Today we will read and learn about Articles in English Grammar- What is Articles , Definition of Articles , Types of Articles , Uses and Examples Article and much more.
What is Article in English?
Article are used before nouns to indicate whether the noun is specific or general.
Definition of Article
Articles are words which define a noun as specific or unspecific.
‘A, An and The’ are called Articles.
We can also call the article a word fixer . According to modern grammar, Articles are a type of Determiners . They are used as an antecedent before a noun .
Types of Articles / Kinds Of Article
there are two types on articles.
(A) Indefinite Article :-
A, An (one/any) They are used with indefinite Singular Countable Noun .
Examples:
- Susan sings a song.
- I have a car.
( B ) Definite Article: –
The is used before the noun , which is definite , particular or which has been discussed in the past .
Examples:
- This is the house where she lives.
- The boy in black shirt is my son.
Use of Articles
In this section we will read about use of Articles and much more things about Uses of Article.
The use of Indefinite Articles ‘A, An’:
(1) ‘A’ is used before a word beginning with consonant sound.
Examples:
- a boy
- a child
- a student
- a book
(2) ‘A’ is used before a word beginning with a vowel giving the sound of a consonant.
Examples:
- a one eyed man (वन)
- a university student
- a European
- a unique book
(3) ‘An’ is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound.
Examples:
- an elephant
- an apple
- and is
- an umbrella
(4) ‘An’ is used before a word beginning with a mute ‘h’.
Examples:
- an hour
- an heir
- an honourable
- an honest man
(5) ‘An’ is used before a word beginning with a consonant pronounced with the sound of a vowel.
Examples:
- an LLB student (L.L.B.)
- an MP
- an MLA
- an SP
- an X-ray
(6) If any Proper Noun is used for Common Noun , then ‘ A/An’ is used before it .
Examples:
- Manish is a Sachin Tendulkar.
- Which also Kautilya.
- A shylock is living in my neighbourhood.
- He is a Vikramaditya known for his fairness.
(7) ‘A/An’ is used before Singular Countable Noun after What in exclamatory (!) sentences .
Examples:
- What a pretty girl!
- What a cricketer!
- What a naughty child!
- How fine a day!
- What an intelligent girl!
(8) ‘A/An’ is used in the context of ‘ per month’ or ‘per object’ .
Examples:
- Manali earns Rs. one thousand a month.
- He earns fifty thousand rupees a year.
- We should brush our teeth twice a day.
(9) ‘A/An’ is used in certain expression of quantity with numbers and expressions of ‘price/rate, speed, ratio’.
( ‘A/An’ is used before the words rate , measure, speed .)
Examples:
- Wheat sells two rupees a kilo.
- A dozen mangoes.
- Half a dozen.
(10) When Uncountable Noun is used like Countable Noun , then ‘ A/An’ is used before it .
Examples:
- She is an old love of mine. (boyfriend/girlfriend) Countable
- This is a lamb. (भेड़) Countable
(11) When more than one Noun or Adjective gives the sense of the same person or thing , then only ‘A/An’ is used before a Noun , but if different persons or things are understood , then they ‘A/An’ is used before each of .
Examples:
- a red and blue pencil.
- a red and a blue pencil.
- a poet and thinker.
- a poet and a thinker.
(12) If Many/Rather/Quite/Such is followed by a Singular Countable Noun, ‘A/An’ is used before it .
- Many a woman would welcome such a chance.
- It is rather a nuisance.
- It is rather a good step.
- He is such a nice man that everybody likes him.
- It is quite an interesting story.
(13) If so, as, too, how, quite are used before the Adjective , then ‘A/An’ is used after that .
- How serious a crime had been committed was not realised by him.
- She is as intelligent a student as her brother is.
- She is so weak a student that she can’t pass.
(14) ‘A/An’ is used in some special phrases .
Examples:
In a fix, in a hurry, in a nutshell, make a noise, make a foot, keep a secret, as a rule, at a discount, at a stone’s throw, have a good education, tell a lie, a matter of chance etc.
- He has a good knowledge of Sanskrit.
- Never tell a lie.
- Twelve inches make a foot.
- You are always in a hurry.
( 15 ) ‘A’ is used before some counting words like hundred, thousand, dozen, million, couple, quarter .
Example:
- I have a hundred pens.
- She has to walk two and a quarter kilometers daily.
- I have purchased a dozen eggs.
- He has a thousand rupee note.
(16) ‘A/An’ is used before Profession .
Examples:
- He is a manager/carpenter/cobbler/tailor/cook.
- She is a nurse/teacher/dentist/doctor.
- Mr. Sharma is an engineer/architect.
(17) ‘A/An’ is used for Singular Noun to express Nationalities .
Examples:
- John is an Englishman.
- Kate is a Catholic.
- I am an Indian.
- He is a French.
(18) If there is Adjective before Noun , then ‘A/An’ is used before Adjectives.
Examples:
- Asoka was a great king.
- It was a grand party last night.
- She is an intelligent girl.
(19) If Adverb is used before Adjective , then ‘A/An’ is used before Adverb.
Examples:
- He is an unbelievable generous man.
- It is a very interesting book.
- He is a very good person.
- He is a much hated character.
(20) ‘A/An’ is used before the verbs that are used as nouns.
Examples:
- For a ride
- Have a drink
- For a swim
- For a visit
- Have a bath etc.
(21) ‘A/An’ is used before the Determiners/ Adjectives ‘Little’ and ‘Few’ to give the sense of ‘some’.
A little- some (Quantity)
A few- some (Number)
Examples:
- Please give me a little sugar. (some)
- I met a few students in the university. (some)
The use of Definite Article ‘The’
The is used before a noun that is certain , specific or has been discussed in the past .
(22) When we talk of a particular person or a thing as already mentioned, known or under discussion.
( The is used when talking about a predetermined thing . )
Examples:
- Rohan found a purse. The purse contained a note. The note was made of silver.
- Divya brought a silk saree. The saree is a very unique.
- The book is not available in the market.
- Let us study the lesson carefully.
(In the sentence ‘a’ is used first before purse , later ‘the’ is used , because this purse is predetermined , fixed . Similarly ‘ a’ is used before note. is, followed by ‘the’, because now the note is pre – determined , fixed . Similarly , in the sentence ‘a’ is used before saree and after the .)
(23) ‘The’ is used as an adverb with double comparatives.
Examples:
- The more she gets, the more she demands.
- The more you work, the more you get.
- The sooner, the better.
(24) ‘The’ is used before comparative degree in case of a choice.
Examples:
- Karan is the stronger of the two boys.
- This is the better of the two poems.
- She is the weaker of the two sisters.
(25) ‘The’ is used before Proper Nouns (unique objects) when they refer to the names of historical buildings, mountain ranges, planets, canals, rivers, oceans, gulfs, groups of islands, holy books, ordinals, descriptive names of countries, states, newspapers, magazines, deserts, names of trains, hotels, shops, political parties etc.
( before names of religious communities , names of kingdoms, events in history , names of descendants, names of political parties , names of trains, ships, newspapers , names of important buildings , names of rivers, names of canals , names of seas , etc. ) ‘The’ is used . )
Examples:
- The Ganges, The Godawari, The Sutlej
- The Pacific, The Red Sea, The Indian Ocean
- The Hindus, The Muslims, the Sikhs
- The Intercity express, The Rajdhani Express
- The BJP, The Congress, The Communist Party
- The Bay of Bengal, The gulf of Mexico
- The Taj Mahal, The Red Fort
- The French Revolution, The Quit India Movement
- The Hindustan Times, The Indian Express
- The Moon, The Sun, The Mars
- The Ramayana, The Quran, The Bible
- The Lakshadweep islands, The Philippines,
- The Andes, The Alps
- The Himalayas, The Raymonds
Note: But in situations like Valmiki’s Ramayana, Banbhatt’s Kadambiri , they do not use ‘The’ before them .
Note: ‘The’ is not used before Mount Abu and Mount Everest because they are not mountain ranges but peaks.
(26) ‘The’ is used before the position of the person .
Examples:
- The Chairman will decide the matter.
- The meeting was presided over by the Executive Director.
- This decision is taken by the Prime Minister.
(27) ‘The’ is used before the words expressing Nationality for the group .
- The English defeated the French.
- The Indian Cricket team has won the match.
- The Chinese are hard working.
(28) ‘The’ is used before ordinals . First, second, third….. are called ordinals and one, two, three…. are called cardinals .
Examples:
- The tenth chapter of this book is very difficult.
- Priyansh is the first to arrive in the meeting.
(29) ‘The’ is used before Superlative Degree Adjective .
- Shakespeare was the greatest playwright.
- Cricket is the most popular game.
- Brown rice is the healthiest food in the world.
(30) ‘The’ is used before the name of musical instruments and invention .
Examples:
- He can play the flute.
- She is fond of playing the harmonium.
- The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
- The wireless was invented by Guglielmo Marconi.
(31) ‘The’ is used before cinema and theatre .
Examples:
- Sanjay went to the cinema yesterday.
- Riya is going to the theatre with Mahesh.
(32) ‘The’ is not used before the name of the Country but if the name of the Country is associated with Republic, Kingdom, States , then ‘The’ is used before them .
(The Republic of Ireland, The United States, The United Kingdom)
Examples:
- Rakesh visited India and the United States.
- They went to Canada and the United Kingdom.
(33) ‘The’ is used with East, West, North, South but if the name of a place is added to them , then The will not be used. Similarly ‘The’ is not used before Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western .
Examples:
- The sun rises in the east.
- Govardhan is going to North America.
- Rajasthan is in Western India.
- Sweden is in Northern Europe.
(34) ‘The’ is used before Proper Noun for the sake of comparison.
Examples:
- The coal of Jharia is of good quality.
- The prosperity of a country depends upon its citizens.
- The beauty of Kashmir is praise worthy.
(35)’The’ is used before sports, cups and trophies.
Examples:
- India won the Singer Cup last year.
- A number of teams are taking part in the World Cup.
(36) ‘The’ is used before physical positions.
Examples:
- The top of the mountain.
- The back of the house.
- The center of the market.
- The front of the house.
(37) ‘The’ is used before caste and communities.
Examples:
- The Rajputs are brave people.
- The Marathas are hard working.
(38) ‘The’ is used before the organs of government.
Examples:
- The Judiciary
- The Legislature
(39) ‘The’ is used before the dynasties, empires, wars, revolutions, centuries.
Examples:
- The Gupta dynasty.
- The British empire.
- The Red revolution.
- The Middle ages.
- The Civil war.
- The Vedic ages.
- The Sixth century.
(40) ‘The’ is used before Parts of the body .
Examples:
- Ankush was wounded in the arm.
- Govind hit Johny on the head.
No Article/Zero Article
(41) If the Superlative Degree ‘most’ is used in the sense of ‘very’ , then The is not used before it .
Examples:
- Nehal is a most beautiful girl.
- This is a most useful novel.
(42) Articles are not used before the names of Meals (lunch, dinner, supper, breakfast) in general .
Examples:
- Khushboo couldn’t have breakfast this morning.
- Trisha was invited to dinner.
- I had lunch at 1 P.M.
But if there is an Adjective with Meals or Meals is Particular, then Articles are used .
Examples:
- Vaishali arranged a nice dinner.
- The dinner hosted by the queen was superb.
(43) ‘No article’ is used before languages & colours.
Examples:
- I can speak Hindi, but I can’t speak English.
- Ronaldo likes blue and white colour.
- Chinese is a difficult language.
- He knows Russian very well.
But if the name of the color is used as an adjective with a countable noun , then articles are used .
Examples:
- Babita has a blue saree.
- I have a red pen.
(44) Generally there is no article before the name of Diseases .
Examples:
- Romeo is suffering from fever.
- He died of Covid-19.
- Cancer is a dreaded disease.
- AIDS is spreading like wild fire.
Exception
- the Measles
- the Mumps
- the Rickets
- the Plague
- the Flu
(45) Articles are generally not used before the name of Subjects .
Examples:
- I am student of Political Science.
- Meenakshi is learning French.
- I secured 88% marks in English.
- Ishika is good at Physics.
(46) Articles are not used after Kind of /Type of/Sort of/ Title of / Variety of / Rank of /Post of .
Examples:
- What kind of bird it was!
- What kind of girl she is!
(47) Articles are not used when feelings or emotions are expressed by an Abstract Noun like a statement .
Examples:
- Honesty is the best policy.
- Truth is a noble quality.
- Love is a natural feeling.
- Life is a journey of experiences.
(48) When Common Noun is used in the widest sense , Articles are not used before that .
Examples:
- Birds fly.
- Cows eat grass.
- Lions are noble animal.
- Kangaroos are found in Australia.
(49) Articles are not used before the name of Games & Sports .
Examples:
- Divya plays golf.
- Cricket is a popular sport of India.
(50) Articles are not used before the names of seasons .
Examples:
- Summer is a hot season.
- In spring we like to clean the house.
- David is planning to visit his parents in winter.
(51) ‘No article’ is used before ‘Material Nouns’.
Examples:
- Gold is a precious metal.
- Silver is a useful metal.
- It was not build of bricks.
Note: If we are talking about a particular material , then ‘the’ is used before it .
Examples:
- The tea of Assam is very famous.
- The gold of the UAE is cheaper than the gold of India.
(52) ‘No article’ is used before names of relations like ‘uncle, mother, father etc.’ before possessive adjectives.
Examples:
- x My father will go to Delhi tomorrow.
- x Her aunt is expected any moment.
Some Important Examples Of Articles
| S. No | Incorrect sent. | Correct sent. |
| 1 | Never tell lie. | Never tell a lie. |
| 2 | Always speak truth. | Always speak the truth. |
| 3 | It is quarter past five now. | It is a quarter five now. |
| 4 | You are in wrong. | You are in the wrong. |
| 5 | I am in hurry | I am in a hurry. |
| 6 | I read Indian Express daily. | I read the Indian Express daily. |
| 7 | The English is spoken by English. | English is spoken by the English. |
| 8 | Kavita is best girl in class. | Kavita is the best girl in the class. |
| 9 | The man is mortal. | Man is mortal. |
| 10 | He is honest boy. | He is an honest boy. |
Article Video
Articles Worksheet / MCQ With Answers Pdf
Q.1
_ gold of Africa is valuable.
Q.2
You can write on _ black – board.
Q.3
That is _ book that you promised to lend.
Q.4
He will return after _ hour.
Q.5
_ French have offered to help India.
Q.6
sun moves round earth.
Q.7
Akbar was _ wise king.
Q.8
He looks as stupid as _ owl.
Q.9
He returned after _ hour.
Q.10
He is B.A. and his sister is M.A. of _ University.
Q.11
_ large number of cattle are grazing in that field.
Q.12
_ number of boys is increasing.
Q.13
I saw _ elephant coming towards me.
Q.14
India is _ home of the tiger.
Q.15
Kolkata is _ big city.
Q.16
Ruby’s aunt lived on (a)/ first floor (b)/ of an old house (c)/ on the river Ganges. (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.17
Leave your coats in (a)/ the cloakroom, (b)/ don’t bring them (c)/ to theatre. (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.18
Last night I bought (a)/ a pen, a inkpot, a pencil (b)/ and a soap (c)/ from a stationary store. (d) No Error (e).
Q.19
It being nice day, they (a)/ decided to go for a walk (b)/ when a number of (c)/ girls were reading. (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.20
Have (a)/ you (b)/ got (c)/ headache? (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.21
I have (a)/ been to (b)/ the cinema (c)/ for ages. (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.22
A black (a)/ and a white cow (b)/ is grazing (c)/ in the field. (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.23
Who was (a)/ first man (b)/ to set the foot (c)/ on the moon? (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.24
Chairs (a)/ in the corner (b)/ of hall (c)/ are broken. (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.25
In a history of Indian (a)/ rulers, Harsvardhan’s regime of (b)/ a few years is (c)/ one of the best periods. (d)/ No Error (e).
Q.26
They go to _ South.
Q.27
Which of these is not an article?
1
An
2
A
3
This
4
The
Q.28
He was nominated _ secretary.
Q.29
_ child must respect his parents.
Q.30
Which of these belong to definite articles?
Q.31
Someone call _ police man!
Q.32
Rohit is _ European.
Q.33
Sri Lanka is _ island.
Q.34
How fine _ day it is.
Q.35
Do not make _ noise.
Q.36
What _ pretty girl!
Q.37
Definite article means _ in English.
Q.38
Which is _ Largest desert in the world?
Q.39
Which of these belong to indefinite articles?
Q.40
Sachin is _ best player.
Q.41
This is _ your favourite pen.
Q.42
Christy lives in _ Romania.
Q.43
My Brother went _ United state of America.
Q.44
Ravina is _ tallest girl in class.
Q.45
Kalidasa’s _ best poem.
Q.46
Mr. Prashant has read _ vedas.
Q.47
Q.48
Mr. Singh is _ M.P.
Q.49
It was _ unique sight.
Q.50
Five weeks is _ long absence.
Faq
What are the 3 types of articles?
a, an, and the
What is article and types?
Macmillan Dictionary defines an article as “a type of determiner (=word used before a noun) that shows whether you are referring to a particular thing or to a general example of something. The indefinite article is ‘a’ or ‘an’ and the definite article is ‘the’.”
What is called article?
Article are used before nouns to indicate whether the noun is specific or general.
What is zero article?
The term zero article refers to noun phrases that contain no articles, either definite or indefinite.