{"id":101,"date":"2018-08-01T14:41:17","date_gmt":"2018-08-01T19:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linguix.com\/blog\/?p=101"},"modified":"2019-03-25T07:54:54","modified_gmt":"2019-03-25T11:54:54","slug":"articles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linguix.com\/blog\/articles\/","title":{"rendered":"Articles"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Articles are simply <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a, an<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These words define a noun as being specific or unspecific, yet cause all manner of issues due to the fact most languages use articles slightly differently, or not at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally speaking, the two types of articles can be categorised as the indefinite and definite article.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1>Indefinite article (<i>a <\/i>or <i>an<\/i>)<\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An indefinite article must be used if the noun is singular and unspecific. Example:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My sister has <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dog.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The article remains even if the noun is preceded by an adjective. Example:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My sister has <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> beautiful dog.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is used if the proceeding word begins with a vowel. However, contrary to popular belief, this means a vowel sound, not simply a vowel spelling. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> honest man.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the word honest, the h is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> university in Cologne.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">University, in effect, begins with a \u2018y\u2019 sound, so does not require <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1>Definite article<\/h1>\n<p>The definite article the is used when something is now specific. This can be because it has been mentioned before, or if it is a unique thing. Examples:<\/p><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My sister has a dog. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dog is a Doberman.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sun is shining brightly today.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h1>Uncountable nouns<\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some nouns are uncountable, meaning that there is no plural form. In these cases, the indefinite article can never be used (and is usually replaced by <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">some<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), and the rule for the definite article is the same. Examples:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I have <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">some <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">water. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> water tastes bad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I require <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">some<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> understanding of the subject. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> understanding I have is not sufficient.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h1>Zero article<\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A zero article, or no article, is used when something is abstract. Example:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding is key to life. (not <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> understanding\u2026)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h1>Specific uses of the definite article<\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are some specific times when the definite article is used, or not used, which may not logically follow the rule of something being specific or unspecific. Examples:<\/span><br>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n.tg  {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}<br \/>\n.tg td{padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:black;}<br \/>\n.tg th{padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:black;}<br \/>\n.tg .tg-uz9j{border-color:#efefef;vertical-align:top}<br \/>\n.tg .tg-f0ty{font-weight:bold;border-color:#efefef;vertical-align:top}<br \/>\n<\/style>\n<\/p><table class=\"tg\" style=\"undefined;table-layout: fixed; width: 920px\">\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 114px\">\n<col style=\"width: 405px\">\n<col style=\"width: 401px\">\n<\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"tg-f0ty\"><\/th>\n<th class=\"tg-f0ty\">Definite article<\/th>\n<th class=\"tg-f0ty\">No article<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">Geography<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">Rivers<br>\neg, <span style=\"font-style:italic\">The<\/span> Nile, <span style=\"font-style:italic\">The<\/span> Danube<p><\/p>\n<p>Some countries<br>\neg, <span style=\"font-style:italic\">The<\/span> United States, <span style=\"font-style:italic\">The<\/span> Czech Republic<\/p>\n<p>Mountain ranges<br>\neg, <span style=\"font-style:italic\">The<\/span> Himalayas, <span style=\"font-style:italic\">The<\/span> Andes<\/p><\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">Lakes<br>\neg, Lake Geneva, Lake Titicaca<p><\/p><\/p>\n<p>Cities, countries, continents<br>\neg, Moscow, Brazil, Oceania<\/p>\n<p>Mountains<br>\neg, Mount Everest, Mount Etna<\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">Institutions<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">School, university, hospital, church, prison<p><\/p>\n<p>Focuses on the building itself.<br>\nExample:<br>\nVladimir is in <span style=\"font-style:italic\">the<\/span> school. (This is his current location, but perhaps he is a teacher.)<\/p><\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">School, university, hospital, church, prison<p><\/p>\n<p>Focuses on the main reason for attending that place.<br>\nExample:<br>\nVladimir is in school. (He is a student.)<\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">Last\/Next<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">When something is the last or next in a sequence, or of a defined period.<br>\nExample:<p><\/p>\n<p>We are going to Spain in <span style=\"font-style:italic\">the<\/span> last week of August.<br>\n<span style=\"font-style:italic\">The<\/span> next time we go to the cinema, I&#8217;m choosing the film.<\/p><\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">When something is being referenced in relation to now.<p><\/p>\n<p>We went to Spain last month.<br>\nWe are going to the cinema again next week.<\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">Places around town<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\">These are habitual remnants from when there would literally have been one of these places in a town or city.<p><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re going to <span style=\"font-style:italic\">the<\/span> cinema. I need to go to <span style=\"font-style:italic\">the<\/span> bank and <span style=\"font-style:italic\">the<\/span> post office<\/p><\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-uz9j\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<br>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There may be other occasions when no discernible article rule is being used, but instead something is habitual. These instances must be taken as exceptions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p><strong>Use\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguix.com\/premium\"><strong>Linguix.com Premium<\/strong><\/a><strong> to receive advanced grammar (including tense issues!), spelling, and style checks, access content template library, and get your writing fixed everywhere on the web!\ufeff<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Articles are simply a, an, and the. These words define a noun as being specific or unspecific, yet cause all manner of issues due to the fact most languages use articles slightly differently, or not at all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":108,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[29,28,15,30],"class_list":["post-101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","tag-a","tag-articles","tag-grammar","tag-the"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.8 (Yoast SEO v24.8.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Articles - Linguix Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/linguix.com\/blog\/articles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Articles\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Articles are simply a, an, and the. 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