The articles a, an, and the are adjectives. An article is a determiner that indicates the coming of a noun.
Indefinite Articles
The indefinite article ‘a’ and ‘an’ means one and is used only with singular countable nouns. It leaves indefinite the place or person mentioned.
Ex. I bought ‘a house.’ (means any house)
Definite Article
The definite article ‘the’ points out the person or thing. It refers to a particular person or thing and can be used with both singular and plural nouns and also with uncountable nouns.
Ex. The house that I bought ten years ago is being painted.
The Definite Article with Places & Buildings (with the)
| famous buildings | the Parthenon, the Great Pyramid |
| oceans | the Pacific, the Indian Ocean |
| seas | the Mediterranean, the Red Sea |
| rivers | the Rhine, the Yangtze River |
| deserts | the Sahara, the Gobi Desert |
| most geographical regions | the north, the Australian outback, the Arctic |
| mountain ranges | the Andes, the Rocky Mountains |
| island groups | the Maldives, the Canary Islands |
The Definite Article with Places & Buildings (without the)
| continents | Asia, Europe |
| most countries | Egypt, China |
| lakes | Lake Titicaca, Lake Victoria |
| most mountains | Everest, Kilimanjaro, Table Mountain |
| place name + building | Athens airport, Mumbai Central Station, Cambridge University |
Names which include republic, kingdom (Use the with)
the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom
Plural names of countries (Use without the)
Athens Airport, Mumbai Central Station, Cambridge University
Adjectives & Articles Exercises
A. Complete the following sentences by filling in suitable articles. The articles a, an, and the are adjectives.
1. Copper is _____ useful metal.
2. He is not _____ honourable man.
3. Honest man speaks _____ truth.
4. Do you see _____ blue sky?
5. He returned after ______ hour.
6. ______ sun shines brightly.
7. I first met him ______ year ago.
8. ______ lion is ______ king of beasts.
9. The children found ______ egg in the nest.
10. I bought ______ horse, _____ ox, and _____ buffalo.
11. He looks as stupid as ______ owl.
12. He is ______ honour to this profession.
B. Name the adjectives in each sentence. Remember to include articles.
- The brilliant Leonardo da Vinci lived in the sixteenth century. _______________________________________________________________________________
- He designed three different aircraft and the first parachute. _______________________________________________________________________________
- A glider, lightweight but large, was original, too. _______________________________________________________________________________
C. Write the adjectives, including articles, in each sentence.
- There is an old story about Daedalus, a great inventor, and Icarus, an only son. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Daedalus had worked for the cruel King Minos of Crete but longed for a peaceful life in Athens. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Minos refused to release him; therefore, the clever Daedalus planned a strange escape. _______________________________________________________________________________
- He built two ornithopters. _______________________________________________________________________________
- The machines had movable wings with soft feathers and linen fastenings. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Some wax held on the many feathers. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Young Icarus flew behind Daedalus at a moderate height. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Then the foolish boy became bold. _______________________________________________________________________________
- He flew too near the hot sun, and the thin wax melted. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Luckless Icarus fell into the deep blue sea. _______________________________________________________________________________
D. Write the adjectives in each sentence. Include articles.
- Doug read a recent report on the national population. ______________________________________________________________________________
- There has been a large increase in several states. ______________________________________________________________________________
- Certain other states have lost residents. _______________________________________________________________________________
- Substantial numbers are concentrated in the West. _______________________________________________________________________________
- The report showed that many Americans hold professional positions. _______________________________________________________________________________