ARTICLES

What are articles?

- Articles are words that define a noun as specific or unspecific.
- Articles are divided into two types (Definite & Indefinite)

1) Indefinite Articles
- Indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ are placed before singular countable
nouns. We do not put ‘a’ or ‘an’ before a plural noun because it refers
to one (singular)
- EXAMPLE:
a. An apple
b. An orange
c. A box of milk

- ‘A’ is placed before a noun that begins with a consonant and the ‘u
sound.
- EXAMPLE:
a. A person
b. A European
c. A university
d. A school trip

- ‘An’ is placed before a noun that begins with a vowel sound and before
the silent ‘h’
- EXAMPLE:
a. An owl
b. An umbrella
c. An hour
d. An honest girl
2) Definite Articles
‘The’ is a definite article. We use it to refer to:

a) A specific thing/ person

- The white cat
- Excuse me, you left the English book on the table.

b) Something already mentioned earlier.

- Rita went to the mall with a car. The car is very clean and sporty.

c) A thing that is the only one its kind.

- The moon
- The sun
- The earth

d) When the noun is definite or certain, this means that the information is
true or known/ fact.
- The students in that class are very hardworking.

3) No articles
EXAMPLE:
- I have ……-…… oranges