Have you ever thought about what exactly an article is? Articles are the most important parts of the English language. But they can also be one of the most confusing parts.
In this blog post, we will learn the different types and use of the article.
What is an Article?
An article is a word that we use to modify a noun. We have two types of articles in the English grammar.
1) Definite article The
2) Indefinite articles A, and An
What is the use of Definite Article?
We use definite articles to refer to a specific noun. “The” is a definite article in English.
For example,
The cat is sleeping on the mat.
In this sentence, we used “the” to refer to a specific cat that both the speaker and the listener know.
Indefinite Articles
We use indefinite articles to refer to a non-specific noun. We have “A” and “An” the indefinite articles in English.
For example,
I saw a cat on my way home.
In this sentence, we used “a” to refer to any cat, not a specific one.
The Use of “The” Article
There are many ways where we use the (definite article) differently. Let’s learn them.
Referring to these Places
School, college, temple, hospital, jail, university, market, Court etc.
When we use these words for other work not related to these places. We use of the article.
Hospital – for treatment, check-ups, medicines, etc.
School, college, university – for learning, studying, or teaching purpose.
Jail – for duty, imprisonment, and criminal offenses.
For example,
1) Roma went to hospital to see her father. Incorrect
Roma went to the hospital to see her father. Correct
2) My parents often go to school to meet the principal. Incorrect
My parents often go to the school to meet the principal. Correct
3) Romeo goes to jail to see his best friend. Incorrect
Romeo goes to the jail to see his best friend. Correct
Referring to a Specific Noun
As mentioned before, we use “the” to refer to a specific noun.
For example,
I am going to the store.
In this sentence, we use “the” because the speaker is referring to a specific store that they have in mind.
Referring to a Group of Nouns
We also use “The” to refer to a group of nouns.
For example,
The birds in the sky are beautiful.
In this sentence, we used “the” to refer to all birds in the sky, not any specific bird.
Referring to a Unique Noun
We can use “The” to refer to a unique noun.
For example,
The sun is shining today.
In this sentence, we used “the” because there is only one sun in our solar system.
When Not to Use the Article
While “the” is a very useful article, there are times when not to use the definite article (The).
Referring to these Places
School, College, Temple, Hospital, Jail, University, Market, Court, etc.
When we use these words for related work to these places. We don’t use any articles.
Hospital – for treatment, check-ups, medicines, etc.
School, college, university – for learning, studying, or teaching purpose.
Jail – for duty, imprisonment, and criminal offenses.
For example,
1) Students go to the school to study. Incorrect
Students go to school to study. Correct
2) Doctors go to the hospitals to treat patients. Incorrect
Doctors go to hospitals to treat patients. Correct
Before Proper Nouns
You can mention the proper nouns are specific names for places, people, and things. We should not use “The” before proper nouns.
For example,
I am going to Paris. Correct
I am going to the Paris. Incorrect
Before Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns are nouns that we can’t count, such as “water” or “sugar”. We should not “The” before uncountable nouns.
For example,
I need sugar for my coffee. Correct
I need the sugar for my coffee. Incorrect
Before Plural Nouns Used Generally
When referring to a plural noun generally, we don’t use “the”. You can learn the types of nouns and cases with examples in detail here.
For example,
Cats are cute animals. Correct
The cats are cute animals. Incorrect
Conclusion
Use of the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” play an important role in English grammar. “A” and “an” are indefinite articles used to refer to any non-specific or general noun. We use “A” before words that start with the consonant sounds. While we use “An” before words that start with the vowel sounds.
Whereas “the” is a definite article. We use it to refer to a specific noun or something mentioned before. In this article, we mainly learned when to use the and when not to use the in various cases. It helps to show that the noun is unique or known. Understanding the usage of these articles improves the clarity of your sentences.
