articles (grammatical)
The articles (a, an, and the) are considered to be adjectives because they modify nouns, either limiting them or making them more precise. There are two kinds of articles, indefinite and definite.
Indefinite: a and an (denotes an unspecified item)
That was the first time I had run a program on our new computer. [Not a specific program. Therefore, the article is indefinite.]
The choice between a and an depends on the sound, not the letter, following the article. (See a/an.)
Definite: the (denotes a particular item)
That was the first time I had run the program on our new computer. [Not just any program but the specific program. Therefore, the article is definite.]
In some texts where brevity is crucial, as in telegrams, recipes, or prescriptions, articles may be omitted. As a rule, however, use articles in both formal and informal writing.
Capitalize articles only if they appear as the first word of a sentence or of a title or subtitle. (See also capital letters.)
The End oj the Big Spenders: The Story of the Crash of 1929
For nonnative speakers of English, knowing when to use a, an, the, or no article before a noun can be difficult. The choice depends not only on whether the noun is singular or plural, count or mass, common or proper, but also on whether the noun is used in a specific, nonspecific, or generic sense.
Nouns in a Specific Sense. A noun is used in a specific sense when the reader can be expected to know its identity for one ol the following reasons:
It has been previously mentioned or is identified by a modifier.
A cat lived with us last winter. The eat had only three legs.
It refers to an experience shared by the writer and the reader.
The accident is something neither oi us will forget.
It is unique in a particular context, such as a system, a location or setting, or an ordered series.
In 1492, people believed that the earth was flat. [The earth is unique in the solar system.]
Misha was in the garden. [There is only one garden in a particular location or setting.] Rose was the third person to register for the class. [Rose is the third in a series.]
The or no article should precede nouns used in a specific sense. The is used before specific common nouns, singular or plural, and before proper nouns that are plural or that name oceans, rivers, regions, or newspapers.
The New York Times is widely read in New York , New Jersey , and the Northeast but is less popular west of the Mississippi .
No article is used before most other proper nouns.
When Ed Sanchez moved back to Mexico , he canceled his subscription to Time.
Nouns in a Nonspecific Sense. A noun is used in a nonspecific sense when the reader cannot be expected to know its identity or when its identity is not important for one of the following reasons:
It was not previously mentioned or is not specifically identified by a modifier.
A dog followed my daughter home from school. It does not refer to an experience shared by the writer and the reader.
You may not have heard that I had an accident in January. It is not unique but is one among many persons, places, or things.
It was a dark and stormy night.
A, an, or no article should precede nouns that are used in a nonspecific sense. A or an is used before singular, common count nouns.
Take a large ceramic howl and rub it with a clove of garlic. Salvador Dali was a controversial artist. No article is used before plural common nouns and noncount (mass) nouns. You can vary this recipe by adding mushrooms, parsley, or hacon.
Nouns in a Generic Sense. A noun is used in a generic sense when it makes a general statement that refers to one of the following:
an abstract concept,
Life is what you make it.
or a category or an example of that category.
The camel is a mammal.
A car is a necessity in our fast-paced world.
The, a, an, or no article can precede nouns used in a generic sense; however, each is used slightly differently. The precedes a singular count noun used as the name of a class of items (especially plants, animals, or inventions).
The computer is a wonderful invention.
