ARTICLES Articles are the members of the determiners family. “A, An and The’ are articles. Articles are used before nouns. eg. ~ My brother is a businessman, ~ An apple a day keeps the doctor away. ich is used before an article which Here, ‘a’ is an article w (businessman) and ‘an noun ‘apple’. Indefinite Articles + Indefinite article * the consonants. + Indefinite article ‘An’ is used with the words starting with the vowel sound. (a,c, i, 0, u) eg. - An umbrella is kept there. ~ A European lives in our colony. = Meerut has a university. ~ An honest and hardworking person always succeeds in life. = An hour is left. ~ An MA, An SP, An LLB Use of Indefinite Articles (a) Before a common noun in singular to suggest the sense ‘of one. eg. ~ Twelve inches make a foot. ~ There is a fan in the room. ~ A man is standing on the road. che noun, used before the is used before the words starting with (b) Before a common noun in singular to suggest the vague sense of a certain or any. eg. ~ A book is kept there. (c) To make a common noun of a proper noun. In this case, both definite and/or indefinite article can be used according to the case. eg. - Ajay is a Sherlok Holmes of our class. - Samudragupta was the Napoleon of India. (6) In the sense of each, every or per. eg. ~ The doctor advised the patient to take the medicine twice a day. ~ He studies for two hours « day. (c) In exclamations before eg. ~ What a shot! ~ What « beautiful girl! Definite Article Use of Definite Article ‘The’ (e) When we speak of a particular person or thing or one already referred to. e.g. ~ The book is kept there, - The CD of that movie is available in the market. igular countable nouns. - The book you mentioned is available in the store. ~ The pleasant weather is inv ing us outside. (b) Before the names of physical features in Geography. eg. ~ The Himalayas, The Gangas, The Indian Ocean, etc. + However, if the reference is to a Single Island or a Single Mountain, ‘the’ is not used. eg, ~ The Kanchenjunga is the hi the Himalayas in India Kanchenjunga is the highest peak of the (/) imalayas in India. = The North Andaman isa part of the (X) Andaman group of islands. = North Andaman isa part of the v) ‘Andaman group of istinds (c) Before common nouns which are names of things unique or of their kind. eg. ~ The Sun, The Moon, The Earth, The Sky. (é) Before the names of countries which show federation. e.g. - The United States of America, The United Kingdom, The Republic of Korea, The Republic of South Africa, etc Exception The Netherlands, The Hague est peak of (X) (e) Before the names of religious and mythological books, newspapers, magazines, journals, ete eg. - The Bible, The India Today, The Times of India, ete (f) Before Superlatives. eg. ~ Lam the best. ~ He is the cleverest. (g) As an adverb with a comparative. eg. - The more, the merrier. ~ The sooner, the better. ~ The higher you go, the colder it i (h) Before terms denoting Nationality, Community and Castes. cg. - The Australians, The Indians, The Hindus, ete (i) Before historic events. eg. ~ The Ist Battle of Panipat, The Revolt of 1857, The Quit India Movement, The Gulf War, etc. (i) Before musical instruments. eg, ~ I can play the flute very well. = Ustad Amjad Ali Khan plays the sarod.(k) Before an adjective when it represents a class of a people. eg. ~ The rich should help the poor. ~ The old should be respected by the young. (I) Before a unit of measurement. eg. ~ Cloth is sold by the metre. ~ Bananas are sold by the dozen. (m) Before a common noun to give the force of superlative. eg. - He is the man, = This is the thing to do. (n) Before the adjectives ‘same’ and ‘whole’ and after the adjectives ‘all’ and ‘both’. eg. - He is the same person that I saw esterday. ~ The whole class performed splendidly. ~ All the boys passed with flying colours. ~ Both the friends were present there. (0) Before a common noun to give it the meaning of an abstract noun. eg. - The moralist in Gandhi revolted against injustice. ~ The judge in him prevailed upon the father and he sentenced his son to death. (p) Before various Cups and Trophies. eg. ~ Sri Lanka has won the Asia Cup. ~ Almost all countries participate in the Olympics. (q) Before comparative degree in case of a choice. eg. ~ He is the stronger of the two friends. Omission of Articles (0) Before proper nouns. eg. ~ The New Delhi is the capital of India, (X) (b) Before material noun and abstract noun used in general sense. eg. ~ The building is made up of he brick and (X) ~ The building is made up of brick and stone. (¥) = Ihave the love for you. w = Thave love for you ” ~ The care of the old is necessary. w = Care of the old is necessary. ” + However, if the material noun and abstract noun show some specific eases, article should be used. eg. - The stone of Kota is of good quality. ~ The love 1 have for you is unconditional and infinite. (c) Before a noun used in its widest sense. eg. ~ The science is a subject based on facts. (X) = Science is a subject based on facts. 2) = The man is immortal. ) + Man is immortal. ro) = The tiger is the national animal of India. (X) = Tiger is the national animal of India.) (¢) Before the noun following ‘kind of. eg, ~ What kind of a person you are? w = What kind of person you are? Vv) = What kind of a book is it? ” = What kind of book is it? 2) {e) Before uncountable nouns. eg. - He gave me advice. - He passed on information to me. (f) Before school, college, home, church, temple, sea, work, bed, table, hospital, market, prison, court. However, when their purpose is thought of rather than the actual building, ‘the’ is used. eg. ~ 1 go to church every Sunday. ~ I go to bed early these days. (9) Before names of diseases. eg. ~ AIDS can be prevented using safety ~ Cancer can be treated if detected early. (h) Before regular meals except when preceded by an Adjective. eg. ~ Lusually take breakfast at 9 o'clock. = We should take dinner atleast two hours before the sleeping time to avoid indigestion. = They gave us a sumptuous lunch. (i) Before modes of travel. .g. ~ He will go by air. = Journey by road takes time. {i) Before names of relations like uncle, mother, father, ete. eg. ~ Unde will come tomorrow. ther is working on a project. (K) Before adjectives used as nouns signifying a language or colours. eg. ~ He doesn’t know Hindi, but he knows English = Tike red and bluc. () When two or more descriptive adjectives qualifying the same noun are connected by ‘and’, the Article is used before the first adjective only. eg. - It is a Hindi and English Dictionary. (Here, the dictionary is one). (m) When two or more adjectives qualify different nouns, expressed or understood, the Article is used before cach adjective, eg. ~ The inner and the outer wall were both strongly defended. ~ He possesses a black dog and a white bitch.SPOTTING THE ERRORS ERRORS OF ARTICLES Directions (Q. Nos. 1-30) Which part of the given sentences has an error? In case, there is no error, choose option (a). 1. ‘The road (a)! to famous monument (b)/ passes through a forest. (e)/ No error (d) 2. Our Housing Society comprises of (a)! six blocks and (by! thirty three flats in an area of about thousand sq. metres. (¢)! No error (d) 3. Now that she is living in her own flat, (a)/ she cleans the windows (b)/ twice a week in the summer and once a week in the winter. (c)/ No error (@) With little imagination and enterprise, (a)/ the tournament could have been transformed (b)/ into a major attraction. (@) No error (d) ‘These display (a)/ the (b)/ remarkable variety. (cv No error (@) 6. If you have faith in Almighty (a)/ everything will turn out (by! to be all right. (c)/ No error (d) 7, According to the Bible (n)/ it is meck and humble (b) who shall inherit the Earth. (c)/ No error (d) 8. On my request (a)/ Lalit introduced me to his friend (by! who is singer and a scientist. (e)/ No error (d) 4. 5. ‘This town isn’t very well known (a)/ and there isn’t much to see (b)/ so a few tourists come here. (i No error (@) He took to (a)/ reading Times (b)/ for better Knowledge of the facts. (e)/ No error (d) 10. 41. ‘The accelerating pace of life in our metropolitan (a has had the tremendous effect (b)/ on the culture and life-style of the people. (c)/ No error @ 12. Both the civilians (a)f and armymen (by! joined the First World War. (c)/ No error (@) 13. The school is (a)! within hundred yards (b)! from my house. (¢)/ No error (d) 14. The majority of the computer professionals recommends (a)/ that effective measures (bf should be taken against software piracy. (e)/ No error (a) 15, The famous Dr. Chandra (a)/ is only dentist (by! in cour village. (c)/ No error (d) 16. This candidate lacks (a)/ an experience (by otherwise he is well qualified. (c)/ No error (a) 17. The person I met (a)/ in the theatre (b)/ was the playwright himself. (e)/ No error (@) 18, The interviewer asked me (a)/ if I knew that Kalidas was the greater (b)/ than any other poet. (0) No error (d) 19. The reason we have not been able to pay income tax (a)/ is due to fact (b)/ that we did not receive pay on time. (¢)/ No error (d) 20, Even now when I see the spot (a)/ I am reminded of an unique incident (by! that took place several years ago. (e)! No error (d) 21. My father (a)/was (b)/ an honest and God fearing ‘man. (0) No error (d) 22. Gangotri has special significance (a) for the devout as it is considered as (b)/ the abode of King Bhagirath who brought the Ganga down to Earth, (0 No error (@) 23, The recent study has indicated that there (ay! is perceptible change in (by the attitudes of the people. ( No error (d) 24, He was fascinated by insects (a)/ and the more he studied their habits (b)/ greater was his fascination. (© No error (@) 25, With little patience (a)/ you will be able to (by! cross this hurdle. (0)f No error (d) 26. My friends insisted (a)/ that I should see the movie (b)/ from beginning to the end. (c)/ No error (@) 27. Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society; (a)/ the optimist invents the aeroplane (by! the pessimist parachute. ()/ No error (@) 28. A friend (a)/ in need is (by! the friend indeed. (of No error (d) 29. Amitabh had (a)/ the cameo (b)f in the movie. (0)! No error (d) 30. The former cricketer (a)/ donated a huge amount (b)f in charity. (c)/ No error (d)GENERAL ENGLISH > Spotting the Errors 415 > EXPLANATIONS 1. (a) Fotis wed to intense a frst point or reazon. It doesnot make sense in the given sentence. Saye would te "Fit instead of "Fe 16. (8) Anyone’ shouldbe replaced by vomeone to make the sentence meaning 16. (8) Too! and ach are vor wed together It should be too 2. (9 “Suddenly stop inthe sentence doce not make sense. hea? Hence, we would change i to ‘sudden stop to make the 17. (8) Mose’ should be used afer esteem 10 mae the sentence meaningfil. 3. (0) ‘Leire'as a adjective and docs not make sense in the sentence, Tt should be changed tits adverb form i Teorey 4. (0) “Thoroughly cleaning’ is incorrect. It should be “Ahonough ceasing 5. (0) “Moch’is used in comparative degree and ‘ves used In postive degree. So, we should use "ery in place of “rah in the given sentence. 6. (4) The sentence i correct. 7. (9 Dilleen” in the sentence does non convey the sight ‘meaning ofthe sentence. It must be changed to “diferent B. (‘Decided icortet and doesnot make seas with the sentence. It shoul he changed toi adverb form ‘ecidedly ©. (4) Carefuin the given sentence shouldbe changed 0 ‘eaefllyto come the right meaning ofthe zentence 10, (a) Dizec” means straight and ‘irc means ‘at once’ Hence, we woul use Ure" ia the seatence instead of “rely 18, (4) The entence ie comet. 12, (0 "Hardly won freedom means ‘negligibly won freedom! ane does non make sense inthe sentence. I should be Changed t0 18, (6) Enough kind’ does not make sense. It should be changed £0 "kind enough’ 14, (8) Thas wd in the sentence hanged 0 but gd won Bent orect. It should be 10. 1 2. 23. 2a. 25. 26. 2. 20. 2. 30. Pentence meaning (‘Neve in the given sentence should be replaced by ‘id ot'to make the sentence meaningfal (9 Tac’ shouldbe replaced by “vey to make the sentence gramimatialyeomect. (4) ‘Di not know” should be removed and “knew” should be aided afer “hardly"to correct the ventence, (0) "Very quicker should be replaced by “quicker to make the sentence come. (4) ‘Sure’ needs tobe changed to its adver Foren ‘suey make the sentence correct. (0) ‘Miser’ needs to be change to “isely to make the sentence grammatically correct, (0 So newts tobe replaced hy er’ to coect the sentence. (8) ‘Lately’ does aot conse the right meaning. I should tye changed to ‘te’ (0 ‘Sounaly see needs to be changed to slept soundly’ 10 make the sentence meaningf (a) As por the rule, two negative words cant be ured together in 2 sentence. Tn the given sentence ‘barely and ‘nothing’ are negative words So ve would replace nothing” ty “anything (6) Tos! needs to be replaced by ‘ery to make the sentence grammatically correct (a) ‘Quickly "doesnot make sense, So, we replace it By it adjective form fe. quick (@ No exer.