Page 36 - Grammar Glow - 5

We also say a one-rupee note and a one-eyed man.

In the above words, the letter o in one is pronounced as w in won, which is a consonant

sound.

Use of ‘An’

The use of an is based on the pronunciation of singular countable nouns.

An is used before nouns that begin with a vowel sound.
O
an egg, an umbrella, an ox, an apple, an army

An is also used before nouns that begin with a consonant which is silent, and
O
the next letter is a vowel.

an hour, an honest man, an heir, an honourable man

The letter h is silent in the words given above.

Definite Article: the

The is called the definite article because it points out a particular person or thing.

1. the man—means a particular man

2. the atlas—means a particular atlas

Use of ‘The’

The is used in the following ways.

When a person or thing comes first time in a sentence or a paragraph, we use
O
a or an before it. If the same person or thing comes again, we use the before it.

1. I met an old man. (Here, old man comes for the first time in the sentence.)

2. The old man was honest. (Here, the same old man comes again.)

The is used before things that are unique or one of a kind.
O
the Earth, the Sky, the Moon, the Sun

The is used before the names of famous buildings.
O
the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, the India Gate, the Victoria Memorial

The is used before the names of rivers.
O
the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Nile, the Thames

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