Articles

ARTICLES

 

There is no any definition for the word Article in English (in language sense). But we can say ‘an article is used to denote something’. Articles are used before nouns only. In a broad sense, they may be also called adjectives. The general principle, the indefinite article is used for a singular countable noun. There are two kinds of articles in English; they are:

(i)               The Indefinite articles are ‘a’ and ‘an’.

(ii)             The definite article is ‘the’.

The selection of ‘A’ or ‘An’ depends on the spoken form of the following word but not on the written form the word (they are sound based rather than letter).

 

Most of us make the mistake in using the articles.  We need to concentrate on three areas in learning the rules of articles.

(i)              when/where to use a/an

(ii)            when/where to use the

(iii)          when to omit article (zero-article)

 

(i) When/where to use a/an:

AN: ‘An’ (short form of ‘one’) is used before words beginning with an “Open” vowel a,e,i,o,u.

 

1)     That is before a word beginning with a vowel sound (not letters) ‘an’ is used.

Ex: An ass, an enemy, an arm, an eye, an onion, an ocean, an umbrella, an hour, an Englishman.

 

2)     Before words beginning with the letter h.  Ex: an hour, an honest man. But today this practice is going out.

If h is pronounced… a is used like a historical novel, a horse, a hotel, a human being;

if his not pronounced i.e., it is silent ‘an’ is used like an hour, an honest man, an heir, an honor.

 

3)     With abbreviations starting with a vowel sound like An MP, An M.L.A, An M.R.O, An N.R.I, An NCC cadet, An N.S.S volunteer, An R.M.P doctor, An R.T.C driver

 

 

A: A is used before a word beginning with a consonant sound and it is pronounced as the first sound in the word a man, a woman, a room etc.

Notice the use of ‘a’ before words beginning with a ‘y’ sound (spelt in different ways) like a university, a European, a useful thing, a year, a yard, a yellow paper, a unit, a union, a Youngman, a youth, a one-eyed giant, a one-rupee note etc. But an yield (sounds like ‘eee’ – vowel).

Before the words beginning with a vowel but give the sound of consonants like a eulogy, a unique, a ewe, a unanimous, a unit etc.

With single letters or abbreviations starting with a consonant sound like a B grade hotel, a TUC member, a NIIT Centre, a FAX, a SAARC country, a UNESCO member.

It is often used to make a proper noun a common noun. That is a famous one to general one like: A Daniel comes to judgment; He is a Shakespeare of this age.

‘A’ or ‘An’ are not used before plural nouns.

Note: The simple trick to identify where to use a or an is to pronounce the word, and identify how we are pronouncing the initial letters of the word. Try to relate them Achulu(vowels) and Hallulu(consonants) in your mother tongue.

 

Difference between A and One:

The adjective one is not always interchangeable with ‘a’ and ‘an’, because a pen means any pen, no particular pen, while one pen means no more than one.

It is a custom in English Language to use either ‘A’ or ‘An’ before any common noun.

Ex: don’t say room. But say a room.

 

 

(i) When/where to use a/an:

THE: The definite article is used in the following cases:

1.     When we talk about a particular person or thing, or one already referred to –

                     Ex: The book you want is out of print.; This is the man whom I hate the most.

                            The boy laughed. (=The boy already talked about)

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

      Ex: The cow is a useful animal.; The dog is man’s best friend.

 

3.     Before some proper nouns (place names)

a.      Before oceans and seas: The Pacific, the Black sea

b.     Before rivers:  The Ganga, the Godavari, the Krishna

 

c.      Before canals - The Kakatiya canal, The LB Canal

 

d.     Before deserts – the Thar, The Sahara

e.      Before gulfs, bays – the Mannar Gulf, The Bay of Bengal

f.      Before group of Islands – the West Indies, The Seychelles, the Maldives

g.     Before mountain ranges – the Eastern Ghat, The Himalayas, the Alps

h.     Before country names, which include United, Union or ending with Republic, plural forms. The United Kingdom, The UAE, The Netherlands, The Irish Republic, and also The Ukraine

 

4.     Before the names of famous books: the Vedas, The Githa, the Iliad, but we say, Homer’s Iliad, Valmiki’s Ramayana

 

5.     Before names or the things that are unique the Sun, the Earth, the Jupiter

 

6.     Before the names of the directions: The North, The East, The West, The South

 

7.     Before the names of historical buildings: The Charminar, The Red Fort, , The Qutub Minar

 

8.     Before the names of National & International organizations - The CCMB, The WTO, The IICT, The UNO, The DRDO, The UNESCO, The ICRISAT, The UNICEF, The WHO

 

9.     Before the names of National festivals: The Independence Day, The republic day

 

10.  Before the adjectives to make plurals –Ex: The rich must help the poor. (The + poor= All poor people.)

 

11.  With a relative clause- Ex:  The Mohan whom you met last night is my brother.

 

12.  Before proper nouns used as common nouns: Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.

 

 

13.  With superlatives – the most, the best

 

14.  Before names of Inventions - The Microscope, The Telescope, The cinema, The Museum

 

15.  With ordinals – the first, the second, the last

 

16.  Before musical instruments – the flute, the violin

 

17.  Before a noun that gives the force to a superlative- This is the man whom I met last year.

 

18.  Before the cinema, the theatre, the football ground etc

 

19.  Before the plural forms of some diseases – the measles, the mumps, the plague

20.  With comparatives used as adverbs. Ex:  The more I read, the more I forget.

 

21.  Before uncountable nouns – the sugar, the milk, the water. If they are referred to a specific quantity or item of its kind then the following expression is used a________of + uncountable noun. A cup of tea, a spoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, a word of advice, a piece of information, a good deal of progress.

 

Note: A dog is man’s best friend and The dog is man’s best friend. Both cases are acceptable because they have generic meaning (that is general meaning). Its meaning is Dogs are man’s best friends. On the other way Man and Woman are not used either with ‘a’ or ‘an’ in the generic sense. Man is mortal, Woman species are delicate than man.

 

 

(iii) When/where to omit article:

 

ZERO ARTICLE: Zero Article means where we do not use any article. Generally, in the following situations the articles are omitted:

 

1.     Before names of substances (Material nouns) and abstract nouns (i.e., uncountable nouns) used in general sense Sugar is bad for health, Gold is precious metal, Wisdom is the gift of God. But when they are used in particular sense, when qualified by an adjective or adjectival phrase or clause Would you please pass me the sugar, The wisdom of the King is great.

 

2.     Before plural countable nouns used in a general sense as children like chocolates, tomatoes are cheap today. But when they are used in particular sense Where are the children (=our children)

 

3.     Before Proper names – Keshav, Padma

 

4.     Before continents – Asia, Europe

 

5.     Before Counties – India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan (refer to 10 of the)

 

6.     Before cities – Vijayawada, Karimnagar

 

7.     Before individual mountains – Mount Everest

 

8.     Before individual islands – Sri Lanka

 

9.     Before individual lakes and hills – Kolleru lake, Singaraya Hill, Kanakadurga hill

 

10. Before names of meals – lunch, dinner, supper (but if it is preceded by an adjective then I had   a late lunch, I had a horrible dinner, The dinner we had at the hotel was very nice)

 

11.  Before Languages - Telugu, English

 

12.  Before school, college, church, bed, hospital, prison when these places are visited or used for primary purpose:  I go to school, I sleep in bed. (We use article, When we refer to them for other than normal activity: I go to the school means not for primary purpose but just to see someone there.

 

13.  Before names of relations – Aunty, mummy, mother, father

 

14.  Before positions that is normally held at one time by one person – They elected him chairman, He became principal in 2007

 

15.  In certain phrases consisting of a preposition followed by its object in bed, at home, by night, at dinner (The bed is broken – refers to the abnormal activity)

 

REPETITION OF THE ARTICLE: Sometime in English it is compulsory to repeat the articles. Observe the following sentences and their explanations:

 

1.I have a black and white dog	1. That is I have only one dog which is partially black and partially white
2. I have a black and a white dog	2. That is I have two dogs one is black and other one is white
3. The Secretary and Manager is absent	3. That is one person is holding two posts like secretary and manager
4. The Secretary and the Manager are absent.	4. That is there two persons Secretary and Manager and both are absent

Note: If two nouns refer to the same person or thing, the Article is used before the first noun only. He is a better mechanic than clerk (one person holds two posts), He is better mechanic than a clerk (two persons and the first one is better than second one)