Mastering Articles.
Prepared by Shoaib Mirza
1. A/An and The are called Articles
2. These are used before Nouns.
Test Yourself
Sindh-MDCAT-2022
To climb ………..tree in not to climb………….mountain.
a) a / a
b) A / an
c) The / an
d) an / a
1. Indefinite Articles:- Used for uncertain person or
thing.
I saw an old man.
A dog was barking at night.
1. Indefinite Articles:- Used for uncertain person or
thing.
I saw an old man.
A dog was barking at night.
2. Definite Article:- used for definite/certain person
or thing.
This is the car which I have bought.
The house in which she lives is new.
Position of Articles
Article + Noun
She is a doctor.
a question.
Position of Articles
Article + Adverb + Adjective + Noun
She is a very good teacher.
This is a very important question.
The well paid employees.
Difference b/w A and AN
A + Consonant Sound
An + Vowel Sound
a university, a uniform, a unicorn
an uncle, an umpire, an ultimatum
a European, a euro, a eulogy , a eucalyptus
tree
a one-hit wonder, a one-time offer
a one-way street but an ocean, an ostrich
an hour, an honest man, an heir,
Uses of A and An
1. A/an is used in the sense of one:
Asif has a dog.( one )
She has an apple. (one)
2. A used in the sense of some/a certain(unknown):
A Mr. Ali wants to talk to you.
A Mrs. Smith wants to see you.
3. Used in the sense of Any:
He did not give me a book.
She does not like to read a novel.
4. Each/Every( per):
I go there once a week.
She earns two-thousand a month.
5. Class/representation
A cow is a useful animal.
A dog is a faithful animal.
A son should be obedient.
6. Used before a Sing. Countable noun:
I need a book.
I am a teacher.
He bought a car.
She is a doctor.
7. When a sing. Countable noun is used first time
in a sentence. “A” or “An” is used it according to
need. But, when the same sing. Countable noun is
used second time, ‘the’ is used.
Yesterday a man came to me. The man was
hungry.
There was a king. The king was very wise.
8. Used before units or counting expressions
A dozen A thousand Half an hour
A hundred A million Half a kilo
I have a dozen eggs. She has a thousand rupees.
I have dozen eggs. She has thousand rupees.
9. To make a common noun of a proper noun.
A sherlock is living in my neighbourhood.
You are a Babar Azam.
( a cricketer like Babar Azam.)
10. Before the verbs used as noun.
For a walk take a rest for a visit
for a talk for a drive
He proposed that we should go for a walk.
You look tired. Why don’t you take a rest.
11. A/An is used in these phrases
A team of
A pair of
A galaxy of
An assembly of
12. Also with adverbs quite and such .
You are quite a talker.
Bill is such a loser.
Mr. Smith is such a great teacher.
13. We use a/an to say what a person’s job is, was or
will be:
She was a company director when she retired.
Against her parent’s wishes, she wants to be a
journalist.
However, we use the or zero article when we give a
person’s job title, or their unique position.
She has been appointed(the) head of the company
,and I am a production manager at Fino.
One vs. A/An
A / An = One
Compulsory use = Before Singular countable nouns
We saw lion.
We saw one lion .
We saw a lion.
Only, just, exactly , about , merely
+
Emphasis on quantity = one
One vs. A/An
A / An = One
Compulsory use = Before Singular countable nouns
We saw only lion.
We saw only one lion .
We saw only a lion.
Only, just, exactly , about , merely
+
Emphasis on quantity = one
Test Yourself
Only one/a man came forward to help her.
Only one / a man with money can afford such a car.
Within just one/a day of joining, she resigned.
Life is just one / a journey.
