ASIA-PACIFIC INSITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS

ENGLISH FLUENCY ENHANCEMENT (MODULE 1)
ARTICLES
1-DEFINITION
Two types of articles
Indefinite article
Definite article

Masc/fem/Neutral/
A, AN
THE

Articles ( a,an,the) come before nouns, and are of indefinite kind.

Indefinite & singular : a doctor ( any doctor), an army ( any army)
Definite & singular & plural: the doctor ( a particular doctor), the boys
2- WHEN TO USE AOR AN
The choice between a and an is determined by sound. Before a word beginning with
a vowel sound, an is used; as
e.g. an ass, an enemy, an hour, an heir, an HML file, an excess, an excellent choice, an
honest man.
Before a word beginning with a consonant sound, a is used.
e.g. a boy, a reindeer, a hole, a yard, a ewe, a European, a union, a useful software, a
one-eyed man, a one-rupee note,a hostel, a hotel.

3- USE OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

The is used in different contexts:
1) when you talk about a particular person, place or thing;
e.g The book is new
The girl who was crying
2) when a single noun represents a whole class;
3) before some proper nouns,esp. names of places,mountains,rivers,etc
4) before the names of certain books, e.g. religious books
5) before names of things which are unique.
6) with ordinal numbers; e.g. the first boy
7) before musical instruments

8) as an adverb with comparatives; e.g. the more the merrier.

4- USE OF INDEFINITE ARTICLE
The indefinite article is used:
1) its original sense of one: e.g a boy and ten girls
2) to show vagueness: e. g we saw a taxi
3) in the sense of any: e.g. we took a taxi
4) to make a common noun of a proper noun: e.g. Hes not a Shah Rukh Khan!
5- OMISSION OF THE ARTICLE
The article is omitted
1) before names of substances and abstract nouns;
e.g. Sugar is not healthy
Honesty is the best policy
But: Will you pass me the sugar?
The honesty of that man is amazing.
2) before plural nouns used in a general sense;
e.g. Children like chocolates.
I hate computers.
But: where are the children? ( particular meaning)
3) before most proper nouns, i.e, people, places, countries, etc
4) before names of meals ( dinner, breakfast, lunch)
5) before languages ( English, French, Hindi,etc)
6) before school,university,church,bed,hospital,prison,college, etc when these places
are used in their normal sense;
e.g. I went to school in Bihar
He goes to Church on Sundays.
7) before names of relations like father, mother, uncle, aunt, cook ,nurse,
grandfather,etc
8) in certain phrases like: to catch fire, to send word, to take offence, to lose
heart,etc
9) in certain phrases consisting of a preposition followed by its object;
at home, at school, by day, by night, at sunrise, at sunset, under ground, on
foot,etc
6- REPETITION OF THE ARTICLE
Note that repetition of the article alters the whole meaning of a sentence, so be
careful when using it.
e.g. I have a black and white dog.----1 dog which has 2 colours

I have a black and a white dog.--- 2 dogs

The doctor and principal is absent.
The doctor and the principal are absent.
Dr Ambedkar was a great orator and statesman.
He is a better lawyer than accountant.
He would make a better engineer than mechanic.
He would make a better engineer than a lawyer. ( refers to different people)