What is an Article?
An article is a small word that comes before a noun or a noun equivalent to show whether we mean something specific or something in general. The three articles in English are a, an and the. They help the reader or listener know if the noun refers to a particular person, place or thing, or to any member of a group.
- An article placed before a noun tells us whether the noun in that sentence is specific or generic.
- There are three articles in English: a, an and the.
- Example: After I went to the party, I fell ill. - here the specifies which party is meant.
Question for Article
Try yourself:Which article is used before a singular countable noun starting with a consonant?
Explanation
The correct article to use before a singular countable noun that starts with a consonant is A.
Example: a book, a car, a dog.
Report a problem
Types of Articles
Articles are of two kinds. Understanding these helps you choose the correct article before a noun.
- Indefinite articles:a and an
- Definite article:the
Indefinite Article (a / an)
The indefinite articles a and an refer to any one of a class or group and do not point to anything specific. Use a before words that begin with a consonant sound; use an before words that begin with a vowel sound.
- A boy means any boy, not a particular one.
- A teacher means any teacher, not a particular teacher.
Use of 'A'
The following points explain common uses of the article a. Each point is followed by examples to show correct and incorrect forms where necessary.
1. Before a singular countable common noun beginning with a consonant sound:
Sakshi has a book. (correct) - Sakshi has book. (wrong)
I met a girl there. (correct) - I met girl there. (wrong)
2. Before some indefinite expressions and numbers:
a lot of; a large number of; a quarter of
3. Before some collective expressions:
a team of; a flock of; a herd of; a swarm of; a panel of
4. Before an adjective that is followed by a singular noun:
Madhuri is a beautiful girl. (correct) - Madhuri is beautiful girl. (wrong)
Note: Do not use a when the adjective is not followed by a noun: Reema has good health. (correct) - Reema has a good health. (wrong)
5. To mean 'per' in phrases of rate or price:
Petrol costs twenty-five rupees a litre.
6. To represent a whole class when speaking generally with a singular noun:
A bird has two wings. (meaning: all birds have two wings)
But with some nouns that represent the human race generally we drop the article: Man is mortal. (not "A man is mortal.")
7. When an article 'a' is placed before a phrase of measure or number, the following noun becomes part of a compound expression:
a five-day match; a ten-mile walk; a fifteen-man committee
8. Use 'a' before words beginning with a vowel letter but pronounced with a consonant sound:
a university; a union; a unique film; a European; a one-rupee note; a one-eyed person; a one-act play; a one-sided decision
9. Use 'a' after words such as such, quite, rather, how when a singular noun follows:
I have never seen such a girl in my life. (correct) - I have never seen such girl in my life. (wrong)
Roma is quite a dull girl. (correct) - Roma is quite dull girl. (wrong)
10 Use 'a' with certain nouns when they are singular (even if usually uncountable or used generally):
The pupil makes a noise in the class. (correct) - The pupil makes noise in the class. (wrong)
Joydeb always tells a lie. (correct) - Joydeb always tells lie. (wrong)
Use of 'An'
The article an is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. It is also used before some words starting with h when the h is silent, and before certain abbreviations that begin with vowel sounds.
1. Before words beginning with a vowel sound:
Siddharth is an intelligent boy. (correct) - Siddharth is intelligent boy. (wrong)
The President made an appeal for the poor. (correct) - The President made appeal for the poor. (wrong)
2. Before words where initial 'h' is not pronounced:
an honest man; an hour; an heir; an honourable person; an homage to the dead
3. Before abbreviations and initials when the spoken sound begins with a vowel sound (H, L, M, N, F, R, S, X):
an M.A.; an L.L.B. student; an F.R.C.S. girl; an N.C.C. team; an H.S. school; an X-ray clinic
Definite Article (the)
The article the is the definite article. It points to a particular noun that is already known to the listener or reader, or that has been defined by some context. The can be used with singular, plural and uncountable nouns when we mean something specific.
Use of 'The'
Common situations when we use the are listed below with examples that show correct and incorrect usage.
- When the noun is made specific by a relative clause or a defining phrase:
She is the girl who sings ghazal. (correct) - She is a girl who sings ghazal. (wrong if you mean that particular known girl)
This is the painting that was displayed in the museum. (correct) - This is a painting that was displayed in the museum. (wrong if you mean that particular painting) - After expressions such as one of, each of, neither of, either of, none of, every one of:
One of the boys is absent. (correct) - One of boys is absent. (wrong)
Neither of the girls is intelligent. (correct) - Neither of girls is intelligent. (wrong) - Before the names of commissions, bodies, organisations (when they are definite):
The Verma Commission is still functioning. (correct) - Verma Commission is still functioning. (wrong) - If an adjective is used before a proper noun to describe it:
We love the immortal Gandhi. (correct) - We love immortal Gandhi. (wrong) - When a common noun is used to describe a quality that becomes definite by the context:
When Ritesh found the lost child, the father in him awakened. (meaning: the feeling of fatherhood became definite)
When Meeta saw the crying child, the mother in her awakened.
Additional Information Regarding the Use of Articles
Using "Some" for Unspecified, Limited Amounts
The word some is used when we talk about an unspecified but limited amount or number of a countable or uncountable noun. It suggests more than one (for countable nouns) or a certain quantity (for uncountable nouns) without saying exactly how much.
- My cousin was seeking some advice from a counsellor. (Not general advice, but a particular amount or kind of advice.)
- I would love some coffee right now. (A certain quantity of coffee is wanted.)
- We might get rain tomorrow. Some rain would be good for the crops. (A limited amount of rain.)
- There are some drops of water on the table. (A limited number of drops.)
Common Noncount Nouns
Noncount (uncountable) nouns usually refer to substances, abstract concepts, fields of study or collective items that we do not count as separate units. Below are common categories and examples:
- Food & drink items: bacon, beef, bread, butter, cereal, cheese, chocolate, coffee, corn, cream, fish, flour, fruit, ice cream, lettuce, meat, milk, oil, pasta, rice, salt, spinach, sugar, tea, water, wine, yoghurt
- Nonfood substances: air, cement, coal, dirt, gasoline, gold, paper, petroleum, plastic, rain, silver, snow, soap, steel, wood, wool
- Abstract nouns: advice, anger, beauty, confidence, courage, employment, fun, happiness, health, honesty, information, intelligence, knowledge, love, poverty, satisfaction, truth, wealth
- Fields of study: history, mathematics, biology
- Sports: football, hockey (note: some regional names vary)
- Languages: Chinese, Spanish, Russian, English
- Other common noncount nouns: clothing, equipment, furniture, homework, jewellery, luggage, lumber, machinery, mail, money, news, poetry, pollution, research, scenery, traffic, transportation, violence, weather, work
Using "The" with Geographical Names
Some geographical names are used with the, while others are not. Use the rules below as a guide.
Use "the" with the following kinds of geographical names:
- United countries and unions: the United Arab Emirates
- Large regions and deserts: the Thar Desert
- Bodies of water (oceans, seas, rivers, gulfs, canals): the Nile; the Pacific Ocean
- Mountain ranges and groups of islands: the Alps; the Aleutians
Do not use "the" with the following kinds of names:
- Individual streets and parks: Nehru Park
- Cities, states, provinces and counties: San Francisco; Maharashtra
- Most country names and continents: Japan; Africa (exceptions exist: the Netherlands, the Philippines)
- Single bays, single lakes, single mountains, single islands: San Francisco Bay; Mount Everest; Lake Victoria; Sri Lanka
Some Assorted Examples
Below are mixed examples that show common errors and their correct forms. Key corrected words are highlighted.
Example 1: Kamal has good health because he takes a nutritious breakfast every morning. (Correct form: no article before good health.)
Example 2: One of my brothers has given a very accurate answer to the question. (Correct: include a before the adjective + noun phrase.)
Example 3: It being a nice morning, I along with my wife decided to go for a walk. (Correct: use a before nice morning.)
Example 4: I do not want to buy a book because I have to take either a pencil or a doll at present. (Correct: include a before each singular countable noun in the alternatives.)
Example 5: Sohon is not only a laborious boy, but also an intelligent student. (Correct: use an before intelligent because it begins with a vowel sound.)
Example 6: Air India announced that all the flights of that week to Nepal would be stopped because of security lapse which caused the hijack. (Correct: company names generally take no article.)
Example 7: Gold is a precious metal used in jewellery. (Correct: metal names used in general do not take the.)
Example 8: Rose is the sweetest of all flowers, so I take it with me whenever I go out. (Correct: when speaking about a class of things in general, often no article is used before the noun as a class name.)
Example 9: Which is more precious, silver or gold, as the latter is more useful than the former. (Corrected grammar and article placement.)
Example 10: The water of the well is so dirty that no one is ready to drink it without purification. (Correct: use the when both speaker and listener know which well is meant.)
