Articles are used before nouns.
There are two articles: Definite & Indefinite
The a, an
Use of the definite article– ‘the’
1. To point out some particular thing or person.
E.g. He saw the doctor -meaning a particular doctor.
2. Before things which there is only one
E.g. the sun, the moon, the stars, the east
3. Before a noun is mentioned for a second time.
4. Before superlatives.
E.g. the most significant point.
5. Before a noun made by a qualifying clause.
E.g. the boys who came here yesterday.
Use of the indefinite articles– ‘a,an’
Before a wordbeginning with a vowel sound and if a singular ‘an’ is used:
Eg: an enemy, an umbrella, an hour.
Before a wordbeginning with a consonant sound and if a singular ‘a’ is used.
E.g.: a boy, awoman, a horse, or a university.
University and horsebegin with a consonant sound.
‘The’ is not used:
Before nouns like school, hospital,prison, and church visited for their primary purpose:
E.g. His son goes to school atten. (means his son goes to school to learn.)
Hisson went to the school. (means his son went to the school not to learn butfor something else )
Before plural nouns, they are used in ageneral or universal sense.
E.g. Manis mortal.