Articles for Class 5

What Do You Mean by Articles?

Articles are small words that we use before nouns (people, places, things, or ideas) to give more information about the noun. They help us understand and describe nouns. They come before nouns to provide information about the noun.

Articles are divided into two main types: definite articles and indefinite articles.

Definite and Indefinite Articles

Definite Article

The word "the" is called a definite article. It is used before a noun to identify something specific or particular.

Examples:

→ The dog is sleeping on the couch.
→ The sun shines brightly in the sky.
→ The book on the shelf is my favorite.
→ The school bell rings at 3 o'clock.

Indefinite Articles

The words "a" and "an" are called indefinite articles. It is used before a noun to make a sentence more meaningful.

"A" is used before a consonant sound. For example, a dog, a book, a car.

"An" is used before a vowel sound. For example, an apple, an elephant, an hour.

List of Words Where "A" and "An" are Used

Uses of Definite and Indefinite Articles

Definite Article

1. Specific Nouns

We use definite nouns when we are talking about a particular noun that the reader knows about or can identify.

Examples:

→ The notebooks are on the shelf.
→ The cat chased the mouse.
→ The sun shines brightly in the sky.
→ The teacher explained the lesson to the students.

2. Unique Nouns

We use definite articles when the noun is unique or one-of-a-kind. Definite article 'the' is used before monuments, rivers, mountains, oceans, seas and such similar things which are unique in nature.

Example:

→ The President of the United States lives in the White House.
→ The flamingo in the zoo is a beautiful bird.
→ The crescent moon appeared in the evening sky.
→ The Eiffel Tower stands tall in Paris, France.
→ The kangaroo is a marsupial native to Australia.

3. Superlative Adjectives

 We use definite articles before superlative adjectives.

Examples:

→ Mary is the tallest girl among her friends group.
→ Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
→ The cheetah is the fastest land animal on Earth.
→ The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water on the planet.
→ Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth.

Indefinite Articles

1. Nonspecific Nouns

We use indefinite articles when we are talking about any noun that is not specific.

Examples:

→ She needs a glass of water.
→ A bird flew by my window.
→ An apple fell from the tree.
→ I saw a car at the intersection.
→ Can you pass me a book from the shelf?

2. Singular Countable Nouns

We use the article "a" before a consonant sound and "an" before a vowel sound.

Examples:

→ I am a teacher and my sister is an architect.
→ A dog chased the ball in the park.
→ An elephant is a large and majestic animal.