English Articles: Introduction
The most common determiners are the definite and the indefinite articles: the and a/an, respectively.
- Forms.
The forms of the articles depend on the initial sound of the following word.
The definite article is always written the, but pronounced /ðə/ before consonants and /ðɪ/ before vowels.
The indefinite article is a /ə/ before consonants and an /ən/ before vowels. Note that it is the pronunciation, not the spelling, of the following word that determines their form: e.g.
the / ðə/ the /ðɪ/
boy, usage, hole understanding, hour, MP
a /ə/ an /ən/
When emphasis is required, the forms of the nouns are pronounced as follows: a /eɪ/, an /æn/, the /ðɪ/ both before vowels and consonants.
READ THIS EXAMPLE OUT LOUD. He is known as the expert in the field but to me he is nothing but a stupid peacock.
- Etymology
The indefinite article originated from the Old English numeral ān (one), while the definite article comes from an Old English demonstrative pronoun Þe/Þæt (that).
The original meaning of both articles is still felt in some expressions:
The indefinite article – numerical function: Wait a second. In for a penny, in for a pound.
The definite article – (demonstrative implication): At the time. Under the circumstances.
- Uses
Use of the articles with countable and uncountable nouns:
|
|
|
Countable |
Uncountable |
|
Singular |
Definite Indefinite |
the book a book |
the furniture furniture |
|
Plural |
Definite Indefinite |
the books books |
-- -- |
- As a general rule, countable nouns cannot be used in the singular without any definer.
This is a chair. This is my chair. Is there a chair in the room? Put your coat on the chair. Whose is that chair?
- It is only when the countable noun comes to be used in an abstract sense that the lack of a definer is possible.
I went to bed very late last night.
- Even in the plural the need of a definer is very often strongly felt.
Give me some water, please. (a certain amount, not specified)
Give me the water, please. (which is on the table; which I poured for you)
Is there any water in the bottle (no matter what or how much)
- If the notion is to be contrasted with another notion, the uncountable will be used with no definer at all
Give me water. (not milk, not wine, etc.)
- Functions
The functions of the articles are many and various. The indefinite article is used to convey the idea of novelty: A boy entered the room. (We did not know that boy.) The definite article implies awareness or prior knowledge: The boy entered the room.(We knew that boy/that he was outside the room.)
Besides their basic functions of classifying nouns: Give me a pencil (referring to the noun pencil as a representative of a whole group/class of similar objects), or making them definite: Give me the pencil, articles (and sometimes their absence) can signal a lot of additional meanings.
The indefinite article:
- Numerical: In a word (one)
- Identifying: We are of a mind (the same; phrase meaning: We share the same opinion)
- Distributive: Twice a month (per)
The definite article:
- Anaphoric: There is a car in the backyard. The car is my brother’s.
- Clear from the context: Shut the door, please.
- Denoting an abstract noun known from the circumstances: This is out of the question. Is this item on the agenda?
- Denoting a unique characteristic: The Prime Minister is to speak tonight.
- Denoting a ‘unique’ object: the sun, the moon, the earth, the atmosphere.
- Denoting the four cardinal points: the east, the west, the north, the south, and also the left, the right.
- Word order
As a general rule the article is placed before the noun specified by it, or before the attribute qualifying that noun: a student, a good student, the intelligent young student.
The exceptions to this rule are only a few and they generally occur when a noun is accompanied by one of the following definers:
- such and the exclamatory what and how: He is such a fool. What a man! How pleasant an afternoon!
- so, as, too: So good an actor. As good as a teacher can be. Too expensive a dress for a young woman.
- no less, no better, any worse, too much of: No less a person than the president himself. He is no better a doctor than his wife. He is too much of a scientist to accept folk theories.
- quite: She is quite a nice person.
- rather: with rather a dazed look. But also: with a rather dazed look.
- many: many a day, many a young man (this usage is rare).
- half, double, twice: half an hour, twice/double the expenses.
- both: both the men, but also: both men.
- all: all the time, all the king’s men
Adapted from English Articles by Dimiter Spassov