Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
There are only three articles
'a', 'an', and 'the'. Yet students lose easy marks here. Let's master this topic.
CORE CONCEPT
Articles are words that come before nouns. They tell us if we're talking about something specific or general. 'A' and 'an' are indefinite articles (general). 'The' is definite article (specific).
KEY RULES
1
Use 'a' before consonant sounds
a book, a university (yu-sound)
2
Use 'an' before vowel sounds
an apple, an hour (silent h)
3
Use 'the' for specific things
the book you gave me
4
No article with plural general nouns
Books are useful (not 'The books')
5
No article with uncountable nouns in general sense
Water is life
Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
Sound Rule: Listen to SOUND, not spelling
- a + consonant sound (a one-way street - 'w' sound)
- an + vowel sound (an MBA - 'em' sound)
Specific vs General Rule:
- First mention = a/an (I saw a dog)
- Second mention = the (The dog was black)
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
1
Fill in blanks with correct article
2
Error spotting in article usage
3
Choose correct sentence from options
ShortcutsUse these to save 30–60 seconds per question
1
HOUN Rule
2
H: Silent H = an (an hour, an honest man)
3
H: Pronounced H = a (a house, a horse)
4
U: 'yu' sound = a (a university, a union)
5
U: 'u' sound = an (an umbrella, an uncle)
6
O: 'o' sound = an (an orange, an office)
7
O: 'w' sound = a (a one-day match)
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
Check the sound after the article
2
Step 2
'Honest' starts with silent H
3
Step 3
Silent H = vowel sound = 'an'
Answer: an
WORKED EXAMPLE 2
Question: 'I bought a book. ___ book was expensive.'
1
Step 1
First mention of book = indefinite article 'a'
2
Step 2
Second mention = specific book = 'the'
3
Step 3
Reader knows which book we're talking about
Answer: The
SHORTCUT 2 - Zero Article Rule
No article needed with:
- Proper nouns: Delhi, India, Ram
- Abstract nouns in general: Love is blind
- Subjects/Languages: Mathematics, English
- Meals in general: after breakfast
- Diseases: diabetes, cancer
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
#1
Students use spelling instead of sound. They write 'a hour' because H is consonant in spelling. But 'hour' sounds like 'our' - vowel sound.
So it's 'an hour'. Always check SOUND, not SPELLING.
SHORTCUT 3 - Superlative Rule
Always use 'the' with superlatives:
- the best student
- the most beautiful girl
- the highest mountain
This rule has zero exceptions in SSC exams.
Key Points to Remember
Sound Rule: Use 'a' before consonant sounds, 'an' before vowel sounds - check pronunciation, not spelling
HOUN Rule: Silent H and 'u' sound take 'an'; pronounced H and 'yu' sound take 'a'
Specific Rule: First mention uses a/an, second mention uses 'the'
Zero Article: No article with proper nouns, abstract nouns, subjects, meals, diseases in general sense
Superlative Rule: Always use 'the' with superlatives like 'the best', 'the most'
Uncountable nouns take no article in general sense: Water is life, not 'The water is life'
Plural nouns take no article in general sense: Books are useful, not 'The books are useful'
Musical instruments always take 'the': play the piano, the guitar, the violin
Unique things take 'the': the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky
Directions and positions take 'the': the north, the top, the bottom, the right
Exam-Specific Tips
Articles appear in 2-3 questions every SSC CGL exam
Only three articles exist in English: a, an, the
Silent H words take 'an': honest, hour, heir, honor
University, union, European take 'a' due to 'yu' consonant sound
One-day, one-way take 'a' due to 'w' consonant sound
All superlative forms must use 'the': the best, the worst, the highest
Musical instruments always take 'the': the piano, the guitar, the flute
Abstract nouns in general sense take zero article: love, hatred, honesty
Practice MCQs
Articles — Practice Questions
13graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
Identify the error in the following sentence:
She has (A) / a talent for (B) / playing an musical instrument (C) / with great precision. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 2easy
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The manager asked (A) / the employee to submit (B) / a report on the (C) / project by next Monday. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 3easy
Identify the error in the following sentence:
He is (A) / an honest man who (B) / always speaks the truth (C) / with an integrity. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 4easy
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The committee has (A) / decided to appoint (B) / a new director for (C) / the organisation next month. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 5easy
In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains a grammatical error. If there is no error, select 'No error'.
The manager asked (A) an employee to submit (B) the report by (C) the end of week. (D) No error (E)
Practice 6medium
Identify the error in the sentence below:
She has been working (A) / at the hospital (B) / as a nurse (C) / since five years. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 7medium
Identify the error in the sentence below:
The students were asked (A) / to read an chapter (B) / from the textbook (C) / before the class. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 8medium
Identify the error in the sentence below:
The manager requested (A) / that all employees submit (B) / the attendance report (C) / by end of the month. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 9hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The board of directors, which comprises (A) representatives from (B) the various departments, has recommended that (C) an urgent action be taken to address (D) the systemic issues. No error (E)
Practice 10hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The research team discovered that (A) the hypothesis, which had been formulated (B) on the basis of (C) preliminary data, was supported by (D) the comprehensive analysis. No error (E)
Practice 11hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
During the conference, the speaker emphasized that (A) an effective communication strategy, which (B) the organization had developed over (C) the past three years, would be essential for (D) achieving the company's long-term objectives. No error (E)
Practice 12hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The committee has decided that (A) a representative from each department should attend (B) the annual conference, which is (C) an important event that requires (D) the utmost attention. No error (E)
Practice 13hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The committee has decided that (A) a comprehensive review of (B) the existing policies, which were implemented five years ago, (C) should be conducted by (D) an independent auditor. No error (E)
60-Second Revision — Articles
Remember: Sound matters, not spelling - 'an hour' but 'a university'
Formula: First mention = a/an, Second mention = the
Trap: Don't use 'the' with plural/uncountable nouns in general sense
Quick Check: Superlatives always need 'the', zero exceptions
HOUN Rule: Silent H and 'u' sound = an; pronounced H and 'yu' sound = a
Zero Article: Proper nouns, abstract nouns, subjects, diseases, meals in general
Unique Rule: The sun, the moon, the earth always take 'the'