Grammar Monster
What Are Articles? (with Examples)
Articles (English Grammar)
The articles are the words "a," "an," and "the." They define whether something is specific or unspecific. There are two types of article:
(1) The Definite Article (The). "The" is called the definite article. It defines its noun as something specific (e.g., something previously mentioned or known, something unique, something being identified by the speaker).
This is the lake.
(This is a previously specified lake, i.e., one already known to the readers.)
(2) The Indefinite Article (A, An). "A" and "an" are called the indefinite articles. They define their noun as something unspecific (e.g., something generic, something mentioned for the first time).
This is a lake.
(This is a previously unspecified lake.)
Infographic Explaining the Two Types of Article
The Two Types of Article
Key Takeaway
"The" is called the definite article because it is used to indicate something specific. "A and an" are called the indefinite articles because they are used to indicate something unspecific.
Also of note, articles are classified as determiners. A determiner sits before a noun to indicate quantity, possession, specificity, or definiteness.
Read more about determiners.Got it? Take a quick test.
Examples of the Definite and Indefinite Articles
Here are some more 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).)
Articles Go before Adjectives
An article often modifies a noun that is already being modified by an adjective. When this happens, the article goes before the adjective (or adjectives). For example:
Please open the small box first.
(Here, the noun box is being modified by the adjective small. The definite article the sits before the adjective. Remember that the use of the tells us that we are talking about a box already known to the audience.)
You will get an excellent pizza at Papa Antonio's.
(Here, the indefinite article an sits before the adjective excellent.)
Indefinite Articles Are Used with Singular Nouns
The indefinite article (a, an) is only for singular nouns. It is not used for plural nouns.
As the indefinite article specifies one thing (e.g., a cup means one cup), it is not used with non-countable nouns (e.g., water, air, integrity). For example:
I need an air.
Play me a music.
Give me a heat.
Most commonly, the indefinite determiner some is used instead.
Articles Are Not Used with Possessive Determiners or Possessive Pronouns
Articles are not used with possessive determiners (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) or possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs) as these already show that something is specific. For example:
Take me to the your leader.
Take me to your leader.
Can I borrow a yours?
Can I borrow yours?
Why Should I Care about Articles?
Here are two common questions related to articles.
(Question 1) When Do You Use "An" and "A"?
The most common mistake involving articles is using "an" instead of "a" (or vice versa). This mistake occurs because writers believe "an" is used before a vowel and "a" before a consonant. That is not entirely accurate. "An" is used before a vowel sound, and "a" is used before a consonant sound. The word sound is important because consonants can create vowel sounds, and vowels can create consonant sounds. Therefore, the use of "an" or "a" is determined by the sound not the letter. Look at these examples:
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 uniform starts with a consonant sound (yoo), but unidentified starts with a vowel sound.)
Be especially careful with abbreviations:
An MOT
(The letter "em" starts with a vowel sound.)
An LRS
(The letter "el" starts with a vowel sound.)
A US diplomat
(The letter "yoo" starts with a consonant sound.)
(Question 2) Do you say "an historic moment" or "a historic moment"?
The words historic, historical, historian, horrific, and even hotel are worthy of special mention because they are often spoken and written with the wrong version of the indefinite article. All of these words start with a consonant sound, as soft as it might be. Therefore, their article is "a" not "an."
The attraction of power can be a disease, a horrific disease. (Irish actor Liam Cunningham)
We owe an historic debt to American Indians. They have a unique set of concerns that haven't been addressed. (American politician Alan Franken)
(An historic is wrong, but a unique is correct.)
Here are two other issues related to the articles.
(Issue 1) Writing a job title or an office name with a capital letter.
A job title (e.g., president, judge, director) or the name of an office (parliament, court, accounts section) is given a capital letter when it refers to a specific person or office, i.e., when it's a proper noun. So, when the definite article (i.e., "the") appears before such a title or name, there's a pretty good chance you'll need a capital letter.
Here's the guidance: If the job title or office name is being used for its dictionary definition, i.e., as a common noun, then don't use a capital letter. However, if the job title or office name nails it down to one specific person or office, then use a capital letter. Look at these examples:
The King was a king among kings.
(The King specifies an individual, but a king and kings do not. The first one is a proper noun. The other two are common nouns.)
The Prime Minister said: "Being a prime minister is a lonely job...you cannot lead from the crowd." (Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher).
(The Prime Minister specifies an individual, but a prime minister does not.)
(Issue 2) Capitalizing "The" when it starts a name (e.g., The Beatles).
Some names (particularly band names) start with "The" (e.g., The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols). When such names appear in running text, you have a choice whether to write "The" (with a capital letter) or "the." There's no consensus among the leading style guides on this point, so go with your preference.
Did you download the The Clash album?
(Logically, this is correct, but it's far too unwieldy. No one would write it. Most people would write "Did you download the Clash album?".)
Bear in mind that you might stumble across this issue with foreign names.
Gina Vitale: The restaurant is called "The La Trattoria."
Michael Felgate: "The La Trattoria" means The The Trattoria.
Gina Vitale: I know.
(This is an extract from the 1999 Hugh Grant film "Mickey Blue Eyes." With more clarity of thought, the owner might have called the restaurant "La Trattoria.")
Does it disturb anyone else that "The Los Angeles Angels" baseball team translates directly as "The The Angels Angels"? (Anon)
(There's no fix for this one. Just go with it.)
Key Points
Use "an" before a vowel sound and "a" before a consonant sound. (Note the word sound.)
If you're drawn to "an historic" or "an horrific", give your aitches more "huh" until you're comfortable with using "a."
When a job title (e.g., ambassador) or an office name (e.g., finance office) is preceded by "an" or "a" (as opposed to "the"), write it with a lowercase letter.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.
Q1
True or false? Articles are classified as determiners. They determine a noun's definiteness.A: TrueB: False
Q2
Select the indefinite article that is wrong.
Becoming a eunuch wasn't an one-off deal. It was a two-off deal.
Q3
Select the correct version.A: an UN representativeB: a UN representative
Take a different test on articles.Take a test on using "an" and "a" correctly.
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See Also
What is the definite article?What is the indefinite article?What are adjectives?What are vowels?What are consonants?Glossary of grammatical terms
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