English Grammar, First Year Classes & Topics

Articles

Articles

Articles are used before noun.

There are two articles:  Definite  &    Indefinite

                                                The                     a, an

Use of the definite article –                  the’

1.    To points 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 being 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 word beginning with a vowel sound and if a singular    

    an’ is used:

    Eg:  an enemy, an umbrella, an hour.

    Before a word beginning with a consonant sound and if a
    singular 
a’  is used.

    Eg:  a boy, a woman, a horse, a university.

    University and horse begin with a consonant sound.

Indefinite Determiners-                                   “some”

     E.g.  some birds can fly very high in the sky.

‘The’   is not used:

Before nouns like school, hospital, prison,church visited for their primary purpose:

     E.g.  His son goes to school at ten.  (means his son goes to

              school to learn.)

              His son went to the school. (means his son went to the 

              school not to learn but for something else )

Before plural nouns when they are used in a general or universal sense.

     E.g.  Man is mortal.