Articles Level

Parent Article


Parent Article

In this lesson, we will explore three very small but important words in the English language: the articles a, an and the. These are words that you use in almost every sentence that you speak or write. Learn about the significance of articles, when to use them and some examples.

Definition of Articles

An article is a word used to modify a noun, which is a person, place, object, or idea. Technically, an article is an adjective, which is any word that modifies a noun. Usually adjectives modify nouns through description, but articles are used instead to point out or refer to nouns. There are two different types of articles that we use in writing and conversation to point out or refer to a noun or group of nouns: definite and indefinite articles.

Definite Article

Let's begin by looking at the definite article. This article is the word 'the,' and it refers directly to a specific noun or groups of nouns. For example:

  • the freckles on my face
  • the alligator in the pond
  • the breakfast burrito on my plate

Each noun or group of nouns being referred to - in these cases freckles, alligator, and breakfast burrito - is direct and specific.

Indefinite Articles

Indefinite articles are the words 'a' and 'an.' Each of these articles is used to refer to a noun, but the noun being referred to is not a specific person, place, object, or idea. It can be any noun from a group of nouns. For example:

  • a Mercedes from the car lot
  • an event in history

In each case, the noun is not specific. The Mercedes could be any Mercedes car available for purchase, and the event could be any event in the history of the world.

Article Usage with Examples

Properly using a definite article is fairly straightforward, but it can be tricky when you are trying to figure out which indefinite article to use. The article choice depends on the sound at the beginning of the noun that is being modified. There is a quick and easy way to remember this.

If the noun that comes after the article begins with a vowel sound, the appropriate indefinite article to use is 'an.' A vowel sound is a sound that is created by any vowel in the English language: 'a,' 'e,' 'i,' 'o,' 'u,' and sometimes 'y' if it makes an 'e' or 'i' sound. For example:

  • an advertisement on the radio (this noun begins with 'a,' which is a vowel)
  • an element on the periodic table (this noun begins with 'e,' which is also a vowel)

If the noun that comes after the article begins with a consonant sound, the appropriate indefinite article to use is 'a.' A consonant soundis a sound that comes from the letters that are not the vowels in the English language. For example:

  • a tire on my car (the noun the article modifies begins with 't,' which is a consonant)
  • a baboon at the zoo (the noun the article modifies begins with 'b,' which is also a consonant)

 

 

First child

English has two types of articles: definite and indefinite. Let’s discuss them now in more detail.

The Definite Article

The definite article is the word the. It limits the meaning of a noun to one particular thing. For example, your friend might ask, “Are you going to the party this weekend?” The definite article tells you that your friend is referring to a specific party that both of you know about. The definite article can be used with singular, plural, or uncountable nouns. Below are some examples of the definite article the used in context:

Please give me the hammer.

Please give me the red hammer; the blue one is too small.

Please give me the nail.

Please give me the large nail; it’s the only one strong enough to hold this painting.

Please give me the hammer and the nail.

 

The Indefinite Article

The indefinite article takes two forms. It’s the word a when it precedes a word that begins with a consonant. It’s the word an when it precedes a word that begins with a vowel. The indefinite article indicates that a noun refers to a general idea rather than a particular thing. For example, you might ask your friend, “Should I bring a gift to the party?” Your friend will understand that you are not asking about a specific type of gift or a specific item. “I am going to bring an apple pie,” your friend tells you. Again, the indefinite article indicates that she is not talking about a specific apple pie. Your friend probably doesn’t even have any pie yet. The indefinite article only appears with singular nouns. Consider the following examples of indefinite articles used in context:

Please hand me a book; any book will do.

Please hand me an autobiography; any autobiography will do.

 

Exceptions: Choosing A or An

There are a few exceptions to the general rule of using a before words that start with consonants and an before words that begin with vowels. The first letter of the word honor, for example, is a consonant, but it’s unpronounced. In spite of its spelling, the word honor begins with a vowel sound. Therefore, we use an. Consider the example sentence below for an illustration of this concept.

 

My mother is a honest woman.

My mother is an honest woman.

 

Similarly, when the first letter of a word is a vowel but is pronounced with a consonant sound, use a, as in the sample sentence below:

 

She is an United States senator.

She is a United States senator.

 

This holds true with acronyms and initialisms, too: an LCD display, a UK-based company, an HR department, a URL.

Article Before an Adjective

Sometimes an article modifies a noun that is also modified by an adjective. The usual word order is article + adjective + noun. If the article is indefinite, choose a or anbased on the word that immediately follows it. Consider the following examples for reference:

 

Eliza will bring a small gift to Sophie’s party.

I heard an interesting story yesterday.

 

Indefinite Articles with Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are nouns that are either difficult or impossible to count. Uncountable nouns include intangible things (e.g., information, air), liquids (e.g., milk, wine), and things that are too large or numerous to count (e.g., equipment, sand, wood). Because these things can’t be counted, you should never use a or anwith them—remember, the indefinite article is only for singular nouns. Uncountable nouns can be modified by words like some, however. Consider the examples below for reference:

Please give me a water.

 

Water is an uncountable noun and should not be used with the indefinite article.

Please give me some water.

 

However, if you describe the water in terms of countable units (like bottles), you can use the indefinite article.

 

Please give me a bottle of water.

 

 

Please give me an ice.

Please give me an ice cube.

Please give me some ice .

 

Note that depending on the context, some nouns can be countable or uncountable (e.g., hair, noise, time):

We need a light in this room.

We need some light in this room.

 

Using Articles with Pronouns

Possessive pronouns can help identify whether you’re talking about specific or nonspecific items. As we’ve seen, articles also indicate specificity. But if you use both a possessive pronoun and an article at the same time, readers will become confused. Possessive pronouns are words like his, my, our, its, her, and their. Articles should not be used with pronouns. Consider the examples below.

Why are you reading the my book?

 

The and my should not be used together since they are both meant to modify the same noun. Instead, you should use one or the other, depending on the intended meaning:

Why are you reading the book?

Why are you reading my book?

 

Omission of Articles

Occasionally, articles are omitted altogether before certain nouns. In these cases, the article is implied but not actually present. This implied article is sometimes called a “zero article.” Often, the article is omitted before nouns that refer to abstract ideas. Look at the following examples:

Let’s go out for a dinner tonight.

Let’s go out for dinner tonight.

The creativity is a valuable quality in children.

Creativity is a valuable quality in children.

 

Many languages and nationalities are not preceded by an article. Consider the example below:

I studied the French in high school for four years.

I studied French in high school for four years.

 

Sports and academic subjects do not require articles. See the sentences below for reference:

I like to play the baseball.

I like to play baseball .

 

 

My sister was always good at the math .

My sister was always good at math .

Second Child

Indefinite articles - A and An

A and an are indefinite articles. They are used when talk about something that is not specifically known to the person you are talking to with. A and an are used before nouns that introduce something or someone you have not mentioned before.

  • Paul : Hi Peter, I saw an accident this morning outside my house.
  • You are speaking about the “accident” for the first time to Peter. He did not know about it before.
  •  

A and an are also used when talking about your profession.

  • I am an English teacher.
  •  
  • I am a builder.
  •  

You use A when the noun you are referring to begins with a consonanta house, a building, a car.

 

You use An when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u).

Pronunciation changes this rule. It’s the sound that matters, not the spelling.

 

If the next word begins with a consonant sound when we say it, for example, "university" then we use a. If the next word begins with a vowel sound when we say it, for example "hour" then we use an.

 

We say "university" with a "y" sound at the beginning as though it were spelt " you niversity". - So, "a university" IS correct.

We say "hour" with a silent h as though it were spelt "our". - So, "an hour" IS correct.

2. Definate article - the

You use The when you know that the listener knows or can understand what particular person/thing you are talking about.

 

You should also use The when you have already mentioned the thing you are talking about.

  • Paul : Hi Peter, I saw an accident this morning outside my house.
  • (you are speaking about the “accident” for the first time to Peter. He did not know about it before)
  • Peter: Hi Paul, do you know how the accident happened?
  • (Peter now knows about the accident)

We use The to talk about geographical points on the globe.

  • the North Pole
  •  
  • the equator
  •  

We use The to talk about rivers oceans and seas.

  • the Nile
  •  
  • the Pacific
  •  
  • the English channel
  •  

We also use The before certain nouns when we know there is only one of a particular thing.

  • the Rain
  •  
  • the sun
  •  
  • the wind
  •  
  • the world
  •  
  • the earth
  •  
  • the White House
  •  

However if you want to describe a particular instance of these you should use a/an.

  • I could hear the wind.
  •  
  • There’s a cold wind blowing.
  •  

Theis also used to say that a particular person or thing being mentioned is the best, most famous, etc. In this use, ’the’ is usually given strong pronunciation:

  • Harry’s Bar is the place to go.
  •  

Note - Thedoesn’t mean all.

  • The books are expensive.
  • Not all books are expensive, just the ones I’m talking about.
  • Books are expensive.
  • All books are expensive.

3. When not to use an article

We usually use no article to talk about things in general.

.

  • People are worried about rising crime.
  • People generally, so no article.

You do not use an article when talking about sports.

.

  • My son plays football.
  •  
  • Tennis is expensive.
  •  

You do not use an article before uncountable nouns when talking about them generally.

.

  • Information is important to any organization.
  •  
  • Coffee is bad for you.
  •  

You do not use an article before the names of countries except where they indicate multiple areas or contain the words (state(s), kingdom, republic, union). Kingdom, state, republic and union are nouns, so they need an article.

.

  • Without an article
  • Italy, Mexico, Bolivia, England
  •  
  • The
  • the UK (United Kingdom), the USA (United States of America), the Irish Republic
  •  
  • Multiple areas
  • the Netherlands, the Philippines , the British Isles