ARTICLES

ARTICLES

There are two types of articles basically in English namely: Definite articles (the) and indefinite articles ( a, an, some).Definite articles are determinants used to identify a specific or a particular thing.

For example:

The boy – This mean a specific boy not just any boy.

The girl – This means a specific girl not just any girl.

‘The’ is invariable, so can be used for both genders (Though gender difference that occurs in R omance languages like French, Spanish etc., is not as important in English as in those language.)

 

Indefinite articles are determinants used to generalize an item.

Examples:

I gave a boy in the class – This could be any boy in the class.

We saw an office in town – This could be any office in the town.

I gave some girls in the class – This refers to more than one girl.

A is used before words starting with a consonant sound.

AN  is used before words starting with a vowel sound.

SOME is used as plural of both a and an.

E.g.  a boy, a pig, a cup but an office, an umbrella, an egg.