Unit 2: Grammar and Usage

Articles

The words the, a, an, are called articles. Articles always modify nouns. The is used to point out a definite person or thing. It is called the definite article. A and an are used when no particular person or thing is indicated; and these articles are called indefinite articles. Therefore, if you mean a particular object of reference, use the definite article the. And, if you mean any object without reference to a particular one, use a or an.

When deciding which word to use for the indefinite articles of a and an, there are rules to guide you in selecting the correct articles. Use a before all words that begin with a consonant sound, and use an before all words that begin with a vowel sound. The vowels are a, e, i, o, and u. And, the y is also a vowel, when it is pronounced like i.

Examples : an Arab, a yacht, a joke... the mountain, the faces, a disco, the disco, a horse, the horse.

Notice that a and an can only be used with singular nouns; but the may be used with both singular and, or plural nouns.

Always repeat the article before connected adjectives that modify different nouns ( which may be even just understood and not expressed ); but when the adjectives refer to the same noun, then use only one article.

Examples : The yellow and the green sweaters - means that there are two sweaters, one which is yellow and the second which is green.

The yellow and green sweater - means there is only one sweater which is partly yellow and partly green.