Articles

By:
Richa Ogra Dhar

Articles

Definite

The

Indefinite

An

A
He planted a tree.
Ramesh is a boy.
My father bought a flat.
Before a single countable noun when it is
mentioned for the first time and does not
refer to any particular person , place or
thing.

#2
A cow is a useful animal.
An old man is like a child.

Before a singular countable noun used

as an example of a class.

#3
She is a teacher.
Mohan became a lawyer.
He is an engineer.
Before nouns of professions.

#4
I have a few friends here.
There is a little milk in the fridge.
Before a few and little to mean a small number and a
small quantity.
The words few and little without an indefinite article
have an almost negative meaning .They mean hardly any.

#5

A hundred
A thousand
A million
A dozen
A quarter
In certain numerical expressions.

#6

30 kilometers an hour.
60 kilometers a litre.
Rs. 10 a kilo.
Three times a day.

In expression of speed ,time etc.

#7
Not use before Plural nouns- men, dogs etc.
Uncountable nouns- paper ,glass, iron,
cloth, tea, coffee, news ,etc.
Abstract nouns- happiness, fear,
terror , joy , etc.

Articles and meals

Names of meals ,except when preceded

by an adjective.
a) I eat lunch at 1 pm.
b) I had a very heavy lunch.
The indefinite article is also used when the
meal is one for a special occasion.
c) I was invited to a dinner hosted by a
minister.

The Definite Article

The is same for singular and
plural.

#1
The definite article is used
before-

A noun made specific, because it had

been mentioned earlier.

A boy and a girl are playing here.

The boy is about seven and the girl
about ten.

#2
A noun made specific by the addition
of an adjective clause or Phrase.
The boy with a cap is my cousin.

#3
Some common noun made specific by
location or association (person, places or
things known to the speaker or the
hearer.)
a) Shut the door (the door of the room)
b) He came to the rescue (the rescue
required in the case.)

#4
Nouns for which there is only one
the earth , the sun, the weather,
the bible ,etc.

#5
Superlatives and First, Second
(ordinals) etc.
Everest is the highest peak in the
world.
Sheela was the first to arrive.
Anil is the only boy in the class.

#6
Some adjectives to mean a class of
people.
They are opening a home for the
aged.
The young are in favour of the
change.

#7
The name of animals to represent a class.
The dog is a faithful animal.
The elephant is the largest land animal.
The word MAN used to mean all human
beings does not take the article.
Man is a social animal.

#8
The names of rivers , mountains,
seas, groups of islands ,the name of
some countries etc.
The Ganges, the USA ,the
Andamans ,the bay of Bengal, the
Indian ocean, etc.

#9
Before east ,west ,north ,south when
they are used as nouns.
There has been a lot of rain in the
east.

#10
Before the name of the musical
instruments.
She is playing the Piano.
I can play the Veena.

The Definite Article is

not used before:
Proper nouns.
Abstract noun.
a) A flower is a thing of beauty.
Plural nouns used in a general senseb)Teachers shape the future of the
country.

 Parts of the body and articles of clothing.

They are usually preceded by a possessive
pronoun.
a) Show me your hand.
b) Please put on your shirt.
But the can be used in a sentence likec) The dacoit hit him on the head.
d) His boss patted him on the shoulder.

 After a noun in the possessive case:

a) I am the girls father.
b) This is Aruns book.

 Before words like nature or counsel.

a) We should not disturb the balance of
nature.
When the word nature means
characteristics it takes the definite
article.
He could not get used to the nature of his
duties here.

Exercise

Q Supply a,an,the or some wherever necessary.

1. I want ___ pen and ____paper.

2._____ moon is ______ satellite of
____ earth.
3._____ book you gave me yesterday is
___ interesting one.
4.Can I have ___ coffee and ___ few
biscuits?
5.____ Brahmaputra is ___ mighty river.
6.I took up ____ painting as __ hobby.
7.Mr.Shankar is ___ M.P.
8.___ Member of Parliament is ___
representative of the people.

9.I went to ___ school to meet ___ old

friend who is working there as ___
teacher.
10.I want ___ money to buy ___ couple of
books.
11.There are __ dark clouds in ___ sky.
12.There is ___ milk in ___ bowl on ___
shelf in ___ dinning room.
13.___ new bridge is being constructed
across ___ river Pampa by ___
engineering company.

Put a or an wherever
necessary:
_elephant is __ wild animal.
___ man is ___intelligent creature.
___ aeroplane is __ very fast vehicle.
___ spade is ___ instrument of farming.
They had __ bread and __ coffee for
breakfast.
6. __ banana is a vegetable as well as __
fruit.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.