Articles are used before nouns. They help to simplify the meaning of the noun in a sentence. In this chapter, students will know use of articles and their types, common mistakes and exceptions.
In this learning concept, students will learn the following:
All the learning concepts covered for Class 5 have illustrations, mind maps, and examples. After going through this concept, students can check their understanding by solving the two printable PDF articles worksheet for class 5. The solutions to these articles exercise for class 5 are also available in PDF format.
In the first example, ‘a’ pen refers to any pen.
In the second example, ‘the’ pen refers to one particular pen that is on the table.
There are two types of articles.
A) Definite Article
In English, the only definite article is the word ‘the’. A definite article has several forms.
A definite article is used for unique things or groups. It can indicate that something is unique and there is only one.
Example:
B) Indefinite Articles
There are two indefinite articles a and an. ‘A’ is used before consonant or consonant sounds, and ‘an’ is used before vowels or vowel sounds.
1.Indefinite articles are used to refer to things that aren’t unique.
Example:
Article Before an Adjective
Sometimes an article changes a noun that is also changed by an adjective. The word order goes like this:
article + adjective + noun.
If the article is indefinite, choose ‘a’ or ‘an’ depending on the word that follows it immediately.
Example:
Using Articles with Pronouns
Possessive pronouns can help to determine whether you are indicating something specific or nonspecific. However, if you use both a possessive pronoun and an article simultaneously, it becomes confusing. Articles should not be used with possessive pronouns.
Example:
Why are you using the my pen? ❌
‘The’ and ‘my’ are never used together as they both change the same noun. Instead, you should use either of them depending on what the sentence wants to convey.
Examples:
Article Rules in English Grammar
Rule 1:
The choice between the two indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ – is determined by sound. Words beginning with consonant sounds precede ‘a’ and words beginning with vowel sounds precede ‘an. There are some special cases also.
Example:
Rule 2:
Sometimes indefinite articles are used to refer to the number ‘one’, ‘each’, ‘per’.
Example:
Rule 3:
Indefinite articles often precede descriptive adjectives.
Example:
Rule 4:
A singular common noun always requires an article ‘a’ or ‘an’, but a plural common noun does not require or can have ‘the’ to specify the noun.
Example:
Rules for Definite Article: The
There are certain rules to be followed while using the article ‘the’.
Rule 1:
Article ‘the’ is used to refer to a particular person(s) or thing(s) in the case of common nouns. Proper nouns generally do not take an article.
Example:
Rule 2:
Sometimes ‘the’ is used to speak about a quality that is generalized by a group/whole class.
Example:
Rule 3:
Article ‘the’ is used for the nouns that cannot be counted.
Example:
Rule 4:
Article ‘the’ is mandatory before a thing that is only one of a kind in the universe.
Example:
Articles are not used with uncountable nouns or possessive pronouns. Certain nouns like subjects in a school or nationalities and sports don’t need articles, especially when denoting abstract ideas.
Example:
In the first sentence, the word ‘hour’ starts with a consonant ‘h’ yet it is following an article ‘an’. This is because the letter ‘h’ in the word ‘hour’ is silent.
In the second example ‘a’ is used before the word ‘unique’. This is because the word ‘unique’ starts with a consonant sound ‘y’ and is pronounced as ‘yuni:k’
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