An article is a type of word used in English grammar that comes before a noun to indicate whether the noun is specific or general. Articles function like adjectives because they modify nouns or noun equivalents
. There are two main types of articles in English:
- Definite article: "the" is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known or specific to the reader or listener. It can be used with singular, plural, countable, and uncountable nouns. For example, "the pen" refers to a specific pen that both speaker and listener know about
- Indefinite articles: "a" and "an" are used before a noun when the noun is general, nonspecific, or not previously mentioned. "A" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, and "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound to make pronunciation easier. For example, "a pen" refers to any pen, not a particular one
Articles help clarify whether a noun is being referred to in a general or particular sense, which aids in understanding the meaning of sentences
. In summary, an article is a grammatical word that marks nouns as definite or indefinite, helping specify whether the noun is known and specific or general and unspecified
