Class :B.A,B.Sc,B.

Com-I Semester Prepared by :

Subject: English (Basic) M.M.Gadag M.A,M.Phil,B.Ed.

(CBCS 2020-21 to 2022-23) Lecturer in English.

Email: [email protected]
Topic : Use of Articles (5 marks) Contact No: 9480725106.
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Articles
Articles are small words. They are used to determine the use of
nouns. They refer to a person, place or a thing either in specific way or in a
general way. To show this, we use small words before nouns. These words
are called ‘articles’.
Kinds of Articles
There are two kinds of articles
1) The Indefinite article - A, An
2) The Definite article - The
The Indefinite Articles :
‘A’ and ‘An’ are indefinite articles. These Articles mean ‘any out of many’.
They do not refer to any particular persons or things, their reference is not
definite, and so they are called indefinite articles. These articles are used
with countable singular nouns.
Examples: A book means any book.
A pen means any pen.
An umbrella means any umbrella.
An egg means any egg.
Use of indefinite article - ‘A’
1. The article ‘A’ is used before countable singular common nouns that
begin with consonant sounds.
Examples: 1.This is a pen.
2. He is a teacher.
3. He is a doctor.
Some more examples a bus, a car, a monkey, a chair, a desk, a book,
a letter, a game, a pot, a pocket etc....
2. The article ‘A’ is used with vowel letters having consonantal sound
(value).
Examples: a unit, a university,
a unity, a union,
a uniform, a European,
a euphemism.
3. The article ‘A’ is used with the word ‘one’
Examples: a one-rupee note, a one-man show,
a one-eyed man, a one-way road,
a one-act play etc....
The use of indefinite article - ‘An’
1. The article ‘an’ is used before the countable singular nouns beginning
with vowel sounds.
Examples: an artist, an apple, an event,
an egg, an image, an onion,
an inkpot, an idiot, an ox,
an orange, an umbrella, an earthquake.
2. The article ‘an’ is used before the words beginning with silent ‘h’ or if
‘h’ is not pronounced.
Examples: an honest man, an heir,
an honourable man, an hour.
But, if ‘h’ is pronounced article ‘a’ is used.
Examples: a horse, a historical novel,
a hotel, a human being etc.......
Use of article ‘A’ and ‘An’ with abbreviations:
We have to use article ‘a’ and ‘an’ with abbreviations very carefully.
Because, it leads to confusion when we use it with full forms (words) and
when with their abbreviations. In English alphabets F, H, L, M, N, R, S and X
are letters that are not vowels but begin with vowel sounds e.g. ‘M’ has
the sound of ‘em’. So an is used before abbreviations beginning with
above letters which are in capital.
Examples: 1.A master of arts but an M.A.
2. A member of parliament but an M.P.
3. A member of legislative assembly but an M.L.A.
4. A superintendent of police but an S.P.
The Definite Article
‘The’ is definite article. It is used to refer to the particular persons or
things. So it is called definite article.
Examples: The teacher - one particular teacher.
The pen - one particular pen.
Use of Definite article - ‘The’
1. When we speak of a particular person or thing one already referred to
(one already known)
 i. The book I want is not available.
ii. Let’s go to the temple.
iii. He is the man who got prize.
iv. The man you met yesterday is my uncle.
2. When a singular common noun that stands for entire class or whole
class.
i. The lion is the king of forest.
ii. The dog is faithful animal.
iii. The cow is humble animal.
iv. The earthworm is friend of farmer.
v. The ass is used as beast of burden.
3. Before the names of unique things and natural objects.
i. The Sun is centre of solar system.
ii. The moon can be seen at night.
iii. The universe has many planets.
iv. The earth moves around the sun.
v. The sky is endless.
4. Article the is used with superlative degrees.
I. He is the best boy in the class.
ii. This is the tallest building in our area.
iii. Bhim is the Strongest person among Pandavas.
iv. Sachin is the greatest cricket player.
5. Article the is used with the parts of the body.
i. I was wounded in the leg.
 ii. Ravi hit me on the hand.
iii. They kick me on the head.
6. Article the is used with ordinals.
i. He was the first in the class.
ii. She resides in the fourth block.
iii. My room is in the second floor.
7. Article the is used before the names of musical instruments.
i. He plays the flute very well.
ii. She bought the Violin.
iii. My friend gave me the guitar.
8. Article the is used before the names of following things.
A. Before the names of seas, oceans, gulfs and rivers.
The Red sea, the Arabian Sea,
The Indian Ocean, the Atlantic ocean,
The Persian Gulf, the gulf of Mexico,
The Ganges, the Thames.
B. Before the names of mountains and group of islands.
The Himalayas, the Nilagiri hills,
The Andamans , the Maldives
C. Before the names of names of directions.
The east, the west,
The north, the south.
D. Before the names of political parties.
The BJP, the Congress.
E. Before the names of holy and famous books.
The Bible, the Quran, the Mahabharata,
The Geeta, the Vedas, the Ramayana.
F. Before the names of empires and historical events.
The Gupta empire, the Vijayanagara empire,
The battle of Talikote, the first world war.
G. Before the names of historical buildings.
The Tajmahal, the Red fort,
The Qutab Minar, the Charminar.
H. Before the names of periodicals.
The Deccan Herald, the Times of India,
The Hindustan times the Indian Exprerss.
I. Before the names of aeroplanes ships and trains.
The Vikrant, the Titanic, the Rajdhani express.
J. Before the names of important posts in government, departments and
name of banks.
The president, the Prime minister
The Chief minister the Managing director
The Department of education
The State bank of India The Union bank
Fill in the blanks with suitable articles in the following sentences:
1. Mohan is ……….. tallest boy in the colony.
2. ……….. Ganges is sacred river.
3. He met ……….. President of India.
4. I read ……….. Gita every day.
5. The vehicle moved at 50 kms ………..hour.
6. Have you read ……….. Ramayana?
7. I never saw such ……….. unity among the students.
8. Can you tell me ……….. nearest way to ……….. Railway station?
9. The captain sent ………..S.O.S from ………..sinking ship.
10. The case was handed over to ……….. one-man commission.
11. ……….. camel is the ship of desert.
12. John offered his friend ……….. cup of tea.
13. ………..M.P attended the party meeting.
14. We saw ………..accident near our college.
15. We went to ………..Himalayas for trekking.
16. ………..five-hundred rupee note was released yesterday.
17. Mary met ………..American.
18. Please wait for half ………..hour.
19. My brother is ………..university professor.
20. Mrs .John is ………..European.
21. Mrs. Gouri is ………..Indian.
22. It was ………..excellent offer.
23. ………..educational institution is a temple of learning.
24. I found him to be ……….. useful person.
25. ……….. one rupee note has been withdrawn.

Answers :
1. Mohan is the tallest boy in the colony.
2. The Ganges is a sacred river.
3. He met the President of India.
4. I read the Gita every day.
5. The vehicle moved at 50 kms an hour.
6. Have you read the Ramayana?
7. I never saw such a unity among the students.
8. Can you tell me the nearest way to the Railway station?
9. The captain sent an S.O.S from the sinking ship.
10.The case was handed over to a one-man commission.
11. The camel is the ship of the desert.
12. John offered his friend a cup of tea.
13. An M.P attended the party meeting.
14. We saw an accident near our college.
15. We went to the Himalayas for trekking.
16. The five-hundred rupee note was released yesterday.
17. Mary met an American.
18. Please wait for half an hour.
19. My brother is a university professor.
20. Mrs .John is a European.
21. Mrs. Gouri is an Indian.
22. It was an excellent offer.
23. An educational institution is a temple of learning.
24. I found him to be a useful person.
25. A one rupee note has been withdrawn.