Articles

 

What are articles?

DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE ARTICLES

In English there are three articles: a, an, and the. Articles are used before nouns or noun equivalents and are a type of adjective. The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known. There are certain situations in which a noun takes no article.

As a guide, the following definitions and table summarize the basic use of articles. Continue reading for a more detailed explanation of the rules and for examples of how and when to apply them.

Definite article

the (before a singular or plural noun)

Indefinite article

a (before a singular noun beginning with a consonant sound)
an (before a singular noun beginning with a vowel sound)

Count nouns - refers to items that can be counted and are either singular or plural

Non-count nouns - refers to items that are not counted and are always singular

For the purposes of understanding how articles are used, it is important to know that nouns can be either count (can be counted) or noncount (indefinite in quantity and cannot be counted). In addition, count nouns are either singular (one) or plural (more than one). Noncount nouns are always in singular form.

For example, if we are speaking of water that has been spilled on the table, there can be one drop (singular) or two or more drops (plural) of water on the table. The word drop in this example is a count noun because we can count the number of drops. Therefore, according to the rules applying to count nouns, the word drop would use the articles a or the.

However, if we are speaking of water in general spilled on the table, it would not be appropriate to count one water or two waters -- there would simply be water on the table. Water is a noncount noun. Therefore, according to the rules applying to noncount nouns, the word water would use no article or the, but not a.

Following are the three specific rules which explain the use of definite and indefinite articles.

Rule #1 - Specific identity not known: Use the indefinite article a or an only with a singular count noun whose specific identity is not known to the reader. Use a before nouns that begin with a consonant sound, and use an before nouns that begin with a vowel sound.

• Use the article a or an to indicate any non-specified member of a group or category.

I think an animal is in the garage
That man is a scoundrel.
We are looking for an apartment.

• Use the article a or an to indicate one in number (as opposed to more than one).

I own a cat and two dogs.

• Use the article a before a consonant sound, and use an before a vowel sound.

a boy, an apple

◊ Sometimes an adjective comes between the article and noun:

an unhappy boy, a red apple

• The plural form of a or an is some. Use some to indicate an unspecified, limited amount (but more than one).

an apple, some apples

Rule #2 - Specific identity known: Use the definite article the with any noun (whether singular or plural, count or noncount) when the specific identity of the noun is known to the reader, as in the following situations:

• Use the article the when a particular noun has already been mentioned previously.

I ate an apple yesterday. The apple was juicy and delicious.

• Use the article the when an adjective, phrase, or clause describing the noun clarifies or restricts its identity.

The boy sitting next to me raised his hand.
Thank you for the advice you gave me.

• Use the article the when the noun refers to something or someone that is unique.

the theory of relativity
the 2003 federal budget

Rule #3 - All things or things in general: Use no article with plural count nouns or any noncount nouns used to mean all or in general.

Trees are beautiful in the fall. (All trees are beautiful in the fall.)
He was asking for advice. (He was asking for advice in general.)
I do not like coffee. (I do not like all coffee in general.)

 

Additional Information Regarding the Use of Articles

• When indicating an unspecified, limited amount of a count or noncount noun, use some.

My cousin was seeking some advice from a counselor (not advice in general or advice about everything, but a limited amount of advice).

I would love some coffee right now (not coffee in general, but a limited amount of coffee).

We might get rain tomorrow. Some rain would be good for the crops (a certain amount of rain, as opposed to rain in general).

There are some drops of water on the table (a limited number, but more than one drop).

• Noncount nouns are those which usually cannot be counted. Following are some common examples:

◊ Certain food and drink items: bacon, beef, bread, broccoli, butter, cabbage, candy, cauliflower, celery, cereal, cheese, chicken, chocolate, coffee, corn, cream, fish, flour, fruit, ice cream, lettuce, meat, milk, oil, pasta, rice, salt, spinach, sugar, tea, water, wine, yogurt

◊ Certain nonfood substances: air, cement, coal, dirt, gasoline, gold, paper, petroleum, plastic, rain, silver, snow, soap, steel, wood, wool

◊ Most abstract nouns: advice, anger, beauty, confidence, courage, employment, fun, happiness, health, honesty, information, intelligence, knowledge, love, poverty, satisfaction, truth, wealth

◊ Areas of study: history, math, biology, etc.

◊ Sports: soccer, football, baseball, hockey, etc.

◊ Languages: Chinese, Spanish, Russian, English, etc.

◊ Other: clothing, equipment, furniture, homework, jewelry, luggage, lumber, machinery, mail, money, news, poetry, pollution, research, scenery, traffic, transportation, violence, weather, work

• Geographical names are confusing because some require the and some do not.

◊ Use the with: united countries, large regions, deserts, peninsulas, oceans, seas, gulfs, canals, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of islands

the Gobi Desert
the United Arab Emirates
the Sacramento River
the Aleutians

◊ Do not use the with: streets, parks, cities, states, counties, most countries, continents, bays, single lakes, single mountains, islands

Japan
Chico
Mt. Everest
San Francisco Bay

 

Examples of the Use of Articles

I do not want a gun in my house (any gun).
The gun is in his closet (implies there is a specific gun).
I am afraid of guns (all guns in general).

She sent me a postcard from Italy (an unspecific postcard - not a letter, not an e-mail).
It's the postcard that I have in my office (one specific postcard).
Getting postcards makes me want to travel (any postcard in general).

I have a dog (one dog).
The dog is very friendly (the dog that I have already mentioned).
Dogs make great pets (dogs in general).

Greta needs furniture in her apartment (furniture is a noncount noun).
She is going to select the furniture that she needs (the specific furniture that she needs).
She hopes to find some furniture this weekend (an unspecified, limited amount of furniture).

We are going to see the Statue of Liberty this weekend (the only Statue of Liberty).

Ommission of Articles

Many sentences in the English language contain articles. However, there are certain circumstances where an article is not used. 

Rules:

1. Articles are not used in front of Proper nouns.

Delhi is the capital city of India.

Gold is a valuable metal.

Assam faced heavy rainfalls and floods.

Mumbai is famous for its Gateway of India.

Apple makes sophisticated laptops.

2. Articles are not used before languages

I learned Japanese within a year.

Mandarin is the most difficult language.

English is essential for travelling anywhere in the world.

I travelled to France, without knowing French.

3. Before a common noun used in its commonest sense

Iron is used to make many types of machinery.

Humanity has always survived with love.

Gold is considered a precious metal.

Animals are bred in captivity in the ZOO.

4. We do not use articles in front of the name of the subjects, such as Maths, Biology, economics, etc.

I hate the fact that Mathematics is his favourite subject.

Economics as a subject is very interesting.

I was asked to opt for computers by my teachers.

5. We omit articles when words like Nature, Science, Death, Life, etc are used in the General Sense.

Nature has its own rules and it follows them effortlessly.

The saint explained that death is inevitable.

Science does not have all the answers to nature’s mysteries. 

6.We do not use articles before the names of a meal like lunch, dinner, etc.

Have you taken dinner?

Breakfast timings will differ depending on when you wake up.

7. We do not use articles in front of seasons, festivals, names of days, and months.

She will reach the town on Sunday.

Summer is the best season for swimming. 

Christmas is celebrated in December.

8. When words like school, college, church, hospital, prison, temple, etc are used for their primary purpose 

Rudra goes to university daily.

She goes to school in the morning. 

We all go to Church on Sunday.

Criminals are sent to prison in Albuquerque. 

9. Sometimes we form certain phrases which are just prepositions and nouns. Such as, at school, in bed, at noon, etc.                 

He is in bed. 

We checked the building from top to bottom.

The principal stayed back at school.   

Listening to the travel plans, I was automatically on board.     

10. We avoid using articles in certain phrases consisting of a transitive verb and its object. Such as, set sail, take heart, send word, catch fire, take offence, leave office, etc.

He took offence at my words. 

The ship will set sail at 1500 hours.

11. When a common noun is written in pairs, we omit articles from it.

Both brother and sister are exceptional students. 

The husband and wife were allowed to take part in the play.

12. We don’t use articles before plural nouns used to denote a class

Oranges are supposed to be rich in Vitamin C.

Books are our best friends.

Animals are a wonderful creation of nature. 

13. Before the nouns following kind of:

The people in North-East India wear different kinds of clothes.

What kind of human leaves a starving dog?

14. We don't use any article before the word " God "

They all prayed to god for peace and prosperity after a war.

Special Points to Remember: 

Notice the examples below

I have a brown and black dog. ( There is only one dog)

I have a brown and a black dog. ( There are two dogs)

These are the exceptions where the articles are omitted. 

To make it more clear there is an exercise below

Solved Example: 

Fill in the blanks with a, an, or the as the case may be. Leave blank if the article can be omitted.

1. .………….. Honesty is the best policy.

2. This is ………….. best car in my garage.

3. He has a house by …………. lake.

4. .…………….Computers are used in many offices and schools.

5. He was …………. Leonardo da Vinci of Tibet. 

6. They speak ……………. English at home.

7. My uncle is in ………….. bed.

8. I went to ……………. hospital to visit my brother.

9. Mr Picher became ………………..  dean of the college in 2015,

10. .………………….  mother seems to be very angry with me.

Answers:

None 

The 

The

None 

None 

None 

None 

The 

None 

The