Articles
The origin of the word “article” is
a Latin word “articulus” which means a little joint. In the same language the
word artus means limb. In English, it points out persons or things like a
Demonstrative Adjective. There are no articles in Urdu like those in English.
Therefore it becomes difficult for us to know what Article to use and where.
Let us understand them step by step. There are three Articles ‘a’ ‘an’ and
‘the’ in English.
Kind of Articles
Indefinite Articles
“A” and “An” are called the indefinite Articles because they only generalize a Noun, for example, a boy a girl.
Definite Article
“The” is called the Definite Article because it points out some particular person or thing; as the doctor, the teacher.
The use of indefinite Article
“A” and “An” are called Indefinite Articles.
“A”
is used before
·
Words
beginning with a consonant; as, a book, a pen, a women etc.
·
Words
beginning with “U” giving the consonant sound of “You” as A University, a Unit,
a useful method, a Unique, a utensil etc.
·
Words
beginning with “O” giving the consonant sound of “WU”; as such, a one, a one
sided view, a one Rupee note etc.
·
Words
beginning with a vowel, sounded like “you”, as, A European, a eulogy etc.
“An” is used before
·
Words
beginning with a vowel as an orange, an egg, an ant etc.
·
Words
beginning with a silent “H”, as an honor, an heir, an honest friend etc.
·
Words
beginning with a sounded “H” and accented on the second syllable; as an
historical building, an heroic act etc.
The use of Definite Article
“The” is called the ‘Definite Article’. It is used:
·
When
we refer to some particular person or thing; as, let us go to the market (i.e.
the market where they usually go). The man standing near the street is a
beggar.
·
The
house you have bought is very expensive.
·
When
we are talking about some person or thing we have already talked about, for
example: A thief entered a house. But the owner of the house woke up and caught
the thief.
·
With
the names of rivers, seas, ocean, gulfs groups of islands, and mountain
rangers; as, the Ravi, the British isles, the Himalayas.
·
Before
a common Noun in the singular number to represent a whole class; as the horse
is a useful animal. The rose is a beautiful flower etc.
·
“The”
is not used before proper Nouns in general.
