what is indefinite and  definite article?

Articles are used to indicate whether a noun is specific or not. They are used as adjectives and placed before nouns or adjectives. 

There are two kinds of articles:

1. Definite articles – the

2. Indefinite articles – a, an

Indefinite articles

When we talk about countable singular nouns which are not specific, we use indefinite nouns like ‘a’ or ‘an’. 

The five vowels in the English language are ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’ and ‘u’. Rest of the alphabets are consonants.

If the word with which the article is used, begins with a vowel or a vowel-sound, we use ‘an’, else we use ‘a’. 

For example:

•  I saw an elephant yesterday.
• Radha is a good girl.
•  Shyam is an honest man.

Definite Articles

When we talk about definite or specific things, we use the article ‘the’.

• We went to the India gate today.
• Lata Mangeshkar is the nightingale of India.
• The teacher was teaching in the class.