ARTICLES

Articles are the entity used in a sentence which marks the noun and tell whether that noun is Definite

or Indefinite.

A, An and The are three articles.

I NDEFI NITE A RTICLES

A and An are called Indefinite articles because they dont define the noun before which they are used. e.g. A dog has eaten the bread which was lying on the floor.

D EFI NI TE A RTICLES
The is a definite article because it defines the noun before which it is used. e.g. This is the house in which I live.

U SE OF A/A N
A and An are always used before Singular Countable Noun. e.g. Ravi prefers(1)/ self employment(2)/ to job(3)/ in any office.(4)/No error. Job is a singular countable noun so A should be used before it. It is rainy day (1) /most of the people (2) /out on the street were (3) /carrying umbrellas. 4) /No error. Rainy day is a singular countable noun so A should be used before it. Summons(1)/was served (2)/on Ram(3)./No error. Summons is a singular countable noun so A should be used before it.

D I FFERENCE

BETWEEN

AND

AN

A is used before Consonant Sound. A pen A Table A box AN is used before Vowel Sound. An orange An ox An elephant If a word is being started with a consonant but its pronunciation is a vowel like then we use AN before that noun word. e.g. An X-ray The English Labs, New Delhi |www.EnglishLearningLabs.com 1

An M.A. If a word is being started with a vowel but its pronunciation is a consonant like then we use A before that noun word. e.g. A one way A unique man

S OME I DI OMATI C

USE OF

A/AN

Expressions showing a number or quantity A lot of A great deal A large quantity A good many A great number A number of

Expressions showing some different meaning Eat a humble pie In a dilemma Have a drink Have a walk Have a headache Have a fight Have a sleep Take a rest Have a good education

U SE OF T HE
B ASI C U SE
The is used before any Singular countable noun, Plural Countable Noun or Uncountable Noun to which we have to make definite. e.g. You are the man who helped me. These are the girls whom I have invited. The water of this well is polluted.

S PECI AL U SE

OF

THE

The is used before Name of the Rivers The Brahmputra The Krishna The English Labs, New Delhi |www.EnglishLearningLabs.com 2

The Ganges Name of the oceans The Indian ocean The Pacific ocean Name of the seas The Red seas The Dead seas Name of the mountain ranges The Himalyas The Alps Name of the geographical directions The east The west Name of the island groups The Andmans The East Indies

B EFORE S UPERL ATIVE

DEGREE

A DJECTI VES

She is the tallest girl in the class. He is the best boy in the class

U SE

OF

THE

WI TH

C OMP AR ATI VE D EGREE

The is used if of the two is used after Comparative Degree adjective. He is the better of the two boys. Ravi is the brighter of the two students.

When we have to show gradual increase or decrease in two comparable entities then following sentence structure is used. The+comp.+Subject+verb, The+comp.+subject+verb The more he gets, the more he wants. The greater the demand, the higher the price.

When than or to is used before the comparative degree adjective THE is not used. 3

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She is better than you. Ravi is senior to you.

U SE OF THE WI TH O RDINAL A DJECTI VE

The is used before ordinal Adjective i.e. adjective which shows the order. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first president of India.

N OUN + OF + N OUN STRUCTURE

In case of noun + of + noun structure THE is used before the first noun. The students of this class are good in studies.

P RETERMINA TION OF A RTICLES

Before name of any Subject, language and games or sports. Ravi is a student of Physics. Sushila can speak English. Ravi plays football daily. Before a noun which has been used with Possessive Adjective o My o Your o Our My car is deep blue in colour. India is our country. Demostrative Adjective o This o That o Those o Any o Other o Any other

This house belongs to Ravi. Any dog can bark In the night. Distributive Adjective o Each o Either o Neither o Every 4

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Each boy will get a pen. Neither of you had commited the crime. When a noun is used with following phrases no article is placed before them. Kind of Type of Sort of A number of A large number of A lot of Lots of A great deal of Ravi is not this kind of man. A large number of flowers are red. EXCEPTION A/An can be used in case of interrogative sentences. What kind of a man are you? When following words are used in greater sense than their usual meaning no article is used before them. Man Science Man is mortal. Death is definite. When following words are used in their usual sense then no article is used before them. School College Hospital Jail Cgurch Temple Jail Court Woman Art Life Nature Death

I go to school daily. I am going to the school to pick my son. Wounded person has been admitted to hospital. Ravi is in the hospital to take care of his friend. With following phrases no article is used By post By chance By air By cheque By road By mistake By car

In fact In short On strike On duty

In life In doubt On foot On leave

In Demand On demand On time 5

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The parcel has been sent by post. I am planning to go home by car. Skilled person are in demand. Ravi reached at the point on time. Following phrases take different forms according to the use

Write in ink Write in pencil

No article

Write with a pen Write with a pencil

Use of A

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