Articles are words that are placed in front of a noun or a noun equivalent, and they are a type of adjective.
The English language has only three articles:
“a,” “an” and “the.”
When to use “a” or “an” depends on the sound, not the spelling, of the noun that follows.An article is a type of adjective that describes specific or unspecific nouns and noun equivalents. The three articles in English grammar are a,” “an” and “the.” These words are part of a group called determinants and come before the noun they modify or describe.The two types of articles are definite and indefinite:
“The” is the only definite article. It comes before a noun that is specific or unique.Examples:
"This is the office window I told you about."
"I finished the resume I had been writing."
"I read the report you gave me yesterday."
These statements show that the speaker or reader already knows about the nouns "office," "resume" and "report."The indefinite articles are “a” and “an.” Indefinite articles define nouns that are general or aren't already known.
Examples:
"This is a law firm."
"I am going for an interview."You can use the definite article "the" with singular and plural nouns. Regardless of whether the noun is countable or uncountable, the definite article applies if we know the specific identity of the noun.
example:
"I applied for an online interview. The online interview was quick and easy."
The article "the" can also be used when the adjective, phrase, or phrase already describes or limits the identity of the noun.
example:
"He prepared well for the interview."
"The manager motivated the employees to carry out the project on time."
The article ``the'' also applies to nouns that uniquely describe something or someone.
example:
"Maslow Theory"
"The Great Depression" Indefinite articles "a" and "an" are both used for singular nouns or non-specific nouns, but the sound of the noun used determines which one is used.
Use the article ``a'' when the noun starts with a consonant, and use the article ``an'' before nouns that start with a vowel.
Examples:
"We are looking for an accountant."
"My neighbor is a professor.”
"I think we need a photocopier."
We are hiring a receptionist, an office assistant and a marketing manager.”
"An entrepreneur"
"An American"It's important to learn a few exceptions to using “a” and “an” so you'll always choose the correct article. Here are two important exceptions to keep in mind:
If the noun starts with a silent "h" such as “hour” or “honor” then you would use “an”
Examples:
"I'll be ready in less than an hour"
"During my last year in high school, I was an honor student."If the noun beings with a hard “h” such as “horse” or “house” then you would use “a”:
Examples:
“I live in a house, not an apartment.”
“I fed a horse at the petting zoo.”For abbreviations, use "a" for those that start with a consonant sound and use “an” for those that start with a vowel sound. Remember, it's the way the abbreviation sounds, not spelled. Some abbreviations are sounded out the way they're spelled - such as CIA sounds out each letter. However, NASA sounds out the abbreviation as though it's a word and not four letters. example:
"My friend is a CIA employee."
"I have a NASA coffee mug."
"He has an MBA."
"By mistake he deleted the HTML file."
Summarize
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