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
15graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains an error. If there is no error, select 'No error'.
The committee has decided (A) to implement an new (B) policy that will benefit (C) the organisation. (D) No error (E)
Practice 2easy
In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains an error. If there is no error, select 'No error'.
The director approved a proposal (A) to establish an university (B) in the region (C) next year. (D) No error (E)
Practice 3easy
In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains an error. If there is no error, select 'No error'.
The manager asked (A) an employee to submit (B) the report by (C) next Monday. (D) No error (E)
Practice 4easy
In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains an error. If there is no error, select 'No error'.
She has been working (A) as a teacher (B) for the past (C) ten years. (D) No error (E)
Practice 5easy
In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains an error. If there is no error, select 'No error'.
The students were asked (A) to read a chapter (B) from the textbook (C) and submit a summary. (D) No error (E)
Practice 6medium
The government has introduced (A) / a comprehensive policy to ensure (B) / that the underprivileged sections of the society (C) / receive adequate support and resources. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 7medium
The manager instructed (A) / that all employees should submit (B) / their reports to (C) / the HR department by Friday. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 8medium
The committee has decided (A) / that an independent auditor should (B) / review the financial statements (C) / of the organisation before the annual meeting. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 9medium
The bank has announced (A) / that a new digital platform will be (B) / launched next month to provide (C) / customers with an enhanced banking experience. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 10medium
The sentence below has four underlined parts (A, B, C, D). Identify the part that contains a grammatical error. If there is no error, select 'No error'.
The manager told us that (A) a new policy has been (B) implemented in (C) the organisation last month, and all employees must (D) adhere to it.
Practice 11hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
While the report highlights (A) an urgent need for infrastructure development, (B) the government's response has been (C) a half-hearted attempt that fails to address (D) the root causes of the problem. No error (E)
Practice 12hard
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) is necessary to address the current challenges that (D) the organisation faces. No error (E)
Practice 13hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The research team discovered that (A) an effective solution to the problem, which had been (B) the subject of intense debate for decades, (C) requires a multidisciplinary approach that (D) the institution is now prepared to implement. No error (E)
Practice 14hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
The board has recognised that (A) an innovative strategy, which the company had been (B) developing for the past two years, (C) is essential for maintaining (D) the competitive advantage in the market. No error (E)
Practice 15hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
Although the organisation has invested significantly in training programmes, (A) an adequate support system, which is crucial for (B) the success of such initiatives, (C) has not been established despite (D) the repeated recommendations from external consultants. 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'