Articles - Master Articles (A, An, The) - English Language / Grammar Chapter 2 - ICSE Class 8

Articles are a type of determiner used to clarify nouns, and they are divided into two types: indefinite (a/an) and definite (the).

You use the indefinite articles a and an when speaking about things in general or when mentioning a singular countable noun for the first time. The choice between the two depends on sound rather than spelling; for example, you use "a" before a consonant sound like a unit and "an" before a vowel sound like an honest attempt. They are also commonly used in expressions of frequency and amount, such as three times a day or a kilo.

The definite article "the" is used to point out a specific person or thing that has already been mentioned or is known to the audience. It is used for unique objects like the sun, as well as the names of seas, oceans, mountain ranges, and sacred books.

Additionally, "the" is used with ordinal numbers (like the third boy) and when a singular noun is used to represent an entire class of animals or things. However, one exception is that we do not use "the" when the word "man" is used to represent all of humanity.

Finally, there are several situations where no article should be used, such as before the names of people, languages, sports, or most meals. Articles are also generally omitted before uncountable nouns and names of seasons. A special rule to remember for class 8 students is the "primary purpose" rule: you do not use an article when referring to a place for its main activity, such as being in hospital for treatment or at school for studying.

You only use "the" if you are referring specifically to the physical building.

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