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Rules for article use in English - ANU/EN/2018/P/0065


ARTICLES


  •    The words a or an and the are called Articles. They come before nouns.

  •    There are two Articles – a (or an) the.

  •    A or an is called the Indefinite Article, because it usually leaves indefinite the person or thing spoken of ; as,

                             A doctor, that is, any doctor

  •    The is called the Definite Article, because it normally points out some particular person or thing ; as,

                             He saw the doctor; meaning some particular doctor.

  •    The indefinite article is used before singular countable nouns , e.g.

                             A book, an orange, a girl.

  •    The definite article is used before singular countable nouns , plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns, e.g.,

                             The book, the books, the milk.
     
A OR AN

  •    The choice between a and an is determined by sound. Before a word beginning with a vowel sound an is used ; as,

                          An ass, an enemy, an orange, an hour, an honest
It will be noticed that the words hour, honest, heir begin with a vowel sound, as the initial consonant h is not pronounced.

  •    Before a word beginning with a consonant sound a is used ; as,


             A boy, a woman, a yard, a horse, a hole

             Also a university, a union, a European, a ewe, a Unicom, a useful article.

Because these words (university, union, etc.)Begin with a consonant sound.
That of yu. Similarly we say,

              A one-rupee note, such a one, a one-eyed man.

Because one begins with consonant sound of w.


  •    Some native speakers use an before words beginning with h if the first syllable is not stressed.


             An hotel (More common; a hotel)
             An historical novel (More common; a historical novel)





H.M.NIRODHA LAKMALI
ANU/EN/2018/P/0065

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