Ability Enhancement Course (AEC)

Name of College:Maharani Shree Nandkunvarba Mahila arts and commerce college 

Name:- Bhimani Sadaf Zehra

Year:- F.Y.B.A

Subject:- Ability enhancement course (AEC)

Teacher:- Shivani ma'am

Introduction -

In English Grammar, articles are very important words because they help us understand whether a noun is specific or general. Articles come before a noun and show us which person or thing we are talking about. Without articles, our sentences would sound incomplete and confusing

There are three main articles in English

• The -> Definite Article

• A -> Indefinite Article

• An -> Indefinite Article

Now let us study them in detail one by one.

1. Definite Article - "The"

Meaning:

• "The" is the only definite article in English

• It points to a noun that is already known, identified, or unique.

Example: The sun rises in the east. (Here, the sun is only one and specific).

Rules and Usage of "The"

1. Before unique things

◦ Used with things that exist only once in the universe

◦ Eg: the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, the universe

2. Before parts of the body (instead of possessives)

◦ Eg: He pulled him by the hand.

◦ Eg: He looked into the eyes of the stranger.

3. Before names of rivers, mountains, seas, oceans, deserts

◦ Egi the Ganga the Nile, the Himalayas, the Pacific Ocean, The Sahara Desert.

4. Before names of famous buildings and monuments 

Eg: the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, the Burj Khalifa

5. Before names of directions

◦Eg. the north, the south, the east, the west.

6. Before newspapers, holy books, and well-known works

◦ Eg: The Times of India, The Quran, The Bible, The Constitution,

7. Before superlative degrees and ordinal numbers

◦ Eg: the best player, the first chapter, the greatest poet

8. Before a whole class or group (to represent all of them)

◦ Eg: The dog is a loyal animal. (means all dogs).

9. Before names of historical events

○ Eg: the French Revolution, the World War l.

10. Important Note

• "The" does not always mean all.

◦ Eg: The books are on the table. (not all books in the World, only some).

2. Indefinite Articles - "A" and "An"

Meaning:

"A" and "An" are called Indefinite ArticlesThey are used when we talk about a person or thing in a general way or when it is not identified clearly

Rules for "A":

1. Used before a consonant sound

○ Eg: a book, a pen, a chair, a house

2. Used before words starting with a vowel but pronounced with consonant sound.

◦ Eg: a university (sounds like yoo),

Eg. a European (sounds like yer)

3. Used before singular countable nouns when we talk about something for the first time

◦ Eg:/ saw a man on the road.

4 . Used in some numerical expressions.

◦Eg: a one-rupee coin, a hundred students.

Rules for "An"

Used before a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).

◦ Eg: an apple, an elephant, an umbrella

2. Used before words that begin with silent h

◦ Eg: an honest man, an hour late

3. Used before abbreviations and acronyms pronounced with a vowel sound,

◦Eg: an MLA, an MP an SMS, an FBI officer.

4. Used before singular countable nouns

◦ Eg: She bought an orange from the market.

Conclusion

Articles are small WOrdS, but they play a very big role in English Grammar. They help us identify whether we are talking about something specific or general

• Use "The when the noun is definite, unique, or already mentioned

• Use "A" before consonant sounds when the noun is not specific

• Use "An" before vowel sounds or silent "h"

If we use articles correctly, our English sentences become clear, natural, and grammatically correct.

Thank You...