Use of Articles in English
🔹 What is an Article?
An article is a word that is used before a noun to show whether it refers to something specific or not.
🔰 Types of Articles
| Type | Articles | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Definite | The | The sun, the teacher |
| Indefinite | A, An | A cat, An apple |
| Zero Article | (No article) | India is a country. (no article before "India") |
✅ Use of Indefinite Articles (A / An)
| Article | Use Before | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Words beginning with consonant sounds | A book, A car, A university* |
| An | Words beginning with vowel sounds | An apple, An hour, An MLA* |
🔸 Note: Use depends on sound, not just spelling. "University" sounds like "you" → 'A university'.
✅ Use of Definite Article (The)
Use "the" when referring to:
-
Something specific or previously mentioned
-
Unique things (the sun, the moon)
-
Superlatives (the best, the most beautiful)
-
Names of rivers, seas, oceans (the Ganga, the Pacific)
-
Holy books (the Quran, the Bible)
-
Newspapers (The Times of India)
-
Mountains ranges (the Himalayas)
❌ When No Article is Used (Zero Article)
Do not use articles:
-
Before proper nouns (India, John, Paris)
-
Before uncountable and plural nouns when talking generally:
▪ Water is essential.
▪ Books are useful. -
Before names of languages, meals, games:
▪ He speaks Hindi.
▪ We had lunch.
▪ She plays cricket.
🚫 Common Mistakes Students Make
| ❌ Wrong Usage | ✅ Correct Usage |
|---|---|
| He is a honest man. | He is an honest man. |
| She has a umbrella. | She has an umbrella. |
| The Mount Everest | Mount Everest (no "the") |
| The India is big country. | India is a big country. |
| A apple is red. | An apple is red. |
| She plays the cricket. | She plays cricket. |
🎯 MCQ Practice Questions (SSC, Bank, JKSSB, NTSE)
Q1. He is ___ honest man.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: B (an → starts with vowel sound)
Q2. I saw ___ owl in the tree.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: B
Q3. ___ Ganga is a holy river.
A) A
B) An
C) The
D) No article
✅ Answer: C
Q4. She plays ___ piano very well.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: C
Q5. He bought ___ one-rupee coin.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: A (one starts with consonant sound "w")
Q6. We had ___ lunch at 2 PM.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: D
Q7. ___ earth revolves around the sun.
A) An
B) A
C) The
D) No article
✅ Answer: C
Q8. She read ___ interesting story.
A) an
B) a
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: A
Q9. He is studying in ___ university in Delhi.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: A (university = starts with "yu" sound)
Q10. ___ Mount Everest is the highest peak.
A) A
B) An
C) The
D) No article
✅ Answer: D (No article before "Mount Everest")
Would you like PDF version or more practice MCQs message on Instagram and subscribe home academy YouTube channel and Facebook page
Advanced MCQ Practice: Use of Articles
Q1. She is ___ European artist known for her surreal paintings.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: A
🔹 (“European” starts with the consonant sound “yu”)
Q2. He is considered ___ Einstein of this generation.
A) an
B) a
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: C
🔹 (“The” is used for comparison with a unique or famous person)
Q3. I listened to ___ news on the radio this morning.
A) the
B) a
C) an
D) no article
✅ Answer: A
🔹 (“News” is specific and uncountable)
Q4. We are going to ___ Maldives for our honeymoon.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: C
🔹 (Use “the” before group of islands)
Q5. ___ iron is a useful metal.
A) A
B) The
C) An
D) No article
✅ Answer: D
🔹 (No article before uncountable nouns when speaking generally)
Q6. I met her at ___ school yesterday, but she wasn’t in ___ class.
A) a, the
B) the, the
C) the, a
D) no article, no article
✅ Answer: B
🔹 (“the school” is specific, “the class” refers to her particular class)
Q7. She is ___ M.A. in Political Science.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: B
🔹 (“M.A.” begins with the sound “em” → vowel sound → an)
Q8. He is ___ heir to the throne.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: B
🔹 (“Heir” starts with a silent ‘h’, so the sound is vowel)
Q9. ___ little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
A) A
B) The
C) An
D) No article
✅ Answer: B
🔹 (Use “the” with expressions like "the little", "the few")
Q10. ___ gold of this ornament is 24 carats.
A) The
B) A
C) An
D) No article
✅ Answer: A
🔹 (Use “the” when referring to a specific quantity or form of uncountable noun)
Q11. My grandfather was ___ MLA before partition.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: B
🔹 (“MLA” starts with the sound “em” – vowel sound)
Q12. ___ English spoken in Canada is slightly different.
A) A
B) An
C) The
D) No article
✅ Answer: C
🔹 (Use “the” when referring to a specific dialect/form of a language)
Q13. We visited ___ Red Fort last weekend.
A) a
B) an
C) the
D) no article
✅ Answer: C
🔹 (Historical monuments always take “t