Articles are a type of determiners. The term determiner covers several classes of words which includes Definite and Indefinite Articles, the Demonstratives and Adjectives of indefinite number and quantity, numerals and possessives. Determiners identify or specify a noun in various ways, for example, by making it definite (the child), indefinite (a child) or by indicating quantity or amount (many/three/some children) etc. Here we will discuss only the Definite and Indefinite Articles.
A, An and The are called articles. ‘A’ and ‘An’ are Indefinite articles as they are used indefinitely before countable common nouns singular numbers. ‘A’ is used with nouns beginning with consonants or consonant sound whereas ‘ An’ is used with vowels or vowel sound.
Examples:
→ A man an egg
→ An hour (vowel sound) a union (consonant sound)
→ 'The' is Definite article as it points out some particular person or thing.
Examples:
→ That is the umbrella I want.
→ This is the hotel where we stay.
→ The cow gives us milk.
→ The man whom I met was very helpful.
USE OF ‘A’
(i) It is used before a word beginning with a consonant; as
Ans. A boy, a girl, a table, a year.
(ii) It is used before the word ‘one’ that begins with the consonant sound of ‘was’; as
Ans. A one-eyed man, a one-rupee note
(iv) It is used before such ‘u’ when it sounds on yu;as
Ans. A useful animal, a European, a university.
USE OF ‘An’
(i) It is used before words beginning with a vowel; as
Ans. An aeroplane, an elephant, an inkpot, an orange, an umbrella.
(ii) It is used before words beginning with a ‘h’ when it is silent; as
Ans. An honest man, an hour.
(iii) It is used before words beginning with consonants having vowel sound; as
Ans. An M.P., an M.L.A., an F.I.R., an M. Sc., an x-ray.
USE OF ‘The’
(i) It is used before a particular person or thing; as
(ii) It is used to denote a whole class or kind; as
(iii) It is used before common nouns which are names of things unique of then- kind; as
(iv) It is used before the names of directions, the dates of months; as
(v) It is used before the superlative degrees of an adjective; as
(vi) It is used before the names of oceans, rivers, gulfs, seas, mountain ranges and groups of islands; as
(vii) It is used before the names of races or nations; as
(viii) It is used before the names of newspapers, religious books, famous buildings, ships, historical events; as
(ix) It is used before Proper nouns, Material nouns and Abstract nouns to make them Common nouns: as
(x) It is used before the musical instruments; as
(xi) It is used before the inventions; as
(xii) It is used before the parts of the body; as
(xiii) It is used before the political parties; as
OMISSION OF THE ARTICLE
Article is omitted before-Article is omitted before-
(i) Proper Nouns; as
(ii) Arts and Sciences; as
(iii) Names of materials; as
(iv) Abstract nouns used in general sense; as
EXERCISE 1
Q.1. Some of these sentences are right, but some of them need a/an. Put in a/an where necessary. Write ok if the sentence is already correct.
(i) I have not got watch.
Ans. A watch
(ii) Do you like cheese?
Ans. Ok
(iii) Reena never wears hat.
Ans. A hat
(iv) Are you looking for job?
Ans. A job
(v) I am going to party tonight.
Ans. a party
(vi) Music is wonderful thing.
Ans. A wonderful thing
(vii) Jamaica is island.
Ans. An island.
(viii) I don’t need key.
Ans. A key
(ix) Everybody needs food.
Ans. Ok
(x) I have good idea.
Ans. A good idea
(xi) Can you drive car?
Ans. A car
(xii) Do you want cup of coffee?
Ans. A cup of coffee
(xiii) I don’t like coffee without milk.
Ans. Ok
(xiv) Don’t go out without umbrella.
Ans. An umbrella
EXERCISE 2
(i) We enjoyed our holiday ________ hotel was very nice,
Ans. The
(ii) Can I ask ________ question?
Ans. A
(iii) You look very tired. You need ________ holiday.
Ans. A
(iv) 'Where is Om? ‘He is in ________ bathroom.’
Ans. The
(v) Rita ________ is interesting person. You must meet her
Ans. An
(vi) A: Excuse me, can you tell me how to ________ get to city centre?
B: Yes, go straight on and then take ________ next turning left.
Ans. The, the
(vii) A: Shall we go out for ________ meal this evening?
B: Yes, that is ________ good idea.
Ans. A, a
(viii) It is ________ nice morning. Let us go for ________ walk.
Ans. A, a
(ix) Sushma is ________ student. When she finishes her studies, she wants to be ________ journalist.
Ans. A, a
(x) Sushma lives with two friends in ________ flat near ________ college where she is studying ________ flat is small but she likes it.
Ans. A, the, The
(xi) Rakesh and Reena have got two children, ________ boy and ________ girl ________ boy is ten years old and ________ girl is three.
Ans. A, a, The, the
(xii) Mohan works in ________ factory. Meeta has not got ________ job at the moment.
Ans. A, a.
(xiii) ________ man and ________ woman were sitting opposite me ________ man was American but I think ________ woman was British.
Ans. A, a, The, The
EXERCISE 3
Put in a/an or the wherever necessary.
(i) Don’t forget to turn off light when you go Out.
Ans. Don’t forget to turn off the light when you go out.
(ii) Enjoy your holiday and don’t forget to send me post card.
Ans. Enjoy your holiday and don’t forget to send me a postcard.
(iii) What is name of this village?
Ans. What is the name of this village?
(iv) Canada is very big country.
Ans. Canada is a very big country.
(v) Which is largest city in Canada?
Ans. Which is the largest city in Canada?
(vi) I like this room but I don’t like colour of carpet.
Ans. I like this room but I don’t like the colour of the carpet.
(vii) ‘Are you OK?’ ‘No, I have got headache’.
Ans. Are you OK? ‘No, I have got a headache’.
(viii) We live in old house near station.
Ans. We live in an old house near the station.
(ix) What is name of director of film we saw last night?
Ans. What is the name of the director of the film we saw last night?
EXERCISE 4
(i) My father is ________ M.A. in ________ mathematics.
Ans. An, X
(ii) Mumbai is ________ London of India.
Ans. X, the
(iii) We are going to ________ cinema.
Ans. The
(iv) Yesterday I met ________ European playing with ________ boy.
Ans. A, a
(v) I have got ________ headache.
Ans. A
(vi) ________ Ganga is ________ holy river.
Ans. The, a
(vii) ________ Quran is read by ________ Muslims.
Ans. The, the
(viii) Rohit is ________ unique boy.
Ans. A
(ix) He is ________ most intelligent boy in the class.
Ans. The
(x) I know how to play ________ sitar.
Ans. The
(xi) I live in ________ Delhi.
Ans. X
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1. What is an article? |
2. What is the function of an article in a sentence? |
3. What are the different types of articles? |
4. When should we use the definite article "the"? |
5. Can we omit articles in a sentence? |
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