Articles are words used to modify nouns such as persons, places, objects, or ideas. To put simply, articles are technically adjectives, words that either aim to qualify, describe or modified nouns. As it is often the case, adjectives help to modify nouns by describing them, but articles have slight distinction in their use as they only point out to nouns. Types of Articles In English Language, two types of articles which are recognized in writing and refer to nouns (or a group of nouns). They are called the definite and indefinite articles. Rules for Articles The proper use of articles in English language is quite straightforward. 1. The Use of Definite Article “the”: The definite noun “the” is used to refer to specific nouns or group of nouns. 2. The Use of Indefinite Articles “a” and “an”: Some trouble may, however, arise when one is trying to determine which indefinite article—”an,” “a”—to use. At times like this, it’s imperative remember that the choice of indefinite article will depend on the sound at the start of the noun being referred to. There’s a way to remember this. Use “an” if the noun that is after the indefinite article has a first letter that has a vowel sound. Vowel sounds in English language are sounds that are created by any of the five vowels: “a,” “e,” “I,” “o,” “u.” Example: i) An adversary of the people (“a” begins this noun, which is a vowel). ii) An elder in the religious group (“e” begins this noun, which is also a vowel). Use the article “a”’ when the noun that is after it has its first letter as a consonant sound. In English language, consonant sounds are sounds that come from the letters of the alphabet other than the five vowels. Example: i) My brother wants a novel for his birthday. ii) A woman brought a dog to church today. Types of Articles 1. Definite Article As stated earlier, definite article ‘the’ in English Language directly refers to specific nouns or groups of nouns. Examples: i) The hair on his on his head. ii) The Louis Vuitton crocodile bag in my closet. iii) The flash fiction magazines on her table. It should be noted that definite article ‘the’ in these examples refers directly to the noun or group of nouns in these examples. 2. Indefinite Articles On the other hand, indefinite articles are the two words “a” and “an.” Like the definite article, these two articles are used in the English language to refer to nouns. However, the nouns being referred to in this case—persons, places, objects, or ideas—are neither specific nor direct. The function of indefinite articles in pointing out to nouns is not clear, as it can be any noun or a group of nouns. Examples: i) A mango from the tree. ii) An envelope from the shelf. iii) A BMW from the car park. Note that in each of the three cases, the nouns that are referred to are not precise. The mango could be any mango ripe for plucking from the tree. Similarly, the envelope could be anyone from the shelf, or the BMW could be any car of the same make parked in the car park.