Ask a Teacher

What are articles?

The English language utilises three articles: ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘The’.

‘a/an’ are known as indefinite articles because the identity of the thing or person being spoken about is left indefinite. They refer to any member of a group.

Example 1: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

You may have heard this many times; as you might have realised, it does not refer to a particular apple but to any apple.

Example 2: Let’s watch a movie.

This sentence refers to watching any movie and not a particular one.

‘The’ is known as a definite article because it is used in relation to a particular thing or person.

Example 1: The dog attacked me and ran.

Notice how the reference is not left indefinite. It is clear that a particular dog is being spoken about. A particular dog attacked the speaker.

Example 2: I finally got the dress we liked

This refers to a particular dress and not just any dress.

Example 3: Please give me a pencil. (This is in reference to any pencil.)

Example 4: Please give me the pencil. (This is in reference to a particular pencil, a pencil that has either been previously spoken about or is visible to both.)

USAGE OF ‘A’ AND ‘AN’

Indefinite articles ‘a/an’ are used as follows.

‘a’ is used before a word beginning with a consonant sound.  Consonant letters in the English alphabet are B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M,N, P, Q, R, S, T, V,W, X,Y, Z.

Examples: A boy, a cat, a dog, a fight, a gym, a horse, a joke, a kite, a lion, a mirror, a noise, a pin, a quilt etc.

 ‘an’ is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound.  Vowel letters in the English alphabet are A, E, I, O, U.

Examples: An apple, an elephant, an idiot, an orange, an umbrella.

NOTE:

As mentioned earlier, usage is on the basis of sound and not only the letter the word starts with. Let me explain.

“An hour”

“An honest man”

“A one eyed dog”

Do these seem wrong to you?

They’re not and the reason is simply that ‘usage is on the basis of sound’. The words 'hour' and 'honest' both begin with a vowel sound, as the consonant 'h' is not pronounced. Similarly, the word 'one' begins with the consonant sound of 'w' and hence is written as 'a one eyed dog', not 'an one eyed dog'.