This document defines and discusses the uses of articles (a, an, the) in grammar. It explains that articles are a part of speech that specify nouns and include the indefinite articles "a" and "an", as well as the definite article "the". It provides examples of where each type of article should and should not be used, such as using "a" with consonant sounds, "an" with vowel sounds, "the" to refer to specific or unique things, and omitting articles with plural or abstract nouns.

1. ARTICLES (GRAMMAR)

2. CONTEXT
• Definition and types
• The Indefinite articles
• Places where it should be used
• Places where it should not be used
• The Definite article
• Places where it should be used
• Places where it should not be used

3. DEFINITION
ETYMOLOGY
– ‘ar’ – Proto-Indo-European Origin.
- meaning ‘to fit together’
ARTICLE
– a part that fits into something bigger
GRAMMATICAL EXPLANATION
– a part of speech that indicates, specifies, limits a noun.
- represents a noun.
- a word that comes before a noun to show whether it’s specific or general.

4. TYPES OF ARTICLES
ARTICLE
INDEFINITE
A AN
DEFINITE
THE
INDEFINITE ARTICLE –
-Refers to a general
thing
-Do not specify which
particular person or
thing referring to.
DEFINITE ARTICLE –
-Specifies a thing
-Refers to a particular
thing

5. INDEFINITE ARTICLE - A
WHERE TO PLACE – A
 In front of Nouns beginning with consonant sounds
Eg – a year, a house, a boy
 In front of Nouns that start with vowel letter, but with consonant sound
Eg- y sound – a university, a European tourist, a unit
w sound – a one rupee coin, a one way ticket

6. INDEFINITE ARTICLE - AN
WHERE TO PLACE – AN
 Infront of Nouns beginning with vowels
Eg – an idol, an eye, an American
 In front of Nouns beginning with silent ‘h’ sound
Eg – an honest man, an hour, an heir

7. USES OF INDEFINITE ARTICLES – A & AN
• Used for the weakened form of ‘one’ (used in sense of one)
Eg- A stitch in time saves nine.
• Used in place of vague sense of ‘certain’
Eg- A man came and knocked at your door.
The news was about an aeroplane crash.
• Used in sense of ‘any’ or single’
Eg- He did not speak a word in self-defence

8. USES OF INDEFINITE ARTICLES – A & AN
• Used in sense of ‘every’
Eg- He gets Rs. 2000/- a month, from his part-time job.
• It is used with singular noun to make the latter represent the whole class
Eg- A dog is faithful to his master
• It is used before a proper noun to make it a common noun
Eg- He is a Shivaji in stage.

9. PLACES WHERE INDEFINITE ARTICLES
SHOULD NOT BE USED
• It should not be placed before a plural noun and uncountable noun.
Countable noun – Singular – one horse (also can be written as a horse)
- Plural – two children (indefinite article should be avoided)
Uncountable noun – noun that cannot be counted
- sand, information, air
- abstract noun – advice, love, grammar

10. DEFINITE ARTICLE – THE
USES
• It is used before universal things, or for the things that are only one of a kind
Eg- the sun, the sky
• It is used to denote a particular person or thing
Eg- Call the man waiting outside.
• When something is already mentioned, ‘the’ is used to refer that in later sentence.
Eg- We came across a bubble stream. The stream flowed through a wooded valley.
• It is used before a proper noun to make it a common noun.
Eg- Bombay is the Manchester of India.

11. USES OF DEFINITE ARTICLE - THE
• It is used with a singular noun to make the latter represent the whole class.
Eg- The lotus is a beautiful flower.
• It is used before the names of rivers, gulfs, seas, group of islands and mountain
ranges.
Eg- the Ganges, the Himalayas
• Used before the names of well-known books
Eg- the Bible, the Ramayana
• Used before an adjective in ‘superlative degree’
Eg- Ram is the tallest boy in his class.

12. PLACES WHERE DEFINITE ARTICLES
SHOULD NOT BE USED
• Before proper noun
Eg- names of persons, places or things
• Before abstract noun
Eg- uncountable noun, wisdom, patience
• Before material noun
Eg- Iron, gold
• Before common noun used in widest sense
Eg- Man is mortal.
Science tries to discover the laws of nature.