CBSE Class 7 English Grammar – Articles

Definition of Article
Articles are basically a type of determiners. Determiner covers many classes of words in which there are articles (definite and indefinite articles), adjectives and demonstratives.

Types of Articles
There are three main articles – ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’. These three articles can be divided in two classes

Definite Article (The)
‘The’ is known as definite article because it is used to point out specific person or thing.
e.g. The Moon and the Sun etc.

Uses of ‘The’
There are following common rules of using definite article ‘the’

1. ‘The’ is used before a particular or specific person, place or thing,
e.g.

1.  Let us go to the club.
2.  This is the boy who won last match.

2. ‘The’ is used before common nouns which are names of things unique of their kind,
e.g.

1.  The Earth is our planet.
2.  The world is a pieasant place.
3.  The Sun gives us life.

3. ‘The’ is used before name of directions and dates of months.
e.g.

1.  The Sun sets in the West.
2.  I got my dream job on the 10th of May.

4. ‘The’ is used before name of rivers, seas, canals, oceans, valleys, deserts and forests,
e.g.

1.  The Atlantic Ocean
2.  The Ganges

5. ‘The’ is used before names of mountain ranges,
e.g.

1.  The Himalayas
2.  The Alps

Note: Never use ‘the’ before names of single mountains or hills,
e.g.

1.  Montblanc (Not the Mont blanc)
2.  Everest (Not the Everest)

6. ‘The’ is used before superlative degrees of an adjective.
e.g.

1.  You are the best boy in my class.
2.  Kashmir is the most beautiful state of India.

7. ‘The’ is used before a whole class,
e.g.

1.  The cow is a pet animal.
2.  The horse runs very fast.

8. ‘The’ is used before names of races or nations,
e.g.

1.  The English ruled over the Indians.
2.  The Muslims believe in the Kuran/ Quran.

9. ‘The’ is used before names of newspapers, holy books, famous buildings, ships, historical events,
e.g.

1.  I read the Hindustan newspaper.
2.  The Ramayana is a famous book.

10. ‘The’ is used before proper nouns, common nouns, abstract nouns and material nouns to make them common nouns.
e.g.

1.  Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.
2.  The milk of our dairy is pure.

11. ‘The’ is used before name of musical instruments,
e.g.

1.  Rani plays the guitar.
2.  Ranjan plays the harmonium.

12. ‘The’ is used before name of inventions,
e.g.

1.  The water is useful for us.
2.  Who invented the television?

13. ‘The’ is used before parts of body.
e.g.

1.  He was hit by the rod in the back.
2.  He got an injury in the head.

14. ‘The’ is used before political parties,
e.g.

1.  The Congress Party.
2.  The Bhartiya Janata Party.

Indefinite Article (A, An)
‘A’ ‘an’ are known as indefinite articles because both are used to point which are not specific nouns,
e.g. A man, an organisation and an egg

Uses of‘A’

1. ‘A’ is used before words beginning with consonants,
   e.g. a news, a patient, a cup
2.  ‘A’ is used before the words which begin with a vowel, but have a sound of a consonant.
   e.g. A university, A European

Uses of ‘An’

1.  An is used with words that begin with a alphabet (a,e,i,o,u).
   e.g. an orange, an egg, an octave
2. ‘A/an’ is used before the adjective if adjective comes with a noun.
   e.g. a nice book, an intelligent boy, a good prize
3.  ‘An’ is used before words beginning with consonants having vowel sounds.
   e.g. An FIR, An MSc.

Omission of Articles

1. We should not use ‘the’ before proper nouns e.g. Kolkata, Rashmi, Sunday and so on.
   Exception
   Here are some exceptions of this rule like we say The Punjab, The USA, The Deccan (Group of states)
2.  We should not use ‘the’ before subjects and arts,
   e.g.
   1. I don’t like painting.
   2. I am reading book of Science.
3. When we use abstract nouns in general sense, we omit ‘the’.
   e.g.
   1. Honesty is the best policy.
   2. Health is wealth.

Practice Questions and Solutions

Question 1:
Explain whether sentences given below are correct or not with reference to the use of articles.

1.  He is the European.
2.  Do you like butter?
3.  Art is the wonderful subject.
4.  I want to drive car,
5.  She eats the apple every day.
6.  I need a water.
7.  Who is the man?
8.  Radha has got new mobile phone but its not an android phone.
9.  Should I take admission into an university or a college after completing my high school?
10.  All the committee members have arrived at on decision.

Solution:

1.  Incorrect use ‘a’ in place of ‘the’.
2.  Correct
3.  Incorrect use ‘a’ before ‘wonderful’.
4.  Incorrect use ‘a’ before ‘car’.
5.  Incorrect use ‘an’ in place of ‘the’.
6.  Incorrect use no article before water.
7.  Correct
8.  Incorrect use ‘a’ before ‘new’.
9.  Incorrect use ‘a’ in place of ‘an’.
10.  Incorrect use ‘a’ in place of ‘an’.

Question 2:
Fill in the blanks using a/an/the.

1.  I want to ask ………………. question now.
2.  It is ………………. nice day today.
3.  Mohini works in ………………. office.
4.  ………………. man was crossing the road.
5.  She works in factory.
6.  There is ………………. huge statue of Rani Lakshmibai at the square.
7.  Yours is ………………. inspiring story.
8.  Where is ………………. Statue of Liberty situated?
9.  He belongs to ………………. different school of thought
10.  Do you know where ………………. library is?

Solution:

1.  a
2.  a
3.  an
4.  A
5.  a
6.  a
7.  an
8. the
9.  a
10.  the

Question 3:
Put a/an/the wherever necessary.

1.  She is ………………. MSc in Chemistry.
2.  I am going to ………………. club.
3.  ………………. Gomati is a famous river.
4.  Rashmi is ………………. unique girl.
5.  I know how to play ………………. violin.
6.  ………………. life in the army not so easy though it is full of pride and prestige.
7.  She was not in ………………. mood of cutting jokes.
8.  This is  ………………. honour for me.
9.  One cannot compare ………………. orange with apple.
10.  Each of them is ………………. unique fruit.

Solution:

1.  an
2.  the
3.  The
4.  a
5.  the
6.  The
7.  a
8.  an
9.  an, an
10.  a

Question 4:
In each of the following questions there are three sentences given out of which one is wrong according to the usage of articles. Pick out the wrong sentence and mark its number as your answer. Mark your answer as ‘d’ if all the sentences are correct.

1.  (a) Mr Sharma’s daughter is an air hostess
   (b) There is a big hole in that wall
   (c) An man is waiting for you, sir
   (d) All are correct
2.  (a) An Earth is a beautiful planet
   (b) Shail is a nice boy
   (c) Do you need an umbrella?
   (d) All are correct
3.  (a) She ordered a bag online
   (b) The four persons came yesterday also
   (c) I know you have got the pair of the new shoes
   (d) All are correct
4.  (a) Give me an sheet of paper
   (b) Does she have a pencil?
   (c) The book fair was very nice
   (d) All are correct
5.  (a) A new film will be releasing this Friday
   (b) The cow is a milk animal
   (c) The tea is my favourite drink
   (d) All are correct
6.  (a) There is a telephone on the table
   (b) Runjhun is my neighbour’s daughter
   (c) The sky is full of stars today
   (d) All are correct
7.  (a) Many poets have made the Moon a synonym for love
   (b) It is also a symbol of beauty
   (c) We should not spread a rumors
   (d) All are correct
8.  (a) On that day, he didn’t have a money
   (b) Many tribal people live on the bank of rivers
   (c) The boy gave a loud cry
   (d) All are correct
9.  (a) Children love to play the mobile games
   (b) The hat he was wearing was presented by his uncle
   (c) Ruhi was a very sensible girl
   (d) All are correct
10.  (a) You are a mature person now
    (b) We must not waste a time
    (c) Today is a hot sunny day
    (d) All are correct

Solution:

1.  (c) Use ‘A’ in place of ‘An’,
2.  (a) Use ‘the’ in place of ‘An’.
3.  (c) Use ‘a’ in place of ‘the’.
4.  (a) Use ‘a’ in place of ‘an’.
5.  (c) No article is required before tea.
6.  (b) Use no article before ‘my’.
7.  (c) Use no article before ‘rumors’.
8.  (a) Use no article before ‘money’.
9.  (d) All are correct
10.  (b) Use no article before ‘time’.

Question 5:
Match the following.

Solution:
(i) (b)                  (ii) (c)                (iii) (a)
(iv) (e)                (v) (d)

Question 6:
In each of the following examples whether the articles used are necessary or not. Also state whether they have be used correctly or not. Write the correct sentence if required.

1.  A haste makes a waste.
2.  My friend Manisha lives in the Jaipur.
3.  The Nile is longest river in the world.
4.  The German people s3peak the German.
5.  I need the water badly now.

Solution:

1.  Haste makes waste.
2.  My friend Manisha lives in Jaipur.
3.  No correction required/correct sentence.
4.  The German will speak German.
5.  I need water badly now.

Question 7:
Insert articles (A, An, the) wherever necessary in the following sentences.

1.  Kunal wants to go to USA for post graduation.
2.  The hospitals in Singapore are best in the world.
3.  Ram had scar on his forehead.
4.  There is tall building in Smit Vihar.
5.  Sampada is Rani Lakshmibai of our class.

Solution:

1.  to the USA
2.  are the best
3.  had a scar
4.  is a tall
5.  is the Rani

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