Everydayquiz Improve English Part- 4

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Rules Pertaining to Usage of Article - Part - I

In English there are two types of articles:

(i)   The Indefinite Articles
(ii)  The Definite Article

The Indefinite Articles : A and An (Please note that ‘An’ is a variant of ‘A’.)
'A' and 'An' are to be used with Nouns that are singular.  Singular Nouns are, To simply put, we can put one, two, ... in front of them.
The Definite Article     : The

Notes:

1. The indefinite article ‘a’ is used before: 
 (a) a word beginning with a letter having a consonant sound. 
  Examples:  a book, a man, a dinner.

 (b) a word that begins with a letter (like O) with the sound like ‘wa’ 
 Examples: a one-rupee note, one-eyed man etc.

 (c) a word beginning with ‘u’ or ‘eu’ giving the consonant of ‘yu’.
 Examples: a university, a European.

2. The indefinite article ‘an’ is used before:
 (a) a word beginning with a letter like a, e, i, o, u having a vowel sound.
 Examples:  an apple, an egg,  an umbrella, an idiot, etc.

 (b) a word beginning with ‘h’ but the pronunciation starts with a vowel.
 Examples: an heir, an hour, an honest man, etc.

 (c) an abbreviation, the first letter of which is ‘M’ 
 Examples: an M.L.A., an M.P., an M.Com an S.D.O and F.R.C.S., an X-mas gift etc.


RULES REGARDING THE ARTICLES:We use a or an:
Rule 1:  If noun is singular countable, article must be used. 
John is teacher (Incorrect))
John is a teacher (correct)

Man came to my house yesterday  (Incorrect)
A man came to my house yesterday  (Correct)

Rule 2:  a or an must be used for noun complement which includes professions. 
He was great man.  (Incorrect)
He was a great man  (Correct)

He is actor  (Incorrect)
He is an actor  (Correct)


Rule 3: If we want to say something about speed or price.
Eg: 
I bought these onions Five rupees kilo.  (Incorrect)
I bought these onions Five rupees a kilo  (Correct)
The speed of the train is fifty miles hour  (Incorrect)
The speed of the train is fifty miles an hour  (Correct)

Rule 4:  In exclamatory sentence before singular and countable nouns
Eg:
What a fine sketch!  (Correct)
What a great shot!  (Correct)

Rule 5:  Before the word ‘most’ when it is used in the sense of very or much or exceedingly.
Examples:Sreedhar is most intelligent student.  (Incorrect)
Sreedhar is a most intelligent student  (Correct)

This is most unfortunate event.  (Incorrect)
This is a most unfortunate event.  (Correct)


Rule 6:  Before a singular countable noun which is used as an example to represent a class.
Examples:
Cow is useful animal  (Incorrect)
 A cow is useful animal  (Correct)

Note : It must be borne in mind that ‘man’ or ‘woman’, when used in a general sense to represent ‘mankind’ as a whole, never takes are article.

Examples:
A man is mortal  (Incorrect)
Man is mortal  (Correct)

A woman is man's better half  (Incorrect)
Woman is man’s better half  (Correct)

Rule 7:  With the words a lot of, a couple, a great many, a good deal of, a good many, a great deal of, a few, a little etc. when they mean 'Some amount' and 'a small number'
Few books were in the library  (Incorrect)
A few books were in the library  (Correct)


Lot of people have attended the party  (Incorrect)

A lot of people have attended the party  (Correct)


Rule 8:  In certain phrases: a cold, a pain, on an average, make a noise, make an effort, make a mistake, a fever. etc.
I've got cold  (Incorrect)

I've got a cold  (Correct)

Rule 9:  With certain numbers : a hundred, a thousand, a million etc.

Rule 10:  ‘A’ can be used before Mr. / Miss / Mrs. + name
Examples:
 a Mr. Bose, a Mrs, Bose etc.
Note : A Mr. Bose denotes a person who is called Bose, and implies that he is a stranger to the speaker.
Mr. Bose, without ‘a’. implies that the speaker knows Mr. Bose, or knows of his existence.

Rule 11:  Before a proper noun to make it a common noun.
Examples:
Mohan is a Newton of our class  (Incorrect)
Mohan is the Newton of our class  (Correct)

Rule 12:  Before certain uncountable nouns preceded by nouns + of
Examples:
 a piece of advice, a bit of news, a drop of water etc.

Rule 13:
After the words many, rather, such, quite etc in certain structures.
Examples:
 1. Many a friend of mine is attending the party.
 2. Such a show cannot be arranged now.
 3. He is rather a fool to take such decisions.

A or An is not used before: 

(a) Plural nouns: a books, a universities etc. (Incorrect)

(b) Uncountable nouns: an advices, an information etc. (Incorrect)

(c) Names of meals:
Examples:
 Let us have a dinner (Incorrect)
 Let us have dinner  (Correct)

Note: An indefinite article can be used before names of meals when these are preceded by an adjective.
Example:

 She gave me a good breakfast at 8 p.m.  (Correct)
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How to Usage of Article - Part - II ( Advanced)

Article "THE" is used in the following ways:
Rule 1:

• Before the names of the historical  or public buildings:  the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, etc
• Before the names of rivers:  the Krishna, the Ganga, the Yamuna etc.
• Before the names of seas:  the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea etc.
• Before the Oceans:  the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, etc.
• Before the names of certain chains of Mountains:  the Himalayas, the Alps, etc.
• Before the names of deserts:  the Sahara, the Thar, etc.
• Before the names of newspapers, magazines etc:  the Hindustan Times, , the Deccan Chronicle, etc.
• Before groups of islands:  the Andamans, the West Indies, etc.
• Before the names of certain countries (This is an exception):  the Yemen, the Sudan, the Hague, etc.
• 

Examples:

Rule 2:  Before a noun denoting a hospital, temple, school, college, prison etc. If its purpose or use is not referred to or say if used not in its primary purpose.
Examples:  He has gone to the hospital to visit a friend, Where he is employed.
(Here he went to hospital to meet his friend not because of illness)

Rule 3:  Before an adjective in the superlative degree.
Examples:  
Michael is tallest boy in the class.  ✘
Michael is the tallest boy in the class  ✔

Rule 4:  Before an adjective in the comparative degree, when the selection of one out of only two persons.
Example:  
Nalini is more beautiful of the two girls in the class.  ✘
Nalini is the more beautiful of the two girls in the class.  ✔

Rule 5:  With nouns indicating what is unique. (there is no second one)
Examples:  the sun, the moon, the sky, the earth, the equator etc.

Rule 6:  Before an abstract noun or a material if it is used with an adjunct (a qualifying clause) (or when there is a particular  reference to the material noun)
Examples:   The gold you have brought from the U.S.A. is good quality.
Ornaments are made of The gold  ✘

Rule 7:  The is used before certain adjectives to give a plural meaning.  The rich, The poor, The dead, The sick, The healthy, The deaf, The blind etc.
 The rich = rich people
 The poor = poor people
ExamplesRich hate poor  ✘
The rich hate the poor  ✔

Wise think before they speak  ✘
The wise think before they speak  ✔

Rule 8: With certain adjectives indicating nationality.  The spanish means spanish people
Examples:  the English, the Dutch, the Spanish, the Chinese, the Burmese etc.

Rule 9:  Before ‘only’ and ordinal numbers, such first, second, millionth etc. and adjectives of number.
Examples:
All the students of  first year are invited.  ✘
All the students of the first year are invited  ✔

Second example is not correct  ✘
The second example is not correct.  ✔

He is only one in the class who got selected for Google.  ✘
He is the only one in the class who got selected for Google.  ✔

Today is sixth day of the month  ✘
Today is the sixth day of the month  ✔

Rule 10:  Before a noun when special emphasis is needed.
Example:
This is the novel I am talking about.  (not any novel, but a particular novel)

Rule 11:  Before a common noun to give it the meaning of an abstract noun
Examples:   At last the father in him prevailed and excused him.

Rule 12:  In special comparatives
Examples:
 1. The more you earn, the more you spend
 2. The more, the better
 3. The higher you go, the cooler you feel.


Rule 13:  Before musical instruments.
Examples:  
Rajani can play piano very well  ✘
Rajani can play the piano very well.  ✔ 

Rule 14:  Before the proper names of certain well-known or sacred books.
Examples:   the Mahabharat, the Ramayana, the Gita, the Bible, the Quran

Rule 15:  Before the names of certain countries each of which is a union of smaller units.
Examples:   the U.S.A., the U.A.E., and U.S.S.R etc.

Rule 16:  Before north, south etc when these are used as nouns.
Examples:   the north of India, the Middle East, the West Asia.

Rule 17:  Before some proper nouns consisting of adjectives and noun or noun + of + noun
Examples:   the State Bank of India, the National Museum

Rule 18:  The + singular noun + clause or phrase can be used to distinguish one person from another of the same name.
Example:
 Q. We have two Reddy’s, which Reddy you want?
 A. I want the Reddy who signed the letter.

Rule 19:  Before the names of political parties.
Example:  the BJP, the Congress

Rule 20:  When it is clear from the context that a particular person, place or thing is meant.
Examples:
 1. I talked to the Principal yesterday.  (Both speaker and listener knew who is principal)
 2. The students are playing in the garden.

Rule 21:  Before the dates of months.
Examples:
 the 23 October, 1949, the 15th August, 1947, etc.,

Rule 22: "The" is used before the parts of the body which are used in place of possessive Adjectives
Don't strike her on head  ✘
Don't strike her on the head  ✔

She caught me by hand  ✘
She caught me by the hand  ✔

He pulled him by leg  ✘
He pulled him by the leg.  ✔

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Spotting Errors quiz on Articles

What is an article?  

Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.

English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns;a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.

the = definite article

a/an = indefinite article

For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.

Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.

"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.

If You would like to look at each kind of article rules click below link.....

https://everydayquiz.blogspot.com Error Spotting on Articles:-

1.If you have faith in Almighty (a) / everything will turn out (b) / to be all right. (c) / No error (d) 

2.According to the Bible (a) / it is meek and humble (b) / who shall inherit the earth. (c) / No error (d) 

3.I am not rich, (a) / so I cannot afford (b) / to buy a expensive car. (c) / No error (d) 

4.No stronger (a) / a figure than his (b) / is prescribed in the history. (c) / No error (d) 

5.As I was to reach (a) / Bangalore early I left in aeroplane (b) / instead of  going by train. (c)/ No error (d)

6.My father is (a) / in bad mood (b) / today. (c) / No error (d) 

7.If a man diligently seeks to come into the contact (a) / with the best that has been thought and said in this world (b) / he will become simple and selfish. (c) / No error (d) 

8.With little patience (a) / you will be able to (b) / cross this hurdle. (c) / No error (d) 

9.This town isn’t very well known (a) / and there isn’t much to see, (b) / so a few tourists come here. (c) / No error (d) 

10.The accelerating pace of life in our metropolitan city (a) / has had the tremendous effect (b) / on the culture and life-style of the people. (c) / No error (d). 

11.Both the civilians (a) / and armymen (b) / joined the second World War. (c) / No error (d) 

12.The hospital is (a) / within hundred meters (b) / from my house. (c) / No error (d) 

13.The famous Dr. Narayana (a) / is only Orthopedist (b) / in our village. (c) / No error (d) 

14.This incumbent lacks (a) / an experience (b) / otherwise he is well qualified. (c) / No error (d) 

15.A person I met (a) / in the theatre (b) / was the actor himself. (c) / No error (d) 

https://everydayquiz.blogspot.com Answers with explanation:- 

1.    Correct Option : a. Add ‘the’ before ‘Almighty’.

2.    Correct Option : b. Add ‘the’ before ‘meek’.

3.    Correct Option : c. Replace ‘a’ by ‘an’.

4.    Correct Option : C. Remove ‘the’

5.    Correct Option : B. Add ‘an’ before ‘aeroplane’

6.    Correct Option : B. Add ‘a’ before ‘bad mood’.

7.    Correct Option : A. Remove ‘the’

8.    Correct Option : A. Add ‘a’ before ‘little’

9.    Correct Option : C. Remove 

10.  Correct Option : B. Replace ‘the’ by ‘a’

11.  Correct Option : B. Add ‘the’ before ‘armymen’.

12.  Correct Option : B. Add ‘a’ before ‘hundred’. Here, ‘a’ is used for ‘one’.

13.  Correct Option : B. Add ‘the’ before ‘only’

14.  Correct Option : B. Remove ‘an’.

15.  Correct Option : A. Replace ‘A’ by ‘The’ The is used before specified objects.

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