Rules For The Use And Omission Of Articles | Class 10 English Grammar

The misuse of the and a is very common. Here are the basic rules for the use and omission of articles.

Proper nouns (e.g. John, Alice and India) do not take articles.

  • Incorrect: The John is my friend.
  • Correct: John is my friend.
  • Incorrect: The Tokyo is a big city.
  • Correct: Tokyo is a big city.

A singular common noun (e.g. boy, cat, tree, book, apple etc.) must have an article.

  • Incorrect: There is cat on roof.
  • Correct: There is a cat on the roof.

A plural common noun cannot be used with the article a. It is usually used with no article, though some is sometimes used before it.

Compare:

  • A spider has eight legs.
  • Spiders have eight legs.

Remember that a noun can be common in one sentence and proper in another sentence.

A superlative adjective is usually used with the.

  • Incorrect: He is best player in the team.
  • Correct: He is the best player in the team.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I am Manjusha. This is my blog where I give English grammar lessons and worksheets.

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