ARTICLES

What are Articles?

Articles are demonstrative adjectives.
These are determiners.
There are 2 articles.
1. A/An. (Generalizing article)
2. The. (Particularizing article)

There are two types of articles.

1. Indefinite article (Generalizing article)
2. Definite article (Particularizing article)

Use of article is determined by noun only, and sometimes adjective.

• Noun
It is the nature of noun that determines the use of article.
Classification of noun.

There are three categories in which noun is classified.

1. Number: on the basis of number, there are 2 types of noun.

a) Countable noun: The noun which can be counted
There are two types of Countable noun.
#1. singular
#2. plural
b) uncountable: which can't be counted

2. Gender: means masculinity or feminity.

a) Masculine
b) Feminine.

3. Nature: Means the nature that a noun holds.

There are 5 types of noun.
a) Common Noun.
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b) Proper Noun.
c) Collective Noun.
d) Material Noun.
e) Abstract Noun.

Use of article is determined by nature and sometimes number.

Use of indefinite article.

• A or An
1. We use a or an with common singular noun.
The choice between a and an is determined by sound.
Before a word beginning with a vowel sound, we use an and before a noun beginning with a consonant
sound, we use a.
There are 5 vowel letters, a, e, i, o, u
But there are just 4 vowel sounds.
A, i, o, aè.
U: you- sound is not a vowel sound.

Some words may start with a vowel letter but not produce a vowel sound, the words take 'a'
An university- incorrect
A university. The word starts with a vowel but the sound is not a vowel.
A union, a European, a unicorn, a useful article.

Some words may start with a consonant letter yet produce a vowel sound, the words take ' an'
Note: It will be noticed that the words , hour, honest, heir begin woty a vowel sound, as initial consonant
'h' is not pronounced.
Eg for using a or an
An enemy, an ink pad , an orange, or umbrella, an hour, an honest man, an heir
A bed, a man, a chair, a pen, a phone, a room
An mbbs, an M.L.A. an sho, etc.

M.= consonant, still we use an

A monkey or an monkey
A monkey is correct, here the sound is 'm'

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Mbbs= here m doesn't sound m rather emm.
A boy, a horse etc.

Similarly, these words also start with a vowel letter but do not produce vowel sound.
A one rupee note, a one hundred note.
Because one begins with O but the sound is ' w'
Some speakers may also use an with words like,
• An hotel, an historical moment
But it should be noticed that a hotel or an historical moment is more common.
• An is usually used by natives only.

2. We use a or an with its original numerical sense as one; as,

A/an = 1
• There is a man waiting for you.
• Twelve inches make a foot. (Twelve inches make one foot)
• Not a word was spoken (not one word was spoken)
• I bought a pants. (I bought one pants)

3. In the vague sense of a certain person; as,

A Virat Kohli is suspected by the police. (a certain person named Virat Kohli)
Although we don't use articles with names, but in order to eliminate the ambiguity about certain
personality, we use a or an in a vague sense.
A Sunny Deol was arrested.
Koi Sunny Deol.
We mistakenly use some Virat Kohli or Sunny Deol or Adil Ashraf, which is not correct.
We should use a or an.
One morning a beggar came to my door.

4. In the sense of any, to single out an individual as the representative of a class; as,
• A pupil should obey his teacher.
• Ek bache ko apne ustad ka ahtiraam karna chahiye.

This does not mean that only one single child, rather every child.

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• A cow is a useful animal.
• It means cows are useful.

Use of "the" (Definite article)

1. The Definite Article 'the' is used
a) when we talk about a particular person or thimg, or one already referred to( that is, when it is clear
from the context which one we mean), in other words, we can say a specified noun.
The book you want is out for print.
Why the?
• Book is actually a common noun.
Here the has been used with book because it is specific
Which book= the book you want.

• There is a beautiful park. Let's go to the park.

Park= the one referred in the earlier sentence.

• The girl is crying. ( sakeena)

2. When a singular noun is meant to represent a whole class; as,

• The cow is a useful animal.
Here, it doesn’t mean that a specific cow is useful. It means all cows are useful. Every cow.
The horse is a noble animal.
The cat loves comfort.
The rose is the sweetest of all flowers.
The banyan is a kind of fig tree.
Remember, the banyan is a kind of a fig tree is wrong.
It's a common error.
A kind of fig tree, not a kind of a fig tree.
The above use is not applicable for man and woman words.

We say,
Man is the only animal who uses fire.
Not the man.

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Woman lives longer than man.
Alternatively, we can say
A woman lives longer than a man.
Or, women live longer then men.

3. Before some proper nouns, like

A) Names of oceans and seas, e.g. the pacific, the black sea, the atlantic, the red sea.
B) Rivers, e.g the Ganga , the Nile, the Jehlum, the Brahmaputra
C) Canals, the Suez Canal,
D) deserts, the sahara, the Thar
E) group of Islands, the West Indies, the Andaman and Nicobar, the Lakshadweep
F) mountain ranges, the Himalayas, the Alps,
G) a very few names of countries, which include words like republic, great and kingdom
The Irish republic, the United Kingdom, the u.s.a,
Also: the Ukraine, the Netherlands, the Hague( the chair of Netherlands)

4. Before the names of certain books: as,

The Vedas, the Quran, the Iliad, the Ramayana,

5. Before the names of things which are unique of their types; as,
The sun, the sky, the moon, the ocean, the sea, the earth or any planet

6. Before proper noun when it us qualified by an adjective or a defining adjectival clause;

as,
The great caeser, the immortal Shakespeare,,
The Mr Roy whom you met last night is my friend.

7. with superlative adjectives; as,

The darkest cloud,
This is the best book I have ever read.

8. With ordinals; as,

The first chapter

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He us the first man to arrive.
The ninth chapter of the book
It has been mentioned in the 154th chapter.

9. With musical instruments; as,

He can play the guitar.
I bought the flute.

Omission of the Article

The Article can be omitted----
1. Before names of substances (material noun)and Abstract nouns( i.e. uncountable
nouns) used in general sense; as,
• Sugar is bad for your teeth.
• Gold is a precious metal.
• Wisdom is the gift of God.
• Honesty is the best policy.
• Patience is a virtue.

Note: uncountable nouns (Abstract Noun, material noun, substances) take " the" used in a
particular sense( especially when qualified by an adjective or adjectival phrase or clause); as,
• Would you pass me the sugar? ( the sugar on the table, in the kitchen, on the shelf, )
• The wisdom of solomon the great.
• The love of a mother.
• I can't forget the kindness with which he treated me. ( the kindness of him)
• The gold which I bought yesterday is damaged.

2. We don't use any Article before plural nouns used in a general sense; as,
• Children love chocolates (every child, any chocolate. Here no child or chocolate in particular)
• Computers are used in many offices.
• Books hold a kingdom of knowledge.
• I bought clothes yesterday.

Note: if plural noun is used with a particular meaning, it takes " the"; as,

• Where are the children? ( our children, particular)

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• They ate all the chocolates in the fridge.
• Fire burnt all the computers in the office.

3. We don't use any Article before most proper nouns ( except those referred to earlier),
namely, names of people, continents, countries, cities, etc. individual mountains,
individual islands, lakes, hills etc.
Adil, rafiq, Europe, pakistan, India, Srinagar,
Mount Everest, wular , etc.

4. We don't use any Article with names of meals; as,

• What time do you have lunch?
• Dinner is ready.

Note: we use "a" when there is an adjective before names of meals. We use " the" when we specify.

• I had a late lunch today.

• The dinner we had at the hotel was very nice.

5. Before languages; as,

• We are studying English.
• He speaks Italian.

Note: If word language is added after the name of the particular language, it takes the, as,

• We are learning the English language.

6. We don't use any Article before words, school, college, university, church, bed, hospital,
prison, when these places are visited or used for their primary purposes; as,
• I learnt English at school.
• We go to masjid every day.
• He stays in bed till 10 every morning.
• He is still in hospital.

Note: we use " the" with these words when we refer to a definite place, building, or object rather than to
a normal activity that goes on there; as,
• The school is very near my home( a specific school which is talked about)
• I met him at the masjid.
• The bed is broken.

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• I went to the hospital to see him.

7. Before names of relations, like father, mother, aunt, uncle, and also cook, nurse doctor,
etc. (our father, mother nurse cook)
• Father has returned.
• Nurse wants to see me.

8. Before predicative nouns denoting a unique position, a pisition that is normally held at
one time by one person only; as,
• He was selected chairman of the board. Not the chairman of the board)
• Mr Adil became principal of the college in 1975.

9. With certain words or phrases consisting of a verb followed by its object; as,
• To catch fire( to catch a fire can also be said)
• In debt, by day, by night, at daybreak, at sunrise, at sunset, at noon, at anchor, on demand,
• To lose heart/ hope, on earth,by land, to take breath, to give up battle, to send word, to bring word, to
give ear, to lay seige, to set sail, to leave home. To strike root, to take offence.

Repetition of article.
1. if I say----
I have a black and white cat. ( here I mean I have one cat which is black and white im colour.
I have a black and a white cat. ( here I have 2 cats, one is black and the other is white)

2. Compare:
The secretary and treasurer is absent. ( it is one person)
The secretary and the treasurer are absent. ( 2 persons)

3. The third and the fourth chapter

The third and fourth chapters
I. The third case, use of different ordinals refers to plurality in itself
If we use separate articles, the noun that follows is singular.
If we use only one article, the noun that follows is singular.

4. In expressing a comparison, if two nouns refer to the same person or thing, the article is used before
the first noun; as
He is a better clerk than mechanic.
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I am a better teacher than businessman.
I am a better storyteller than poet.
He is a better writer than speaker.
But if they refer to different persons or things, the article must be used before each noun; as,
He is a better clerk than a mechanic.
I am a better poet than a philosopher.
He would make a better stateman than a philosopher.

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