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ARTICLES
Definition :
A, an, and the are special adjectives. These are called Articles.
When articles combine with nouns, they form noun phrases: There are two articles
in English
Types
Words
Examples
A or An
A king, an elephant
The
Use of a / an / the
1. A / An means one . So we can use a / an only with singular countable nouns.
2. An is not used wth plural nouns or proper nouns.
3. A / An cannot be used with uncountable nouns.
For example, We cannot say : a milk, a water, a tea, a sugar, a rice.
The can be used with all nouns (singular or plural).
a student
a doctor
a hotel
an elephant
an actor
an ice-cream
a uniform
a union
a unique
a unitarian
a united
a university
a usual
a one-eyed
a useful thing
a year
giant
a one-dollar note
an honour
an heir
an heirloom
an hourly
an honorarium
an honesty
an honorary
a house
a horse
a human being
e.g.
an M.A.,
an M.Sc.,
an M.B.B.S.,
an M.L.A.
an M.Com.,
an M.C.A
an M.B.A.,
an N.C.C
Officer
4 . a or an must be used before a singular noun standing for things that can be counted.
e.g.
England is a country
London is a city
Rice is a cereal
A dog is an animal
e.g.
His father is a doctor
She is an engineer
6 . Words like hero, genius, fool, thief and liar take the indefinite article.
e.g.
Beware fo that fellow; he is a liar
My friend is a genius
7 . The following word has indefinite article. Such + a/an + noun (or) Such + a/an + adjective
+ noun
e.g.
Such a thing
Such a person
Such an honour
e.g.
So interesting a person
So nice an opportunity
9 . Few and Little are negative meaning. A few and a little are positive and mean
'some'
e.g.
He has little knowledge of this subject
e.g.
Not a word was said
I have a book
e.g.
Sara works in a bank
e.g.
The sun is a star
Football is a game
e.g.
I am a dentist
He is a teacher
She is a student
Note : The indefinite articles are not used before plural nouns, proper nouns, abstract
nouns, uncountable and material nouns.
e.g.
A dog is a faithful animal
e.g.
The best
The tallest
2 . The names of
e.g.
River
The Ganges
Seas
Oceans
Bays
Trains
The least
Banks
Ships
e.g.
The King of France
But the is not used before the words King and Queen if they are followed by the name of the
king or queen.
King George V (the Fifth)
e.g.
I play cricket
e.g.
She plays the guitar
e.g.
Mt. Everest
Nanga Parbat
But the must be put before the names of mountain ranges or ranges of hills.
The Himalayas
The Alps
e.g.
The first
The tenth
8 . Do not put the before the names of meals if they refer to the meals generally, as a part
But the must be used when the meal is a particular one, thought of as a social function.
The dinner will be held at the Park Plaza
e.g.
All the morning
10 . Use the before the names of municipal or government departments and before the
names of shops, business houses, industrial concerns; banks, etc. except when they begin
with a personal noun.
e.g.
The Ministry of Education
11 . Do not use the before the names of railway stations when they are also place names.
12. Do not use the before the name of language.
Language
Inhabitants
English
The English
French
The French
e.g.
We are learning English
The English have been a sea-faring people for many countries
The French live in France and speak French.
13 . the may be used before a name which ends in Road, but it may also be omitten
e.g.
He lives in Gandhiji Road
I bought this pen at a shop in the Salamon Road
14. Purpose for which the building exists visit or inspection.
e.g.
go to school
go to the school
go to college
go to the college
go to hospital
go to the hopsital
go to prison
go to the prison
When the is omitten, the reference is to the purpose for which the building exists.
e.g.
Students go to school to study
Christians go to church to pray
With the the reference is merely to the building. It is the visit or inspection that is referred
to, not the actual purpose.
e.g.
He went to the school to meet the Headmaster
He went to the chruch to look at the buildings.
15 . Do not put the before the names of substances if they are used in a general sense.
e.g.
Gold is a precious metal
We drink water
Apples are good for health
But the must be used if the reference is to a particular kind of specimen of the substance:
e.g.
The gold mined here is of poor quality
The water in that well is very dry
16 . Do not put the before plural nouns when they are using in a general or a univercel
sense.
e.g.
The aeroplanes of the Jet Airways are well-maintained
The apples from Kashmir are costly
17 . Do not use the before the names of countries unless the name suggests that the country
France
Italy
The U.K.,
The U.S.S.R.,
18 . the is used before a singular noun to express what we call the generic singular, i.e. the
The moon
The earth
e.g.
The rich must help the poor
21 . is also used as an adverb with comparatives.
e.g.
The more you study, the more you learn
The earlier you come, the better of you
In the above two, we talk about the whole class of cow with the use of a in the first
sentence and the in the second sentence.
In the above sentences, we introduce the policeman with a and later we use the. This
is anaphoric use of the.
Adjectival Articles
Definition :
The articles a, an, and the are also limiting adjectives. When an article comes before a
noun or a phrase, it clarifies whether the "something" to follow is definite (the) or
indefinite (a, an). When an article is used, another adjective can also be used between
the article and the noun itself.
e.g.
They go down the road
For a series of coordinate nouns, an article must be added before each noun.
e.g.
The doctor and the dentist ran toward the exit first.
If the list of nouns has a single thread of an idea, theres no need to repeat the article.
e.g.
The cat and mouse appeared to be in a dance to the death.
When an a or an is required and one doesn't work for both examples, just use them both as
appropriate.
e.g.
He recommended that I see a dentist and an orthodontist.
When the named things have one plural noun governing them, the definite article should not
be repeated for each modifier.
e.g.
He ran for president during the second and third semesters