Articles [a/an/the] - Rules and Usage [For all Levels]

A word that is used to modify a noun, which is a person, place, object, or idea is known as an article. Articles are an important part of the English language as they provide certain information about the noun they proceed. Now, read the rules and usage of article below: 

ARTICLES

The adjectives A or An and The are generally called articles. They are mostly used as determiners.

Types of Articles:

 There are two types of articles --- 'Definite' and 'Indefinite'

 Articles A and An are called indefinite and article the is called definite.

 A or An is called the indefinite article as it indicates the people or things in general sense.

 Examples: a teacher (that is, any teacher) an umbrella (that is, any umbrella)

 The is called the definite article, because it points out a particular person or thing.

Examples: I saw 'a man' lying on the road. (Anyone, does not matter who)

 A policeman came and took 'the man' to hospital. (Now the same man who is referred to in the previous example.)

 

Where to use 'a' or 'an'?

The choice between 'a' or 'an' is determined by sound. The article 'a' is used before a countable noun that begins with a consonant sound, whereas the article 'an' is used before a countable noun that starts with a vowel sound.

For example, an orange, an apple, an ink-pot, an ass, an enemy, an umbrella, an hour, an honest man, an heir, an M.A. etc.

Note: You can easily notice that the words 'hour', 'honest' and 'heir' begin with a vowel sound, as the initial letter 'h' is silent.

Examples: a donkey, a monkey, a ruler, a woman, a yard, a hole, a university, a union, a European, a ewe, a useful person, a unicorn, a B.A. etc.

Because the words such as university, union, European, ewe, useful, unicorn, etc. begin with a consonant sound, i.e. /j/ ' य ', we use the article 'a' before all these words.

Likewise, we say: a one-rupee note, a one-eyed person, a one-man show, etc.

Note: You can notice that in the above phrases 'one' begins with a consonant sound, i.e. /w व /. Therefore, we should always use the article 'a' before one.

 

Where to use the definite article 'the'?

 The definite article 'the' is normally used:

1) When we speak of a particular person or thing, or one already referred to.

For examples:

• The book on the table is mine. 
• The girl with a long nose is my sister.   
•  I helped the man who came to me

 

2) When a singular noun is meant to represent a whole class.

For examples:

• The cow is a useful animal.
• The rose is the sweetest of all flowers.

 

3) With Superlatives.

For examples:

• Aaradhya is the best student in her class.         
• Prashant is the tallest boy in his group. 
• This is the best book I have ever read.  
• Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

(best/ tallest/ highest are superlatives

 

4) With names of gulfs, rivers, seas, oceans, groups of islands, and mountain ranges.

For examples:

• The Persian Gulf      
• The Himalayas, etc.
• The Ganges is a sacred river.
• The Red Sea
• The Indian Ocean      
• The Alps
•  London is situated on the river Thames.
• The Geeta      
• The Bible     T
• The Kuran
• The Vedas, etc.

 

5) With ordinals 

For examples:

 Pritija was the first girl to arrive at the party.

The fifth chapter of this novel is very boring.

(First, second, third, fourth, fifth…are ordinal numbers.

 

6) Before the names of certain/religious books:    

For examples:

• The Ramayan     
• The Mahabharat  
• The Geeta       
• The Bible
•  The Kuran     
•  The Vedas, etc.

 

7) Before the unique nouns:

For examples:

• The earth  
• The sky   
• The universe 
• The sun    
• The moon, etc.

8) Before the musical instruments:

For examples:

• The Madal  
• The piano  
• The guitar  
• The flute, etc.

 

9) Before the names of newspapers

For examples:

• The Kathmandu Post           
• The Rising Nepal
• The Himalayan Times, etc.

 

10) Before plural nouns of countries

For examples:

• The USA         
• The UK           
• The Netherlands, etc.

 

11)  Before the names of ships

• The Titanic    
• The Mary Celeste, etc.

 

12) Before the parts of day:

For examples:

• in the morning,
• in the evening,
• in the afternoon

 

13) When something is mentioned second time:

• He bought a bicycle. The bicycle was made in China.

 

14) Before the names of direction and poles,

• the west, 
• the east, 
• the North pole, 
• the south pole

 

15) Before names of the periods of history,

• the Victorian age, 
• the Renaissance, 
• the modern age

 

16) Before names of nationalities / religious/ races/ positions or posts

• the Nepalese, 
• the Hindus, 
• the Black,  
• the Prime minister, 
• the President

 

17) Before the names of scientific innovations:

• the computer, 
• the telephone

 

18) Before proper and abstract nouns to make them common:

• Bal Krishna Sum is the Shakespeare of Nepal.
• She is the beauty of the town.

No Article:

1) If plural nouns, uncountable nouns are definite, we use the article 'the', if they are not definite, we use no article.

For examples:

• A, an, the Milk is white.
• The milk in this glass is hot.
• A, an, the Horses are animals.
• The horses in that stable run fast.

 

2) We use no article with proper nouns. If they are compared, we use the article 'the'. For example:   

• A, an, the Shakespeare is a great English poet.
•  Balkrishna Sama is 'the' Shakespeare of Nepal.

 

3) We use no article with abstract nouns if it is not specified in the context.

For examples:

•  a, an, the Honesty is the best policy.

 

4) We generally use no article with the names of languages, subjects, games, days, months, diseases.

For examples:

• He speaks other a, an, the Nepali.
• A, an, the English is my favorite subject.
• My son loves playing a, an, the football.
• My father will come on a, an, the Monday. 
• My birthday falls in a, an, the August.

 

5) We use no article with these expressions:

• By a, an, the bus,
• By a, an, the air,
• By a, an, the mistake,
• At a, an, the first sight,
• On a, an, the foot,
• On a, an, the duty,
• At a, an, the once,
• In a, an, the time etc.

 

6) Before the names of the metals, e.g.

• A, an, the Gold is a very expensive metal.

 

7) Before names of seasons, e.g.

• A, an, the summer, 
• A, an, the winter

 

8) Before names of relation:

• A, an, the father,
•  A, an, the mother,
• A, an, the brother

 

9) Before

• A, an, the school,
•  A, an, the college,
• A, an, the university,
• A, an, the temple,
• A, an, the mosque,
• A, an, the church,
• A, an, the hospital,

 

10) when these places are visited for their primary purpose:

• He goes to A, an, the college every day. (Primary purpose: to read)
• She goes to A, an, the temple every morning. (Primary purpose: to pray)

 

11) If these places are visited for other purposes, the definite article 'the' is used before them as:-

• He goes to the college to meet his father.(other purposes: not to read but to meet his father)