Articles Chapter Notes | English Olympiad for Class 9 PDF Download

Introduction

‘‘An article is a word or a letter which is used before a noun and tells about the certainty of that noun’’.
There are two kinds of article :
(i) Indefinite article —A/An
(ii) Definite article —The

Indefinite Articles (“A”, “An”)

• Used before singular countable nouns to refer to any member of a general group.
• "A" is used before words beginning with consonant sounds, and "an" is used before words beginning with vowel sounds.

Examples:

• "I need a pen." (refers to any pen)
• "She's an artist." (refers to any artist)

Definite Article ("the"):

• Used before nouns that refer to specific or particular items.
• It specifies a particular noun as opposed to any member of a group.

Examples:

• "Please pass me the book." (refers to a specific book known to both speaker and listener)
• "He is going to the store." (refers to a specific store)

Use of ‘A’

1. If a consonant is the first letter of a countable singular common noun, we use ‘A’ before it.

For example: 

• Sakshi has a book
• I met a girl there 

2. ‘A’ is used before some indefinite numbers.

For example: a zero, a nought

3. ‘A’ can be used before some indefinite collective numbers.

For example: a team of,a gang of

4. If an adjective is followed by a singular noun, we use ‘A’ before that adjective.

For example:

 So,

 Whenever a noun is not used after an adjective we do not use the article before it.

As,

 The above examples are all correct.

5. ‘A’ is used at the place of ‘per’.

• Petrol is found twenty-five a litre.

6. To show the whole class of common noun we can use ‘A’ before a common noun.
As,

• A bird has two wings.
• A monkey has a tail.
• i.e.,    All birds has two wings.
• All monkey has a tail.

But, common noun like Man and Woman do not follow the above rule.

As,

• A man is mortal.    —wrong
• Man is mortal.    —correct

7. Sometimes at the place of ‘on’ we can use article ‘A’

As,

8. If we put article ‘A’ before plural number, the forthcoming noun becomes singular.
As,

• A five day match.
• A ten mile walk.
• A fifteen man committee.

But,

• Five days match.
• Ten miles walk.
• Fifteen men committee.

9. ‘A‘ is used before these words because, they have the sound of consonant in their first letter.

As,

10. If noun is placed after such, quite, rather, how etc., we use ‘A’ before that noun.
As,

• I have never seen such girl in my life.  - wrong
• I have never seen such a girl in my life. - correct
• Roma is quite dull girl. - wrong
• Roma is quite a dull girl. - correct

11. If these words are used in singular, we use ‘A’ before them.
Noise, Lie, Hole, Headache etc.
As,

• The pupil makes noise in the class.  - wrong
• The pupil makes a noise in the class. - correct
• Joydeb always tells lie.  - wrong
• Joydeb always tells a lie.  - correct

Use of ‘An’

1. Vowel starting nouns or words take use of ‘An’ before them.
As,

• Siddharth is intelligent boy. - wrong
• Siddharth is an intelligent boy. - correct
• The President made appeal for the poor. - wrong
• The President made an appeal for the poor.  - correct

2. An is used before some H starting words in which H doesnt have it’s sound.
As,

• An honest man
• An hour

3. If H, L, M, N, F, R, S, X, are the first letters of abbreviations, we use An before them.
As,

• An M.A.
• An L.L.B. Student

Examples:
In the following phrases, supply either a or an:

1. ____ bingo game
2. ____ idiot
3. ____ good job
4. ____ rotten plum
5. ____ used fork
6. ____ uncle
7.  ____ historian
8. ____ apple
9. ____ hair
10. ____ horrible movie

Ans: 

1.  a bingo game
2. an idiot
3. a good job
4. a rotten plum
5. a used fork
6. an uncle
7. a historian
8. an apple
9. a hair
10. a horrible movie

Use of ‘THE’

1. The following rules are applied for using The before definite noun.

• Definite article The is used before a noun if it is used before relative pronoun stressly.

As,

• She is a girl who signs ghazal. - wrong
• She is the girl who sings ghazal. - correct
• This is a bird which can fly. - wrong
• This is the bird which can fly. - correct

2. The is placed after one of, each of, neither of, either of, none of, everyone of etc.

As,

• One of boys is absent. - wrong
• One of the boys is absent. - correct
• Neither of girls is intelligent. - wrong
• Neither of the girls is intelligent. - correct
• Either of men was present. - wrong
• Either of the men was present. - correct

3. The is used before the name of commission.
As,

• Verma commission is still functioning. - wrong
• The Verma commission is still functioning. - correct

4. If adjective is followed by proper noun use

The before that adjective.
As,

We love immortal Gandhi. —wrong

5. Whenever common noun is used as adjective it is preceded by definite article The.
As,

Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles

Use ‘an’, ‘a’ or ‘the’ appropriately in the sentences given below.

1. Sheldon is ___ honest man.
2. King Arthur was ___ just king.
3. ____ lion let go of ___ mouse.
4. I have fixed ___ appointment with ___ doctor.
5. Will you take ___ picture of us?
6. I broke ___ vase my brother brought.
7. My mother has ___ polka-dotted umbrella.
8. The team organised __ friendly match with ___ Presidents of both ___ countries.
9. We had __ mulberry tree in the garden.___ Eiffel Tower lights up at night.

Ans:

1. An
2. A
3. The, The
4. An, The
5. A
6. The
7. A
8. A, The, The
9. A
10. The