Words that we use before nouns (people, places, things, or ideas) to give more information about the noun are called articles.
Articles are divided into two main types: definite articles and indefinite articles.
Definite article includes "the". It is used before a noun to identify something specific or particular.
Examples:
→ The dog is sleeping on the couch.
→ The sun shines brightly in the sky.
→ The book on the shelf is my favorite.
→ The school bell rings at 3 o'clock.
Indefinite articles include "a" and "an". It is used before a noun to make a sentence more meaningful.
"A" is used before a consonant sound. For example, a dog, a book, a car.
"An" is used before a vowel sound. For example, an apple, an elephant, an hour.
Object/Item |
Article Used |
Example Sentence |
Apple |
An |
I have an apple. |
Banana |
A |
I have a banana. |
Cat |
A |
I see a cat. |
Dog |
A |
She has a dog. |
Elephant |
An |
There is an elephant. |
Onion |
An |
I ate an onion. |
Giraffe |
A |
The zoo has a giraffe. |
Horse |
A |
She loves riding a horse. |
Iguana |
An |
I spotted an iguana. |
Jaguar |
A |
They saw a jaguar in the wild. |
Kangaroo |
A |
A kangaroo hopped by. |
Lion |
A |
A lion roared loudly. |
Monkey |
A |
The monkey stole a banana. |
Narwhal |
A |
They saw a narwhal swimming. |
Ostrich |
An |
An ostrich runs fast. |
Penguin |
A |
I saw a penguin at the zoo. |
Quokka |
A |
The quokka is a friendly animal. |
Rabbit |
A |
A rabbit hopped away. |
Snake |
A |
I encountered a snake in the grass. |
Tiger |
A |
A tiger prowled in the jungle. |
Unicorn |
A |
An unicorn appeared in the story. |
Vulture |
A |
A vulture circled above. |
Wolf |
A |
A wolf howled in the distance. |
X-ray fish |
An |
An x-ray fish is transparent. |
Yak |
A |
A yak grazed in the meadow. |
Zebra |
A |
A zebra has black and white stripes. |
To Read About Articles for Class 6: Click here
1. Specific Nouns
We use definite nouns when we are talking about a particular noun that the reader knows about or can identify.
Examples:
→ The notebooks are on the shelf.
→ The cat chased the mouse.
→ The sun shines brightly in the sky.
→ The teacher explained the lesson to the students.
2. Unique Nouns
We use definite articles when the noun is unique or one-of-a-kind. Definite article 'the' is used before monuments, rivers, mountains, oceans, seas and such similar things which are unique in nature.
Example:
→ The President of the United States lives in the White House.
→ The flamingo in the zoo is a beautiful bird.
→ The crescent moon appeared in the evening sky.
→ The Eiffel Tower stands tall in Paris, France.
→ The kangaroo is a marsupial native to Australia.
3. Superlative Adjectives
We use definite articles before superlative adjectives.
Examples:
→ Mary is the tallest girl among her friends group.
→ Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
→ The cheetah is the fastest land animal on Earth.
→ The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water on the planet.
→ Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth.
1. Nonspecific Nouns
We use indefinite articles when we are talking about any noun that is not specific.
Examples:
→ She needs a glass of water.
→ A bird flew by my window.
→ An apple fell from the tree.
→ I saw a car at the intersection.
→ Can you pass me a book from the shelf?
2. Singular Countable Nouns
We use the article "a" before a consonant sound and "an" before a vowel sound.
Examples:
→ I am a teacher and my sister is an architect.
→ A dog chased the ball in the park.
→ An elephant is a large and majestic animal.
1. Can we use definite article before any noun?
Answer: No, definite article can't be used before any noun. They are used before a noun specifically to identify something particular.
3. Can we use multiple articles before a single noun?
Answer: No, we can't use multiple articles before a single noun. Only one article can be used before a noun. For example, "a car" and "the book".
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