Articles Introduction
Articles are members of the larger class of pronomial modifiers. They are generally recognized as one of the most difficult and intractable problems that learners have with English grammar. The adjectives 'a', 'an', and 'the' are usually
called articles.
There are basically two types of articles in English: definite (the) and indefinite (a/an). The circumstances in which a noun is not preceded by an article are called zero articles.
Definite article :
The form 'The' is known as the
definite article. It is used to point out some particular person or thing. It
is usually used with a singular countable noun.
eg. The earth is round. The boy
with a red cap is my brother, etc.
Note: When we use the definite article 'the'
we presume that both we and the hearer know what is being talked about. The use
of definite article is used before a noun that has become definite as a
result of being mentioned a second time.
We use articles:
1. When we expect the reader to be able to identify the thing or person referred to we can use the article with plural, singular, or uncountable nouns.2. When a phrase identifies the particular thing that is being talked about:
For eg: the ecology of the hill environment, the climate in this zone, etc
3. We use the article when we talk about uncommon things
For eg: in one part of the nation, the future, the main point,
Some 'unique' nouns can be used with a/an when we describe a type or aspect of a thing.
We use a/an:
We use 'a' before nouns and noun phrases that begin with a consonant sound.
If the noun or noun phrase starts with a vowel letter but begins with a consonant sound, we use a;
a university a European a one-parent family
We use 'an' before the words that begin with a vowel sound, including the silent letter 'h'.
an orange an Italian an umbrella an hour an honor
abbreviations said as individual letters that begin with A, E, F, H, I, L, M, N, O, R, S OR X;
an MP an FBI agent an IOU
But compare abbreviations said as words;
a NATO general a FIFA official but an OPEC meeting
Use
of 'a'
(i) Before a countable noun beginning with a consonant sound:
a bag, a
girl, a hat, a pilot, a hotel, a book, a house
(ii) In most of the cases 'I '
and 'us' are pronounced as a consonant:
a eucalyptus, a one rupee note, a
one-way ticket a university girl, a union, a user, a unit, a useless car, a
utensil,, a useful article, a European, a unicorn
(iii) Abbreviation whose the first letter has a consonant sound: a BA, a TOEFL score
1. When a singular countable noun is written for the first time. That is not mentioned before.
2. To describe someone or say what type of thing something is:
3. To say what a person's job is:
Do you think that as a doctor, you'd be able to do this operation?
Note: We use the or no article to give a person's title.
She's the CEO of a project here. or She's head of a project there.
4. We use number and quantity expressions:
a month, half an hour, two times a year, etc.
Use
of 'an'
(i) Before a countable noun beginning with a vowel sound: an egg, an
uncle, an elephant, an orange, an untidy girl, an insect
(ii) In most of the
cases 'h' is pronounced as a vowel: an hour, an heiress, an honest man, an
heirloom, an heir, an honorable man
(iii) Abbreviation whose first letter has
vowel sound: an SOS message, and MBS an LLB
Use
'the':
1. Before celestial body: the Earth, the sky, the universe, the Moon, a
lump of sugar, a pinch of salt, the Sun
Note: except for the earth, no article
is used for other planets.
2. When a noun is repeated the second time: I saw a
dog. The dog was shabby.
He bought a cake. The cake was stale.
3. Before
superlative degrees: the best. , the worst, the highest the most, the least
4.
Before ordinal numbers: the first, the second, the third, the forth
5. Before
names of musical instruments:, the drum, the piano, the guitar, the key-board
6. Before names of rivers, seas, and oceans: the Nile, the Narayani, the Thames the
Bagmati, the Red sea, the Dead sea
7. Before
names of groups of islands and Gulf: the British Isles, the Isle of Man, the
Laccadive Islands, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Guinea
8. Before names of mountain ranges: the Mahabharat range, the Himalayas, the Alps, the Rockies,
the Andes
9. Before plural names of countries: the United States the Philippines,
the UK, the USSR, the UAB
10. Before names of canals and peninsulas: the
Suez canal, the Gandak canal, the Panama canal, the Iberian Peninsula,
11. Before
names of deserts, the Sahara, the Gobi, the Thar
12. Before names of
newspapers: the Times, Rising Nepal, the Gorkhapatra, the Kantipur, the Washington Post
13. Post
Before a period of decades: the twenties, the fifties, the sixties
14. Before
names of directions and poles and Geographical area: the west the east, The North Pole, the South Pole, the Middle East
15. Before names of the periods of
history and historic events: the Modern Age the Victorian Age, the Renaissance,
the Martyrs Day, the Independence Day
16.
Before family names and castes: the Dakotas, the Limbus the Rais, the Bramins,
the Smiths
17. Before names of religious books: the Ramayan, the Bible, the Kuran
18. Before names of political parties: the
CPN-UML, the Conservative, the Republican, the Nepali Congress, the Communist
19. Before names of nationalities' adjectives: the Chinese, the Japanese, the
English
20. Before a noun modified by a 'phrase' or 'clause': The man in jeans seems
to be rich. The water in this glass is fresh. The girl who stood first is my
daughter.
21. Before a singular noun that represents a particular class: The
donkey is stupid. (All the donkey) The tiger eats meat. (All the tiger) The
wild elephant is in danger of extinction (All the wild elephants)
22. Before
special meals: the farewell party, the wedding party, the birthday party
Note: But
not before ordinary meals: dinner a lunch, supper a breakfast
23. Before
daybreaks: in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening.
Note: But not before noon-midnight dawn night
We use no article
1. With uncountable and plural nouns when we talk generally about people or things rather than about specific people or things:
2. With some singular nouns referring to institutions. (e.g. school, college, hospital, prison, university, work)
3. When we talk about them generally. Compare after you've left college and the course here at the college
4. With most countries: Brazil, Switzerland, Norway but the Netherlands, the USA, the UK, the Philippines, the Gambia
5. With the names of months and days of the week: in June, on Monday; special times of the year: during Ramadan, at Easter; (or the) with seasons: like to go skiing in winter or... in the winter. However, we generally
6. We use the to talk about a particular month, day, etc. I'm going to Nepal in the summer (= next summer)
7. We use 'the' with meals when we talk about the next one What's for dinner?; a recent one What did you have for breakfast; or a meal in general.
8. About a particular meal or particular meals: We had an early dinner, The breakfast in the hotel is great.
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