Definition of Articles
An article is a word used to modify a noun, which is a person, place, object or idea. Technically, an article is an adjective, which is any word that modifies a noun. Usually adjectives modify nouns through description, but articles are used instead to point out or refer to nouns. There are two different types of articles that we use in writing and conversation to point out or refer to a noun or group of nouns: definite and indefinite articles.
Definite Article
Let's begin by looking at the definite article. This article is the word the, and it refers directly to a specific noun or groups of nouns. For example:
- the freckles on my face
- the alligator in the pond
- the breakfast burrito on my plate
Each noun or group of nouns being referred to (freckles, alligator and breakfast burrito) is direct and specific.
Indefinite Articles
Indefinite articles are the words a and an. Each of these articles is used to refer to a noun, but the noun being referred to is not a specific person, place, object or idea. It can be any noun from a group of nouns. For example:
- a Mercedes from the car lot
- an event in history
In each case, the noun is not specific. The Mercedes could be any Mercedes car available for purchase, and the event could be any event in the history of the world.
Article Usage with Examples
Properly using a definite article is fairly straightforward, but it can be tricky when you are trying to figure out which indefinite article to use. The article choice depends on the sound at the beginning of the noun that is being modified. There is a quick and easy way to remember this.
If the noun that comes after the article begins with a vowel sound, the appropriate indefinite article to use isan. A vowel sound is a sound that is created by any vowel in the English language: a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y(if it makes an e or i sound).
Examples of the Definite and Indefinite Articles
Here are some examples of the articles in use:
- I fell over the chair again. (The chair is specific. It is known to the audience.)
- Can you pass me a chair? (This means an unspecific chair, i.e., any chair.)
- I loved the apple pie after the meal. (In this example, the audience knows which apple pie is being praised, e.g., the one at last night's dinner.)
- I love an apple pie after dinner. (The audience understands that the speaker likes to eat an apple pie after dinner (any apple pie will do.)
- I'm not a troublemaker. I'm the troublemaker! (This means "I'm not any old troublemaker. I'm the one you all know about.")
When Do You Use An and A?
- The main question regarding articles is when to use an instead of a.
- A house
- An hour
(House and hour start with the same three letters; however, house attracts a, and hour attracts an. This is because house starts with a consonant sound, but hour starts with a vowel sound.)
- A uniform row
- An unidentified man
(Uniform and unidentified start with the same three letters; however,uniform attracts a, and unidentified attracts an. This is because uniformstarts with a consonant sound (yoo), but unidentified starts with a vowel sound.)
An is used instead of a to make speaking easier. An is used when the first sound of the next word is a vowel sound. Note: Consonants can create a vowel sound, and vowels can create a consonant sound. The use of an is determined by the sound not the letter. Look at these examples:
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