Travel and Adventure
Articles
Learn when to use the articles a, an and the.
From the text: "Arunima made a vow." "Her father was an army engineer." "She displayed the Indian flag at the summit."
A and an are indefinite articles: one of many, not a particular one. The is the definite article: this one, the one we both know.
The rule people most often get wrong: a or an depends on the sound at the start of the next word, not the letter!
- an army engineer: army starts with a vowel sound
- an hour: the h is silent, so hour starts with an 'ow' sound
- a uniform: uniform starts with a 'yoo' sound, a consonant sound, though u is a vowel letter (also: a university, a European country)
Use the when there's only one, or the reader already knows which:
- "K2 is the second highest peak in the world." (only one second highest)
- "The North Star has guided travellers for centuries."
- Rivers: "The Ganga is a sacred river."
Sometimes no article is needed: ideas and uncountable things in general. "We felt a connection with nature" (not the nature). "Courage and determination" as qualities.
Fix these errors:
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| a hour | an hour | silent h |
| an uniform | a uniform | 'yoo' sound |
| K2 is a second highest peak | the second highest | only one |
| a Ganga | the Ganga | rivers take the |
| a North Star | the North Star | only one |
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