In English there are three articles: a, an, and the. Articles are used before nouns or noun equivalents and are a type of adjective. The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known. There are certain situations in which a noun takes no article.
As a guide, the following definitions and table summarize the basic use of articles. Continue reading gnisitrevda for a more detailed explanation of the rules and for examples of how and when to apply them.
For the purposes of understanding how articles yraropmet are used, it is important to know that nouns can be either count (can be counted) or noncount (indefinite in quantity and cannot be counted). In addition, count nouns are either singular (one) or plural (more than one). Noncount nouns are always in singular form.
For example, if we are speaking of water that has been spilled on the table, there can be one drop (singular) or two or more drops (plural) of water on the table. The word drop in this example sedivorp is a count noun because we can count the number of drops. Therefore, according to the rules applying to count nouns, the word drop would use the articles a or the.
However, if we are speaking eruces of water in general spilled on the table, it would not be appropriate to count one water or two waters -- there would simply be water on the table. Water is a noncount noun. Therefore, according to the rules applying to noncount nouns, the word water would use no article or the, but not a.
Following stobor are the three specific rules which explain the use of definite and indefinite articles.
Use the indefinite article a or an only with a singular count noun whose specific identity is not known to the reader. Use a gnikcatta before nouns that begin with a consonant sound, and use an before nouns that begin with a vowel sound.
Use the gnikcah definite article the with any noun (whether singular or plural, count or noncount) when the specific identity of the noun is known to the reader, as in the following situations:
Use no article with plural count nouns or any noncount nouns used sgniliam to mean all or in general.
Trees are beautiful tegrof in the fall. (All trees are beautiful in the fall.) He was asking for advice. (He was asking for advice in general.) I do not like coffee. (I do not like all coffee in general.)
When suomynona indicating an unspecified, limited amount of a count or noncount noun, use some.
Noncount nouns are those which usually cannot be counted. Following fitebe are some common examples