What is the definition of articles?
Articles in English grammar are determiners that provide information about the noun they precede. There are two types of articles:
Types of articles
The definite article
1-The definite article ‘The’ refers to specific nouns that speakers are aware of. Usually, the nouns have been previously mentioned by the speaker; therefore, they are specific.
The definite article is used with singular countable nouns, plural countable nouns and plural uncountable nouns.
Examples
The song he wrote is beautifully.
The cars she has are all new.
The money was withdrawn.
Uses of the definite article
The definite article ‘the’ is used for:
-Adjectives when used as collective nouns.
The unemployed are struggling to pay their bills.
-Canals.
The Corinth canal.
-Countries, republics and states (when they have an adjective or include the word ‘of’)
The United Kingdom.
The Dominican Republic.
The United States of America.
Note: ’the’ is also used for countries that have plural names.
The Philippines.
-Decades.
I’ve been working in this company since the eighties.
-Deserts.
The Gobi desert.
-Groups of mountains.
The Alps.
-Gulfs.
The Gulf of Mexico.
-Inventions.
The camera has been an indispensable tool to capture beautiful moments.
-Islands.
The Aegean Islands.
-Means of transport.
The bus.
-Museums.
The Tate Modern.
-Musical instruments.
The oboe.
-Names families.
The Garcias.
-Nationalities.
The Danish.
-Newspapers.
The Daily Mail.
-Oceans.
The Pacific.
-One-of-a-kind nouns.
The sun.
The moon.
-Ordinal numbers.
The first chapter of the book is amazing.
-Organizations.
The WHO.
-Places is town.
The library.
-Point of compass.
The North.
The South.
The East.
The West.
-Poles.
The North Pole.
-Rivers.
The Mississippi river.
-Schools (when they have the word ‘of’)
The University of Sydney.
-Seas.
The Kara sea.
-Special or famous buldings.
The Colosseum.
-Superlatives.
She is the smartest girl I know.
-Titles (when a name is not mentioned)
The professor.
-Works of art.
The Guernica.
The indefinite article
The indefinite article ‘A / An’ refers to nonspecific nouns, things that are general and not specific.
We use the indefinite article is used with singular countable nouns only.
Example
I have a burger. Correct
I have a burgers. Incorrect
How to use the indefinite article
-When the word they precede start with a vowel, you use ‘an’.
I am an adult.
-When the word they precede start with a consonant, you use ‘a’.
Let’s go for a coffee.
Notes
-When the word they precede start with a vowel, but the pronunciation sounds like they start with a consonant, you use ‘a’.
A university. (The word ‘university’ starts with a vowel, but it sounds like a consonant)
A useful book.
A unique person.
-When the word they precede start with a consonant, but the pronunciation sounds like they start with a vowel, you use ‘an’.
An honest student. (The word ‘honest’ starts with a consonant, but it sounds like a vowel)
An honorable teacher.
An hour.
-There are abbreviations that start with a vowel or a consonant, pay attention to the sound.
An MBA degree. (The word starts with a consonant, but it sounds like ‘em’)
A UFO. (The word starts with a vowel, but it sounds like ‘yu’)
Uses of indefinite articles
-Before an adjective.
We’re having dinner in a fancy restaurant.
-Fractions.
A fifth.
-Jobs.
I am an English teacher.
-Measurements.
A/one metre.
-Nationalities.
I am a Mexican.
-Numbers.
A/one hundred.
-Phrases of time.
I work out three times a week.
-Prices.
Oranges are five pounds a kilo.
Read more about English grammar here.