2. What is Article?
Article can be taken as one of the ‘Determiners’ or
a subclass of the Determiners which determines
noun. They are also known as Demonstrative
Adjectives.
It is often taken to be a separate part of speech also.
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3. What is Article?
There are two articles in English, the definite article
the (the book) and the indefinite article a (a book) or
an (an eye).
Sometimes nouns require no article at all. This is
called the ‘zero article’ (book, eyes). The articles are a
subclass of the determiners.
Please note that it is pronunciation, not the spelling, of
the word that determines the choice of indefinite
article: (249-250)
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4. What is Determiner?
• Determiners are words placed in front of nouns
to clarify what the noun refers to. It is used to
indicate the exactness of a noun. (1)
• Determiners are the words which specify the
range of reference of a noun e.g by making it
definite (the book), indefinite (a book), or by
indicating quantity (many books)….. (2)
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5. Kinds of Articles
In English language, there are total three articles. (A, An
and The). These three articles are divided into two
types.
1. Definite: The (is used to refer any particular person,
place or thing.)
2. Indefinite: A & An (does not refer particular noun)
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6. Indefinite Articles
‘A’ and ‘An’ are the two indefinite articles. ‘A’ or ‘An’
means ‘one’or ‘anyone’
When the countable noun is one / singular in number, it
takes ‘a’ or ‘an’ as an article (depending on its first letter
and sound).
Indefinite articles (a / an) are used with several
countable nouns in different conditions.
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7. What is Noun?
Noun is a name given to
any person, place, thing,
animal, thought / idea or
emotion.
Nouns are divided into
certain types.
1. Common
2. Proper
3. Collective
4. Concrete
5. Abstract
6. Countable
7. Uncountable
8. Material
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8. Articles and Nouns
Mostly articles are used only with countable nouns
which can be counted in number. Rest nouns take
other determiners.
Ex.
a book but a water
a boy but a sugar
a computer but an air
a teacher but a teaching
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9. The Selection of Articles (a / an)
• Indefinite articles ‘a’ or ‘an’ are not used
arbitrarily.
• There are definite rules to use these indefinite
articles and these rules are strictly followed while
speaking or writing English.
• It is important to note that if articles are not used
appropriately, the meaning may change or be
misunderstood.
• Therefore, it is must to understand and follow
these rules to learn correct English.
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10. Rule 1
‘a’ is used before a word (or a countable noun)
beginning with a consonant sound.
Ex:
a boy
a man
a girl
a table
a young man
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11. Rule 2
‘an’ is used with a word beginning with a vowel
sound.
Ex:
an apple
an elephant, an egg,
an ink-pot, an idiot
an orange, an orphan,
an umbrella
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12. Rule 3
‘an’ is used before a word beginning with a
consonant letter but a vowel sound.
Ex.
an honest man
an hour
an honorable guest
an heir
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13. Rule 4
‘a’ is used before a word beginning with a vowel
letter but a consonant sound.
Ex.
a university
a European
a union
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14. Rule 5
Abbreviations which
begin with consonant
letter but their
pronunciation beings with
vowel take ‘an’article
which includes…..
Ex.
an HOD
an MA
an ST
an MLA
an M.Sc. / MBBS
an M.Com. / M.Phil.
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15. Rule 6
A word beginning with ‘vowel’ letter but
‘consonant’ sound /w/ takes ‘a’ as an article.
Ex.
a one rupee note
a one eyed man
a one dollar note
a one way ticket
a one legged man
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16. Rule 7
If the noun is modified by
an adjective, the choice
between a and an
depends on the initial
sound of the adjective
that immediately follows
the article:
Ex.
a broken egg
an unusual problem
a European country
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17. Rule 8
In English, the indefinite articles ‘a’ or ‘an’ are used
to indicate membership in a group.
Ex.
I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group
known as teachers.)
Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the
people known as Irish.)
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18. Rule 9
Indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ are used in the sense
of one of many.
Ex.
I met a friend. (means one of certain friends)
I read a novel. (means one of certain novels)
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19. Rule 10
‘a’ or ‘an’ is used to show the whole class in the
sense of ‘all’ or ‘any’
Ex.
A student should be obedient. (any student / all
students)
A doctor must love his patient. (any doctor / all
doctors)
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20. Rule 11
‘a’ is used with words like ‘little’ and ‘few’
Ex.
a little milk (uncountable noun)
a few students (countable noun)
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21. Rule 12
‘a’ or ‘an’ is used in the sense of ‘every’
Ex.
2,000 a month (means 2,000 every month)
10 rupees a dozen
5 rupees a kilo
5 times a year
80 km an hour
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22. Rule 13
‘a’ or ‘an’ is used in an exclamatory sentence before
an adjective.
Ex.
What a beautiful flower!
What a pretty girl!
What a shameful act!
What a hot day!
What an idea sir ji!
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23. Rule 14
Indefinite article ‘a’ is
commonly used with
certain words.
Those are as below.
Ex.
a couple
a dozen
half a dozen
a quarter
a thousand
a million
a lot of
a great deal of
a great number of
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24. Rule 15
Indefinite ‘a’ or ‘an’ article is used to convert proper
noun into a common noun.
Ex.
He is a Gandhi. (a great political leader)
She is a Mother Teresa. (a great social worker)
He is an Amitabh Bachchan. (a famous actor)
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25. Works Cited
1. Almas Juneja, Vaseem Qureshi. "Active English." New
Delhi: Macmillan Publishers India Ltd, 2013. 30.
2. Geoffrey Leech, Jan Svartvik. "A Communicative
Grammar of English." South Asia: Pearson Education
Ltd., 2009. 249-250, 280-281.
3. Murthy, Jayanthi Dakshina. Contemporay English
Grammar. New Delhi: Book Palace, 2013.
Imran Khan M
still a learner
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