Articles

Articles are a type of determiner that are used before nouns to indicate whether the noun refers to a specific or general object, person, or idea. In English, there are two types of articles: definite articles (the) and indefinite articles (a/an).

Indefinite Articles:

“A” is used before words that begin with a consonant sound. For example: a book, a pen, a university.

“An” is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. For example: an apple, an umbrella, an hour.

Definite Article:

“The” is used before nouns when we are referring to a specific object, person, or idea. For example: the book on the table, the university I attended, the apple you gave me.

When not to use Articles:

1. Before uncountable nouns such as water, milk, air, sugar, etc.
2. Before plural nouns that refer to general objects, people, or ideas. For example: dogs are cute, books are expensive.
3. Before proper nouns such as names of people, cities, or countries. For example: John is a teacher, Paris is a beautiful city.
4. Before abstract nouns such as love, hate, freedom, justice, etc.

Examples:

Here are some examples of how to use articles in sentences:

1. I bought a book at the store.
2. She is an excellent student.
3. The cat is sleeping on the couch.
4. I love to eat apples.
5. The University of Oxford is a prestigious institution.

Now, let’s do some practice exercises:

Exercise 1: Choose the correct article (a, an, or the) or no article (-) to complete the sentences.

1. I have ___ apple in my hand.
2. ___ cat is sleeping on ___ chair.
3. My friend works at ___ university.
4. ___ dogs are playing in the park.
5. ___ air in the room is stuffy.

Answers:

1. an
2. The, a
3. A
4. The
5. The

Exercise 2: Identify if the sentences need an article or not. Choose the correct answer (article or no article).

1. She is ____ doctor.
2. ____ books are expensive.
3. ____ water is cold.
4. We visited ____ Paris last summer.
5. Love is ____ beautiful feeling.

Answers:

1. no article
2. no article
3. no article
4. no article
5. a