1.

Kinds of Articles
2. Uses of the Definite Article
3. Uses of the indefinite Article
4. Omission of the Article
 Types of Articles

a / an the

Indefinite Definite

A monk, a box The boy.

An orange, an ink bottle.

An is used only before the vowel sound.

An apple // an ice cream / /

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 A or An
The choice between a and an is determined by vowel sound. If the word starts with a
vowel sound an is used; as

An iceberg, an enemy, an ink bottle, an orange, an apple, an umbrella, an honest man,

an heir.

Beware of the follows words. Because their sound is different from their spelling; as

A university, a union, a European, a ewe, a unicorn, a useful article, a one-rupee coin,

such a one, a one-eyed man.

For all the words starting with a consonant sound ‘a’ is used; as
A table, a woman, a photo, a phone, a music, a pin, a dustbin, a kitchen.

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 Use of Definite Article ‘THE’
When we talk about a particular person or thing, or one already referred to; as

The book you searched for is here.

Let us get in to the temple.
When a singular noun is meant to represent a whole class; as

The goat is a domestic animal.

The dog is very faithful.
The jasmine’s fragrance is very good.

Note: man and woman can be used without any article.

Man is a social animal.
But in present day English articles are more usual.
A woman is more sensitive than a man.

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 Use of Definite Article ‘THE’…
Before some proper names, viz. these kinds of place-names:

Oceans and seas [the Indian ocean, the dead sea]

Rivers [the Cauvery, the Ganga]
Canals [the Suez Canal, the Banama Canal]
Deserts [the Tar, the Sahara]
Groups of islands [the Andaman and Nicobar islands]
Mountain-ranges [the Himalayas, the Alps]
A very few names of the countries, which include the words like republic, kingdom
[the Irish Republic, the United Kingdom]
Also [the Ukraine, the Netherlands]

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 Use of Definite Article ‘THE’
Before the names of certain books:
The Holy Bible, the Vedas, the Iliad, the Ramayana.
But we say: Homer’s Iliad, Kambar’s Ramayana.

Before the names of things unique of their kind; as

The sun, the moon, the ocean, the sky, the earth.

Before a proper noun when it is qualified by an adjective or adjectival clause; as

The great Alexander the immortal Keats.

The Mr. Richard whom you introduced to me earlier, has passed away.
Before Superlatives; as

This is one of the most interesting novels, I have ever read.

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 Use of Definite Article ‘THE’…
With ordinals; as
The first the third the last
Before musical instruments; as
The violin the flute the guitar
Before an adjective when noun is understood; as

The rich become richer and the poor become poorer.

As an adverb with comparatives; as

The more you work, the more you gain.

The faster, the better.

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 Omission of Articles
Before the name of substances and abstract names; as
Gold is very costly now a days.
Knowledge is wealth.

Uncountable nouns take ‘the’ when it is specifically mentioned:

Pass the sugar The wisdom of Solomon is great

Before plural countable nouns used in general sense; as

Computers are a must nowadays. Girls like flowers.

Before
proper names Santiago, Britto
countries India, Italy, Sri Lanka
cities Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmadabad
individual mounts, islands Mount Everest, Australia
individual lakes and hills Nilgiris

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 Omission of Articles…
Before meals; as
Breakfast, lunch, supper, dinner, agape. [dinner is ready]
Before languages; as
Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Urdu, Italian. [We speak in English]
Before School, college, university, church, bed, hospital, prison
When these places are visited or used for their primary purpose; as

I go to school. (I am studying there)

I go to the school. (I go there for some other purpose)

Before names of relations like ‘father’ ‘mother’ and also ‘cook’ & ‘nurse’; as
Father has given me a gift.
Cook has gone out today.
Before nouns denoting unique position (held at one time by one person; as
Mrs. Beham was elected president of the conference.
He became the Secretary of the college.

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 Omission of Articles…
In certain phrases consisting of a transitive verb followed by its object; as

In certain phrases consisting of a preposition followed by its object; as

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