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Articles What Are Articles?: Indefinite

The document defines and discusses different types of articles in English grammar. It explains that articles define nouns as specific or unspecific. The two main types of articles are definite (the) and indefinite (a, an). The definite article refers to a specific noun, while the indefinite article refers to nonspecific nouns. There are also exceptions to using "a" versus "an", and context where articles can be omitted.

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Brahim El Fida
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38 views

Articles What Are Articles?: Indefinite

The document defines and discusses different types of articles in English grammar. It explains that articles define nouns as specific or unspecific. The two main types of articles are definite (the) and indefinite (a, an). The definite article refers to a specific noun, while the indefinite article refers to nonspecific nouns. There are also exceptions to using "a" versus "an", and context where articles can be omitted.

Uploaded by

Brahim El Fida
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Articles

What Are Articles?


Articles are words that define a noun as specific or unspecific. Consider the
following examples:
After the long day, the cup of tea tasted particularly good.
By using the article the, we’ve shown that it was one specific day that was long
and one specific cup of tea that tasted good.
After a long day, a cup of tea tastes particularly good.
By using the article a, we’ve created a general statement, implying that any cup
of tea would taste good after any long day. English has two types of articles:
definite and indefinite. Let’s discuss them now in more detail.

The Definite Article


The definite article is the word the. It limits the meaning of a noun to one
particular thing. For example, your friend might ask, “Are you going
to the party this weekend?” The definite article tells you that your friend is
referring to a specific party that both of you know about. The definite article
can be used with singular, plural, or uncountable nouns. Below are some
examples of the definite article the used in context:
Please give me the hammer.
Please give me the red hammer; the blue one is too small.
Please give me the nail.
Please give me the large nail; it’s the only one strong enough to hold this
painting.
Please give me the hammer and the nail.

The Indefinite Article


The indefinite article takes two forms. It’s the word a when it precedes a word
that begins with a consonant. It’s the word an when it precedes a word that
begins with a vowel. The indefinite article indicates that a noun refers to a
general idea rather than a particular thing. For example, you might ask your
friend, “Should I bring a gift to the party?” Your friend will understand that
you are not asking about a specific type of gift or a specific item. “I am going
to bring an apple pie,” your friend tells you. Again, the indefinite article
indicates that she is not talking about a specific apple pie. Your friend probably
doesn’t even have any pie yet. The indefinite article only appears with singular
nouns. Consider the following examples of indefinite articles used in context:
Please hand me a book; any book will do.
Please hand me an autobiography; any autobiography will do.

Exceptions: Choosing A or An
There are a few exceptions to the general rule of using a before words that start
with consonants and an before words that begin with vowels. The first letter of
the word honor, for example, is a consonant, but it’s unpronounced. In spite of
its spelling, the word honor begins with a vowel sound. Therefore, we use an.
Consider the example sentence below for an illustration of this concept.
My mother is a honest woman.
My mother is an honest woman.
Similarly, when the first letter of a word is a vowel but is pronounced with a
consonant sound, use a, as in the sample sentence below:
She is an United States senator.
She is a United States senator.
This holds true with acronyms and initialisms, too: an LCD display, a UK-
based company, an HR department, a URL.

Article Before an Adjective


Sometimes an article modifies a noun that is also modified by an adjective. The
usual word order is article + adjective + noun. If the article is indefinite,
choose a or anbased on the word that immediately follows it. Consider the
following examples for reference:
Eliza will bring a small gift to Sophie’s party.
I heard an interesting story yesterday.

Indefinite Articles with Uncountable Nouns


Uncountable nouns are nouns that are either difficult or impossible to count.
Uncountable nouns include intangible things (e.g., information, air), liquids
(e.g., milk, wine), and things that are too large or numerous to count (e.g.,
equipment, sand, wood). Because these things can’t be counted, you should
never use a or anwith them—remember, the indefinite article is only for
singular nouns. Uncountable nouns can be modified by words like some,
however. Consider the examples below for reference:
Please give me a water.
Water is an uncountable noun and should not be used with the indefinite article.
Please give me some water.
However, if you describe the water in terms of countable units (like bottles),
you can use the indefinite article.
Please give me a bottle of water.
Please give me an ice.
Please give me an ice cube.
Please give me some ice .
Note that depending on the context, some nouns can be countable or
uncountable (e.g., hair, noise, time):
We need a light in this room.
We need some light in this room.

Using Articles with Pronouns


Possessive pronouns can help identify whether you’re talking about specific or
nonspecific items. As we’ve seen, articles also indicate specificity. But if you
use both a possessive pronoun and an article at the same time, readers will
become confused. Possessive pronouns are words like his, my, our, its,
her, and their. Articles should not be used with pronouns. Consider the
examples below.
Why are you reading the my book?
The and my should not be used together since they are both meant to modify
the same noun. Instead, you should use one or the other, depending on the
intended meaning:
Why are you reading the book?
Why are you reading my book?

Omission of Articles
Occasionally, articles are omitted altogether before certain nouns. In these
cases, the article is implied but not actually present. This implied article is
sometimes called a “zero article.” Often, the article is omitted before nouns that
refer to abstract ideas. Look at the following examples:
Let’s go out for a dinner tonight.
Let’s go out for dinner tonight.
The creativity is a valuable quality in children.
Creativity is a valuable quality in children.
Many languages and nationalities are not preceded by an article. Consider the
example below:
I studied the French in high school for four years.
I studied French in high school for four years.
Sports and academic subjects do not require articles. See the sentences below
for reference:
I like to play the baseball.
I like to play baseball .
My sister was always good at the math .
My sister was always good at math.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/articles/

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