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Lesson 10 of 10 – Articles
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Articles (ā¤†ā¤°āĨā¤Ÿā¤ŋā¤•ā¤˛)

Articles are words placed before nouns to indicate whether the noun is specific or non-specific.

Note: There are three articles in English grammar: A, An, and The.
What is an Article?

An article is a word used before a noun to give more information about that noun.

A boy is playing.
An apple is on the table.
The sun rises in the east.

Articles help us understand whether we are talking about something general or specific.

Why Are Articles Important?

Articles make sentences clear and grammatically correct.

  • Improve sentence accuracy.
  • Specify people, places, or things.
  • Help listeners understand meaning clearly.
  • Essential for spoken and written English.
I saw a dog. (any dog)
I saw the dog. (specific dog)
Types of Articles
Article Type Use
A Indefinite Article Before singular consonant sounds
An Indefinite Article Before singular vowel sounds
The Definite Article For specific nouns
Examples of Articles
Article Example
A A boy is reading a book.
An An elephant is a large animal.
The The Taj Mahal is beautiful.

Remember: A and An are used for general nouns, while The is used for specific nouns.

Use of Article "A"

A is used before singular countable nouns that begin with a consonant sound.

✔ A boy
✔ A girl
✔ A teacher
✔ A car

Hindi Meaning:
A boy = ā¤ā¤• ā¤˛ā¤Ąā¤ŧā¤•ā¤ž
A teacher = ā¤ā¤• ā¤ļā¤ŋā¤•āĨā¤ˇā¤•

Rules for Using "A"
  • Used before consonant sounds.
  • Used with singular countable nouns.
  • Used when mentioning something for the first time.
✔ A university (sounds like "yu")
✔ A European country
✔ A useful book

Even though university starts with a vowel letter (U), it has a consonant sound (Yu), so we use A.

Use of Article "An"

An is used before singular countable nouns that begin with a vowel sound.

✔ An apple
✔ An elephant
✔ An orange
✔ An umbrella

Hindi Meaning:
An apple = ā¤ā¤• ā¤¸āĨ‡ā¤Ŧ
An elephant = ā¤ā¤• ā¤šā¤žā¤ĨāĨ€

Rules for Using "An"
  • Used before vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u).
  • Used with singular countable nouns.
  • Used when the pronunciation begins with a vowel sound.
✔ An honest man
✔ An hour
✔ An MBA student

In words like honest and hour, the "h" is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound.

Use of Article "The"

The is called the definite article. It is used for specific persons, places, things, or unique objects.

✔ The sun
✔ The moon
✔ The Ganga
✔ The Taj Mahal
  • Used for unique things.
  • Used when both speaker and listener know the noun.
  • Used with famous rivers, oceans, mountains, and monuments.
I saw a dog.
The dog was black.

Here, "a dog" means any dog, but "the dog" refers to a specific dog already mentioned.

Common Mistakes in Articles

Students often make mistakes while using A, An, and The. Learn the correct usage below.

Wrong Correct
A apple An apple
An university A university
I saw dog. I saw a dog.
Sun rises in east. The sun rises in the east.
An European country A European country
Special Cases & Exceptions

Sometimes articles depend on pronunciation instead of spelling.

✔ A university
✔ A useful book
✔ A one-rupee coin

✔ An hour
✔ An honest man
✔ An MBA student

Remember:
Use A before consonant sounds.
Use An before vowel sounds.

Article Comparison Table
Article Used Before Example
A Consonant Sound A boy
An Vowel Sound An apple
The Specific Noun The Taj Mahal

Sentence Meaning
I saw a dog. Any dog
I saw the dog. A particular dog
Points to Remember
  • There are only three articles: A, An, and The.
  • A and An are called indefinite articles.
  • The is called the definite article.
  • Use A before consonant sounds.
  • Use An before vowel sounds.
  • Use The for specific or unique nouns.
  • Articles are generally used before singular countable nouns.
  • Correct article usage improves spoken and written English.

🧠 Quick Quiz

Which article is correct?



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