Articles

Articles are very important words in English and so is their knowledge. 

There are two kinds of articles.

          (i)      Indefinite Articles —A, An (in the sense of 'one' and 'any)

          (ii)     Definite Articles—The (in the sense of 'this' and 'that') 

Rules of Articles

The Use of Indefinite Articles 'A', 'An'

Rule I

          A student must note that the choice between 'A' and 'An' is determined primarily by SOUND.

(A)    'A is used before a word beginning.

            (i)    With consonant, e.g.,

Use of articles :

Rule II

 (I)      Indefinite article 'A'/'An' is used when we talk of a thing or a person  that is indefinite or that is mentioned for the first time, (in the sense  of ‘one’)

          (II)     Indefinite article is also used to express a class (in the sense of ‘any’)

 (A)   Before a singular/countable common noun when it is mentioned for the first time representing no particular person or a thing, e.g.,

          (i)      I need a book. (one)

          (ii)     Twelve inches make a foot. (one)

          (iii)    A beggar came to my door. (one)

          (iv)    Please get me a scooter. (one)

Usage of definite article 'The'

Before proper nouns (unique objects) when they refer to the names of historical buildings, mountain ranges, planets, rivers, oceans, gulfs, groups of islands, holy books, ordinals, descriptive names of countries, states, newspapers, magzines, deserts, superlative degree, names of trains, hotels, shops, trains, eg,

The Persian Gulf          The Taj Mahal               The Netherlands

The Indian Ocean        The best picture          The Sudan

The Ganges                  The first man                The USA

The Himalayas             The Sahara                   The Maurya Sheraton