Articles

An article is a word that is used with a noun (as a standalone word or a prefix or suffix) to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun.

• Articles are small but important words in the English language.
• Articles are considered adjectives because they modify or help describe nouns.
• Articles always come before or after the nouns they describe.
• There are only two types of articles in English, definite article or indefinite article.
• The three main articles in English grammar are “a”, “an”, and “the”.
• “The” is definite article and “a” and “an” are indefinite article. 
• In many languages, articles are a special parts of speech which cannot be easily combined with other parts of speech.

You have to study when and when not to use articles.

Indefinite Article

An indefinite article indicates that its noun is not a particular one identifiable to the listener.

• It may be something that the speaker is mentioning for the first time,
• The speaker may be making a general statement about any such thing.
• Used as synonym for number one
• Used to indicate one of a group

The two Indefinite articles are “a” and “an”.

An

 “An” is used before a word beginning with a vowel letter i.e. a, e, i, o, u.

An apple, an interesting, an orange, an idiot, an ice-cream, an ink pot, an omelette, an enemy, an Indian, an umbrella, an ugly, an elephant, an American, etc.

Exception

But it is not always true

If we say it more precisely “an” is added before a word beginning with a vowel sound. So even if a word begins with a consonant if and the word pronunciation begins with a vowel sound “An” should be added before the word.

An is added before a word which begins with silent “H”

Eg: An hour, An Honest, an honourable, an honorarium etc.

An is used before some abbreviations which begins with a vowel sound.

Eg: An LDC, an SI, an RTO, an MLA, an FIR, an MP, an X-Ray,

A

Generally we can say that “A” is used before a word beginning with consonant letter.

Eg: A man, a book, a girl, a student, a year, a young man, a yellow.

Exception

But it is not always true

Even if a word begins with a vovel letter and it sounds like a consonant then “a” should be used there.

Eg: a European, a universe, a Utopian, a union, a one eyed man, a unanimous, a one way ticket, a useful, a one rupee coin, a unit etc.

Definite Article

The definite article is used to refer to a particular member of a group or class.

• It may be some specific objects or objects that the speaker and listener know
• It may be something that the speaker has already mentioned
• It may be something uniquely specified.
• It is used before plural countries or plural regions and bodies of water
• It is used before certain adjectives to give a plural meaning.
• It is used before the names of musical instruments.
• It is used before heavenly bodies.
• It is used before ordinal numbers like first, second etc.
• It is used before positions like principal, secretary etc.
• It is used before important books.

Eg:

• Raju plays the piano very well.
• The Earth moves around the sun.
• The sky is blue.
• Raju passed the SSLC exam at the first attempt.
• The secretary opposed the proposal.
• I read the bible.

More Examples

My friend lives in an old house.

Raju lives in a Utopian country.

There is an apple on the table.

There are three apples on the table

She returned after an hour

Sheela came back after a year.

I met a European in the city.

Brutus was an honorable man.

He is an honest man.

He is an idiot.

It is ­a unanimous opinion.

It is an interesting novel.

I bought an ink pot.

She gave him a one rupee coin.

I met a one eyed man.

I saw an SI in the city.

She is an MA student.

He is an MP from Kerala.

Raju is an LD Clerk.

She is an ugly women.