the
.When and How to Use 'The'
- I saw a dog.
The
dog was barking. (Refers to a noun already mentioned) The
sun rises in the east. (Refers to a unique object)- He is
the
tallest boy in the class. (Used with superlative adjectives) - This is
the
first time I have visited this place. (Used with ordinal numbers) The
Ganga is a holy river. (Used for names of rivers)- We are planning a trip to
the
Himalayas. (Used for mountain ranges) - He reads
the
Bible every day. (Used for holy books) - She is a famous actress in
the
United States. (Used for countries with plural names or 'republic', 'kingdom') - He is
the
Shakespeare of our time. (Used when a proper noun is compared) - We must help
the
poor andthe
needy. (Used to refer to a whole class of people)
Omission of Articles (Zero Article)
In some cases, no article is used before a noun. This is also known as the "zero article".
When and How to Omit Articles
Honesty
is the best policy. (Abstract noun used in a general sense)Gold
is a precious metal. (Material noun used in a general sense)- She speaks
French
fluently. (Name of a language) - We play
cricket
on weekends. (Name of a sport) - He is suffering from
malaria
. (Name of a disease) - I have
dinner
at 8 PM. (Name of a meal) Man
is a social animal. (Noun used in its widest sense)Books
are my best friends. (Plural countable noun used in a general sense)- My father is coming home. (Relationships like Father, Mother, Aunt)
- We are going to
Delhi
next month. (Name of a city/most countries)
Quick Identification Guide
Use this table as a quick reference to identify which article to use.
Article | Type | Key Usage (Where and How) |
---|---|---|
A |
Indefinite | Before singular, countable nouns that start with a **consonant sound**. (e.g., a book, a university) |
An |
Indefinite | Before singular, countable nouns that start with a **vowel sound**. (e.g., an apple, an hour) |
The |
Definite | Before specific, unique, or previously mentioned nouns. (e.g., the sun, the boy I met) |
(No Article) |
Zero Article | Before proper nouns, languages, sports, and abstract/plural nouns in a general sense. (e.g., Honesty, books) |