Use of Article: What Is An Article? Basically, An Article Is An Adjective. Like Adjectives, Articles Modify Nouns

Use of Article
What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles

modify nouns.
English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or
particular nouns; a/an is used to modify nonspecific or non-particular nouns.
We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.
the = definite article

a/an = indefinite article
For example, if I say, "Let's read the Article," I mean a specific Article in the
Constitution. If I say, "Let's read an Article," I mean any Article rather than a
specific Article.
Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular
member of a group. For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the
year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most
popular. Therefore, we use the.
"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the

group. For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking
about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies,
and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.
Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely.
Indefinite Articles: a and an
"A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any
member of a group.
For example:
"My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This refers to any dog. We
don't know which dog because we haven't found the dog yet.
"Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a

specific policeman; we need any policeman who is available.
"When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a single,
non-specific thing, in this case an elephant. There are probably several
elephants at the zoo, but there's only one we're talking about here.
Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins

the next word. So...
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog
an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an
idiot; an orphan
a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-
zer,'); a university; a unicycle
an + nouns starting with silent "h": an hour
a + nouns starting with a pronounced "h": a horse
In some cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical," you can use an.
However, a is more commonly used and preferred.
A historical event is worth recording.
Remember that these rules also apply when you use acronyms:
Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP) handles first-year writing at the
University. Therefore, an ICaP memo generally discusses issues concerning
English 106 instructors.
Another case where this rule applies is when acronyms or initials start with
consonant letters but have vowel sounds: An MSDS (material safety data
sheet) was used to record the data. An SPCC plan (Spill Prevention Control and
Countermeasures plan) will help us prepare for the worst.
If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends
on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:
a broken egg, an unusual problem, a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-
an,')
Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate
membership in a group:
I am a judge. (I am a member of a large group known as judges.)
Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.)
Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people
known as Buddhists.)
Definite Article: the
The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is
specific or particular. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a
particular member of a group.
For example:
"The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the
dog that bit me.
"I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking
about a particular policeman. Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's
still a particular policeman because it is the one who saved the cat.
"I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun.
Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.
Regarding Count and Noncount Nouns
The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.
"I love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I love to sail
over water" (any water).
"He spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you
bought earlier that day) or "He
spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk).
"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.
"I need a bottle of water."
"I need a new glass of milk."
Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a water," unless you're implying,
say, a bottle of water.
Geographical use of the
There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns.
Do not use the before:
Names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the

Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States
Names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami
Names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
Names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes
like the Great Lakes
Names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of
mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn
Names of continents (Asia, Europe)
Names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like
the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
Do use the before:
Names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific

Points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole
Geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
Deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black
Forest, the Iberian Peninsula
REMEMBER, the articles are not used:

1. Before proper, material and abstract nouns used in a general sense:
London, France, Tom, gold, rice, honesty, virtue
Paris is the capital of France. (NOT The Paris is …)
Gold is a precious metal. (NOT The gold is a …)
Honesty is the best policy.
But we say, the United States, the United Arab Emirates etc.
2. Before a common noun used in its commonest sense:

Man is mortal.
Iron is a useful metal.
3. In certain phrases made up of a preposition + noun:

Examples are: on foot, at school, from top to bottom, at home, in bed, by train,
by car, in debt, in hand, on earth, at noon, on board, in jest, at best, at worst
etc.
He is in debt. (NOT He is in the debt.)
He is at school. (NOT He is at the school.)
He spent the whole day in bed.
4. In certain phrases consisting of a transitive verb and its object:

Give ear, set sail, take heart, send word, catch fire, take offence, leave office,
leave home, leave office etc.
He took offence at my words. (BUT NOT He took the offence at my words.)
She left home in the morning. (BUT NOT She left the home in the morning.)
5. Before the names of continents, countries, capes, cities, towns, days,

months, arts, languages, sciences, some diseases etc.
January, March, physics, English, Tokyo, Beijing, Delhi, Tuesday, Friday, Asia,
America etc.
December is a cold month.
English is spoken all over the world.
6. Before common nouns when they go in pairs:

Both husband and wife received serious injuries.
7. Before plural nouns used to denote a class:

Apples are red.
Camels are useful animals.
Warm clothes are necessary in cold climates.
8. Before the nouns following kind of:

What kind of flower is it? (NOT What kind of a flower is it?)
9. Before meal-time
He was at dinner.
Breakfast was served at night. (BUT NOT The breakfast was served at night.)
10. Normally, Proper Noun doesn’t take any “Article” before it – Ram, Patna
etc.
11. If common noun is in the form of plural noun, it will not take any “Article” –
Boys are playing.
12. Never use “Article” before the Material Noun – Water is gold.
13. Abstract Noun also doesn’t take any “Article” – Love is blind.
14. “Article” is not used before the sports name – Cricket, Football etc.
15. Before the name of weather, “Article” is not used – summer, winter etc.
16. Before the “Night” and “Day”, “Article” is not used – Night was dark.
17. “Morning” and “Evening” don’t take any “Article” before it – Morning is
very pleasant.
18. Before “Society” we don’t use “The” – We live in society.
19. Before the diseases name, “Article” is not used – Fever, Plague etc.
20. The noun which comes after the possessive adjective, doesn’t take
“Article” before it – My pen, Your Book etc.
21. The word which starts from “By”, doesn’t take any article – By train, By
sheep etc.
22. The noun which comes after the Demonstrative Adjective, doesn’t take any
“Article” before it – This boy etc.
23. The word which comes after the distributive adjective, doesn’t take any
“Article” – Each boy is late today.
24. Before “Man, Mankind, Woman, God, Father, Mother, Unique, Universal,
Humanity”, “The” is not used – God is great.
25. Normally, we don’t use any “Article” before “Heaven, Paradise and Hell” –
We believe in paradise.
26. Before the name of any languages, we don’t use “Article” – We are learning
English.
27. Before the “Sunset” and “Sunrise”, “Article” is not used – It is the time of
Sunset.
28. Normally, before the Muhalla, Villages, City, State, and Country; “Article” is
not used – I live at Kankarbagh.
29. Before the “Diner, Breakfast, Supper, Lunch etc. we don’t use “Article” –
Dinner is ready.
30. Before the Battle, “Article” is not used – Battle is dangerous.
31. After the “No”, “Article” is not used – I have no pen.

31. After the “not and any”, “Article” is not used – I have not any friend.
32.before academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science
Some special points
Compare the pairs of sentences given below:

I have a blue and white shirt. (Only one shirt)
I have a blue and a white shirt. (Two shirts)
The secretary and accountant is present. (Here the nouns secretary and
accountant refer to the same person.)
The secretary and the accountant were present. (Here the repetition of the
articles implies that the secretary and the accountant are different persons.)

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Use of Article

What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles

the = definite article

"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the

Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely.

Indefinite Articles: a and an

"Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a

Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins

Definite Article: the

Regarding Count and Noncount Nouns

Geographical use of the

Do not use the before:

Names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the

Do use the before:

Names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific

REMEMBER, the articles are not used:

2. Before a common noun used in its commonest sense:

3. In certain phrases made up of a preposition + noun:

4. In certain phrases consisting of a transitive verb and its object:

5. Before the names of continents, countries, capes, cities, towns, days,

6. Before common nouns when they go in pairs:

7. Before plural nouns used to denote a class:

8. Before the nouns following kind of:

31. After the “No”, “Article” is not used – I have no pen.

32.before academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science

Some special points

Compare the pairs of sentences given below:

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