Articles and its Types

ARTICLES

DEFINITION

It is a word that modifies or describes the Noun. It is used before the noun to show whether it refers to something specific or not. So, in a way, it can also be described as a type of adjectives as they also tell us something about the nouns, like adjectives.

TYPES OF ARTICLES

There are two types of articles in the English language, they are indefinite (a, an) and definite article (the).

1. DEFINITE ARTICLE

Definite means to be clear, exact or obvious about something. It is called definite because it is used in relation to a particular thing or person. “The” is the definite article in English, which is used to refer to particular nouns, the identities of which are known. The definite article indicates that the noun is specific. The speaker talks about a particular thing.

For example:

• The cat sat on the couch.
• The dog attacked me and ran away.

2. INDEFINITE ARTICLE

Indefinite means something which is not clear, obvious or exact. They are called indefinite because the identity of the thing or person being spoken about is left unclear or indefinite. The indefinite article indicates that the noun is not someone or something in particular. The speaker talks about anyone of that type of things. The indefinite articles in English are “a” and “an.”

Using an and a does not depend on the spelling of the word it comes before, it depends on the pronunciation of the word. In most cases though, an is used before words that begin with vowels (a, e, i, o u.): an apple, an elephant, an igloo, an oven, an umbrella

If a word starts with a consonant sound, use a. a ball, a car, a doll

For example:

• Do you have a pencil?
• I want to have an apple.
• Ali is a B.A.
• Sara is an F.A.
• Sana is an MNA.
• Sana is an MPA.  
• Ali is an honest man.
• An umbrella is useful thing.  

Vowel Sounds

It is very important to know that when a word starts with a vowel sound, you should use an. Sometimes u is pronounced as y. Try saying these two words, see if notice how the u is pronounced in two different ways.    

An unforgettable experience – unforgettable has a vowel sound so we use an.

A university – university has a y sound so we use a.

The Silent ……H

Sometimes with words that begin with h, the h sound is not pronounced. Unfortunately there is no rule about when the h is silent. Let’s look at an example.

an honour – the h is silent. We use an because the honour has a vowel sound because the h is not pronounced: (h)onour.

a historic day – the h is pronounced. Historic starts with an h sound.

CONCLUSION ABOUT USE OF “A” and “AN”

Dear students, it’s very easy to remember that how to use “A” and “AN”. It is quite evident as per rules of English Grammar that “A” is always used with single nouns or nomenclatures in all conditions. Moreover, (AN) is always used before all nouns that will start with vowels like A.E.I.O.U. There is an easy way to remember the accurate usage of (an).

As far as usage of “AN” is concerned that you must remember that sound of (ALIF) and (ALIF MUD AA………AA) is produced then article (AN) will be used before those nouns, for example:-

• He is and M.A.
• He is an MPA.
• He is an MNA.
• She is an MBA.
• Aslam is an honest man.

It’s quite clear that abovementioned nouns are not starting with the Vowels but with the consonants. Here we see that these nouns produce the voice of ALIF and AA that’s why the article (AN) will be used before these nouns / words.