Article in English Grammar with Examples [PDF]

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Hello Learners, welcome to another English Grammar lesson, in this lesson I am going to discuss What is Article in English grammar, also I will discuss the Rules of Article omission with suitable examples, and also too download the PDF of this lesson please find the PDF downloadable link below of this article.

Table of Contents

feature image of article

Definition of Article:

Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjective articles modify nouns.

There are two articles in English- The and A/An. ‘The’ is used to refer to specific or particular nouns, and ‘a/an’ is used to modify no specific nouns. We call ‘The’ definite article and ‘A/An’ the indefinite article.

For example, if I say, “Let’s read the book, “I mean a specific book. If I say, “let’s read a book” then I mean any book rather than a specific book.

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Let’s look at each type of article a little more closely and Find out what is an article exactly.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS INFOGRAPHIC:
types of articles

Types of Article:

There are two types of article. And those are:

  1. Indefinite article.
  2. Definite article.

Indefinite Article:

‘A’ and ‘An’ are indefinite article.

‘A’ and ‘An’ signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any number of a group. For example,

  • “My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas”. This refers to any dog. We don’t know which dog because we haven’t found the dog yet.
  • “When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant?” There are probably several elephants at the zoo, but there is only one, we are talking about here.

Remember one thing, using ‘a’ or ‘an’ depends on the sound that begins the next word. So…

  • ‘A’ + Singular noun is beginning with a consonant.

For example, A zoo, A car, A bus, A bike, A tree.

  • ‘An’ + Singular noun beginning with a vowel [External Link].

For example, An elephant, An egg, An orphan.

  • ‘A’ + Singular noun beginning with a consonant sound. A user (sounds like yoo-zer, begins with a consonant ‘y’ sound, so ‘a’ is used), for example, a university, a school, a bicycle.
  • ‘An’ + nouns starting with silent ‘h’, for example, an hour.
  • ‘A ‘+ nouns starting with a pronounced ‘h’, for example, a horse.
  • Another case where this rule applies is when acronyms start with consonant [External Link] letters but have vowel sounds.

For example, An MSDS (material safety data sheet) was used to record data.

  • If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between ‘a’ and ‘an’ depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article.

For example, A broken egg, An unusual problem.

  • Remember, that in English, indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group.

I am a student (Here I am a member of a large group known as teachers).

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John is an Englishman (Here John is a member of the people known as English).

Definite Article:

‘The’ is definite article.

The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific.

For example,

  1. The dog that bit me ran away.

Here, we are talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.

  1. I saw the elephant at the zoo.

Here, we talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.

  • The can be used with non-count nouns.

For example,

I love to sail over the water. (Some specific body of water)

  • A/an can be used only with count nouns.

For example,

I need a bottle of water.

  • Omit the before:
  1. Name of rivers.
  2. Points on the globe like the Equator, the North Pole.
  3. Geographical areas like The West.

Rules of Article Omission:

The omission of articles.

The article “A, An, The” are omitted.

  • Before a Proper noun. for example, Delhi is the capital of India, Shakespeare was the greatest dramatist.
  • Before names of material.

For example,

  1. Silver is a useful metal.
  2. The tea of Assam is very famous (particular tea).
  • Before common noun used in its wide sense.

For example,

  1. Man is Mortal, god is omnipresent, but we say the devil.
  • Before abstract nouns as qualities feelings and States used in general science.

For example,

  1. love is a natural feeling, truth is a noble quality.

*Note- but we can say for example.

  1. The honesty of my brother is beyond any doubt.
  2. She always tells a lie.
  3. Suman always speaks the truth.
  • Before a noun complement( appoint, make, select, etc).

For example,

  1. The committee appointed him captain.
  2. They elected him president.
  • Before collective nouns in general science.

For example,

  1. life is complex.
  2. society does not allow this.
  • Before languages.

For example,

  1. Arabic is a difficult language.
  2. He knows Spanish very well.
  • Before school college home Church temples work bed table Hospital market prison Court when their purpose is thought of rather than the actual building or place.

For example,

  1. we go to temple on Monday( for prayer).
  2. He went to sea in his early youth( as a sailor).
  3. I go to bed early( to sleep).
  • Before hobbies professions and sports.

For example,

  1. Painting is her profession.
  2. Gardening is his hobby.
  • Before names of disease.

For example,

  1. Cancer is a deadly disease.
  2. AIDS is spreading like Wildfire.

But we can say the measles, the mumps, the rickets, and the plague, etc

  • In certain phrases.

For example,

  1. To lose heart.
  2. To give ear.
  3. At sunrise.
  4. At home.
  5. In hand.
  6. By name.
  7. At last.
  8. To set foot.

A Must-Watch Video Lesson on Article:

Exercise on Article:

You can use this as a Worksheet for school or college.

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I mentioned the answers to the below Questions at the bottom of the page. Let’s try your own first then correct the answer I mentioned.

  1. _____ boy
  2. _____ Universal problem
  3. _____ unique book
  4. _____ University student
  5. _____ elephant
  6. _____ hourly visit
  7. _____ honourable person
  8. For _____ swim
  9. Have _____ taste
  10. Make _____ noise
  11. _____ orange
  12. _____ horse
  13. _____ Greeks
  14. _____ Indians
  15. _____ judiciary
  16. _____ legislature
  17. In _____ air
  18. _____ benefit of _____ doubt
  19. Feel _____ shame
  20. For _____ drive
  21. Half _____dozen
  22. What is not _____ child
  23. _____ ass
  24. _____ few students that were in _____ class where sitting idle
  25. 12-inch make _____ foot
  26. _____ beggar cannot be _____ chooser
  27. _____ center of _____ market
  28. _____ whole class was absent
  29. _____ son should be obedient
  30. _ mango is a sweet fruit
  31. Netaji was _____ leader
  32. He is _____ man for this job
  33. She can play _____ flute
  34. Truth is _____ noble quality
  35. _____ Prime Minister and _ president are visiting _____ town today
  36. _____ first and second chapters are very difficult
  37. _____ rose is a sweet flower
  38. _____ Himalayas are to _____ north of India
  39. There are many waterways in _____ Ireland
  40. One day I will climb all _____ Mount in_____ Himalayas
  41. I wish I were good at _____ mathematics
  42. what _ useful device _____ laptop is!
  43. There are many rain forests in _____ Amazon
  44. She works for _____ group who helped _ poor
  45. _____ World Health Organization will surely stop dengue
  46. I had _____ opportunity to do it
  47. He succeeds in doing _____ work
  48. This is _____ charming scenery
  49. She is _____ learned man
Tired of doing this don’t worry this fifty for next day
  1. The lion is called _____ king of beasts
  2. The injured were taken to _____ hospital
  3. They sent me _____ box
  4. I am reading _____ book
  5. They were calling _____ boys
  6. I am living here for _____ long time
  7. My father has died yesterday, he left me _____ large fortune
  8. He is flying _____ kite
  9. I like _____ fool to be punished
  10. She laughed _____ loud laugh
  11. It grows in _____ heavy gale (Gale means – a very strong wind)
  12. He is _____ honest man
  13. I have _____ umbrella
  14. He is _____ best man that I ever saw
  15. _____ Rajdhani Express is _ hour late today
  16. Kalidas is _____ Homer of India
  17. You must read _____ Gita every day
  18. Bravo, what _____ idea!
  19. I want _____ pen and _ umbrella
  20. We stopped for lunch in _____ small restaurant not far from _____ town. We took rest for _____ hour and then started for our destination
  21. Of all _____ boys in _____ class he is _____ best. He stood first in _____ last annual examination in scored _ record marks in mathematics. He is _____ good sportsman. And plays _ guitar well
  22. John is one of _____ best boys of our club. He has recently gone to _____ U.S. and buy _____ Air India flight ticket for higher studies. 
  23. One day _____ English gentleman named Rowland Hill saw _____ postman take _____ letter up to _____ gate of _____ house. _ girl came out to receive it. _____ price of _ postage was 1 shilling. But she had no money to pay for _____ letter
  24. _____ secretary and _____ headmaster of _____ school called _____ meeting of students to discuss _____ urgent matter. _____ meeting considered _ proposal put forward by _____ student for improvement in common room facilities. _____ discussion over held in _____ amicable manner.
  25. I read _____ Statesman which is _____ very popular newspaper
  26. Is he _____ European?
  27. He is _____ boy who stood first last year
  28. He is _____ officer in _____ army
  29. _____horse is _____ animal
  30. He is _____ European but his wife is _____ Indian
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Or just 21 left. Let’s do it
  1. I have _____ bicycle. _____ bicycle has two wheels
  2. I paid _____ visit to _____ west
  3. _____ tea of Darjeeling is world famous
  4. We cross _____ Pacific Ocean in _____ airplane
  5. _____ headmaster and _ secretary love _ students
  6. _____ U.A.E is prosperous country
  7. There was _explosion in _town hall today
  8. _____Hunter entered _ thick up _____ forest
  9. There is _____ mother in every woman
  10. Land is sold here by _____ acre
  11. The book you want is not in _____ libery
  12. Replace _____ chair by _____ new one
  13. I satisfied of _____ truth what you say
  14. I need some respite from _ heavy work
  15. He is _____ sticker for punctuality
  16. He was _____ victim
  17. I am uneasy about _____ effect of his action
  18. He died _____ victim to his own folly
  19. The man is _____ idiot
  20. He is _____ able man
  21. I saved him from _____ danger
ANSWERS

1.a| 2.a| 3.a| 4.a| 5.an| 6.an| 7.an| 8.a| 9.a| 10.a| 11.an| 12.a| 13.the| 14.the| 15.the| 16.the| 17.the| 18.the/the| 19.a| 20.a| 21.a| 22.a| 23.an| 24.the/the| 25.a| 26.a/a| 27.the| 28.the| 29.a| 30.a/a| 31.the| 32.the| 33.the| 34.a| 35.the/the| 36.the| 37.the/a| 38. The/the| 39.the| 40.the| 41.no article| 42.a/a| 43.the| 44.a/the| 45.the| 46.the| 47.the| 48.a| 49.a|

1.the| 2.the/a| 3.a| 4.a| 5.the| 6.a| 7.a| 8.a| 9.a| 10.a| 11.a| 12.an| 13.an| 14.the| 15.the/an| 16.the| 17.the| 18.an| 19.a/an| 20.a/an| 21.the/the/the/a/the| 22.the/the/an/the/a/an/the| 23.an/a/a/the/a/A/The/the| 24.the/the/the/a/an/the/the/the/the/an| 25.the/a| 26.a| 27.the| 28.an/the| 29.an| 30.a/an|

1.a/the| 2.a/the| 3.the| 4.the/an| 5.the/the/the| 36.The| 7.an/the| 8.the/the/the| 9.a| 10.the| 11.the/the| 12.the/a| 13.the| 14.the| 15.the| 16.a| 17.a| 18.the| 19.a| 20.an| 21.an|

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