ARTICLES - (A,AN,THE) HOW TO USE ARTICLES PERFECTLY

HOW CAN USE ARTICLES IN ENGLISH PERFECTLY

The words a or an and the are called Articles. They come before nouns

Articles can be divided in to two, Definite article and Indefinite article.

Generally a or an is called the indefinite article, because it usually leaves indefinite the person or thing spoken of;as
Eg- A doctor, that is any doctor

The is called the Definite article, because it normally points out some particular person or thing;as,
Eg- He saw the doctor, meaning some particular doctor.

The indefinite article can be used only before singular countable nouns. 
Eg- a book, an orange, a girl.

The Definite article can be used before singular countable nouns,  plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
Eg- the book, the books , the milk

GENERAL RULES

1. Place the article before noun

2. Place the article before adjective when the noun modified by adjective (eg. the purple house)

3. Do not add any article when the noun has a possessive pronoun -my,his,her,our,their etc (eg. my house, her book )

A OR AN

The choice between between a or an determined by the sound. Please underline the word sound. 

We use the word an before a noun if the noun begins with a vowel sound.
Eg- an ass, an enemy, an ink pad, an orange, an umbrella, an hour, an honest man, an heir

If the noun not begins with a vowel sound, we use article a
Eg- a deer, a boy, a women, a yard, a horse, a hole etc

Sometimes you might be noticed that article an can be used before a noun begins with h. This is because some native speakers do not stress the first syllable. 

Use of the Definite article 

1. When we talk about a particular person or thing or if it is clear about which we are talking we use article the

Eg- the book you want is out of print (which book? The one you want)
When i was standing near the bus stand, i saw a girl. When i looked the girl cried.

2. When we use a noun to represent a whole class we use the.

Eg- the cow is a useful animal or we use, cows are useful animal.

3.Before some place names

A. Ocean ans seas, (the pacific, the black sea)
B. Rivers(The ganga, the nile)
C. Canals (the suez canal)
D. Deserts (the sahara)
E. Groups of islands (the west indies)
F. Mountain ranges ( the Himalayas, the alps)

4. Before the names of certain books 

(The vedas, the bible, the ramayana etc)

5. Before the noun unique in nature

(The sun, the moon, the sky etc)
 

Omission of the articles (where we don't use any articles)

1. Before uncountable nouns used in general sense 
(Eg- sugar, milk, gold, wisdom, honesty)

2. Before plural countable nouns used in general sense
(Children,  computers etc)

3. Before the meals used in general sense 
(Dinner,supper,lunch,breakfast)

4.Before languages 
(English, Hindi,Malayalam)

5. Before school, college,university,hospital, prison- when we use for primary purpose.

6. Before  relationships
(Father , mother, brother ,sister )

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