The Article

The article, properly speaking, is not a distinct part of speech. It is merely an Adjective. However, the Demonstrative Adjectives “A,” “A” and “The” are usually Called Articles.

The Kinds Of Articles

Articles are of Two kinds:-

1. Definite Articles
2. Indefinite Articles

(1.)Definite Articles

“The” is called the Definite Article, because it points out some particular person or things; as,

(2.)Indefinite Articles

“A” and “An” are called Indefinite Articles, because they only generalize a Noun; as,

A doctor leads a busy life. (A doctor =any doctor).

The Use Of The Indefinite And Definite Articles.

(A)The use of the Indefinite Articles

The Use Of “A”

“A” is used before a word beginning with consonant sound; as,

A boy, A horse, A useful book, A European, A one-rupee note.

The Use Of “An”

“An” is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound; as,

An ass. An inkpot. An hour. An hotel. An historical Novel.

Note :- “A” or “An” is used:-

(i) In its numerical sense of “one” ; as,
A hundred paisa makes a rupee.

(ii) In the vague sense of “a certain”; as,
one morning a beggar came to my door

(iii) In the sense of “any”; as,
I want a pen.

(iv) To make a Common Noun of a proper Noun; as,
A Daniel came to judgment.

(B)The Use Of The Definite Article

The use of “The”

The Definite Article “The” is an abbreviated form of “, this” “that “these or “those” it is used:-

(i) When we speak of a particular person or thing’; as,

1. Has he returned form the club?
2. Let us go to the canal.

(ii) When we speak of a person or a thing already referred to; as,

1. The pen you want to buy is good-for-nothing.
2. I dislike the fellow.

(iii) When a Singular Noun is meant to represent a whole class; as,

1. The dog is a faithful animal.
2. The cow gives milk.

But no Article is used with Noun “man” and “woman”, when they denote the whole class; as,

1. Man is mortal.
2. Woman is man’s mate.

(iv) with the names of river , seas, oceans, gulfs, groups of islands and mountain ranges. As,

The Ravi, The Chenab, The Jhelum, and The Undus fall into the Arabian Sea.

1. These passengers are bound for the British Isles.
2. The Himalayas lie to the north of Bharat.

(v) Before the names of books and newspapers; as,

1. I read the story book in the evening.
2. The Down is published from Karachi

(vi) Before Common Noun which are names of things unique of their kind; as,

1. The earth revolves round the sun.
2. The moon shines in the sky.

(vii) Before an Adjective used as a Noun; as,

1. The rich do not like the poor.
2. The lot of the blind is very miserable.

(viii) Before a proper Noun used as a common Noun; as,

1. Jon was the strongest man of his age.
2. He is the Nelson (the greatest naval commander) Of his time.

(ix) Before Superlative; as,

1. Saifullah is the best boy in the class.
2. The darkest cloud has a silver lining.

(x) As an Adverb before Adjective in the Comparative Degree; as,

1. The more we get; the more we desire.
2. The sooner you come, the better.

(ix) Before words denoting natural phenomena; as,

1. The day follows the night.

(xii) Before the names of directions; as,

1. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.