Articles
What are Articles?
Simply put, articles are words used to introduce a noun and specify its definiteness (whether it refers to a specific thing or not). Articles are a type of determiners that come before a noun to provide additional information about the noun.
Definite Articles: “The”
The definite article “the” is used to refer to a specific noun that both the speaker and the listener are familiar with or have previously mentioned.
Examples:
- Please pass me the book on the table. (Refers to a specific book that is known to both the speaker and listener.)
- The cat is sitting on the wall. (Refers to a specific cat and a specific wall.)
Indefinite Articles: “A” and “An”
Indefinite articles “a” and “an” are used when referring to a non-specific noun or something that has not been mentioned before.
Use “a” before a noun that begins with a consonant sound.
Examples:
- I saw a car parked outside. (Refers to any car; it doesn’t specify a particular one.)
- She adopted a puppy from the shelter. (Refers to any puppy.)
Use “an” before a noun that begins with a vowel sound (not vowel letters).
Examples:
- She ate an apple for a snack. (Refers to any apple.)
- He is an exceptional student. (Refers to any exceptional student.)
*Remember, the choice between “a” and “an” depends on the sound of the following word, not its spelling. For example, “an hour” (pronounced as “an ow-er”) and “a university” (pronounced as “a yoo-ni-ver-si-ty”).
Zero Article:
However, sometimes, no article is used before a noun, and this is known as the “zero article.” It occurs in specific situations, such as with general statements, uncountable nouns, and some proper nouns.
Examples:
- Cars are expensive these days. (General statement about cars in general, no specific cars mentioned.)
- She likes to drink coffee in the morning. (Uncountable noun; no specific coffee mentioned.)
- John is going to school. (Refers to the concept of school in general.)
