Articles and types of nouns

Standard English uses noun markers to help identify the nouns that follow. In addition to articles (a, an, and the), noun markers include the following:

Using articles and other noun markers

Articles and other noun markers always appear before nouns; sometimes other modifiers, such as adjectives and adverbs, come between a noun marker and a noun.

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In most cases, do not use an article with another noun marker.

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Expressions like a few, the most, and all the are exceptions: a few potatoes, all the rain.

Types of articles and types of nouns

To choose an appropriate article for a noun, first determine whether the noun is common or proper, count or noncount, singular or plural, and specific or general. The chart below describes the types of nouns.

Articles are classified as indefinite and definite. The indefinite articles, a and an, are used with general nouns. The definite article, the, is used with specific nouns. (The last section of the chart below explains general and specific nouns.)

A and an both mean “one” or “one among many.” Use a before a consonant sound: a banana, a vacation, a happy child, a united family. Use an before a vowel sound: an eggplant, an uncle, an honorable person.)

The shows that a noun is specific; use the with one or more than one specific thing: the newspaper, the soldiers.

Types of nouns

Common or proper

Proper nouns Examples
name general persons, places, things, or ideas religion knowledgerain beautystudentcountry
begin with lowercase
Proper nouns Examples
name specific persons, places, things, or ideas HinduismPhilip President AdamsWashington Monument
begin with capital letter New JerseyVietnam Supreme CourtRenaissance

Count or noncount (common nouns only)

Count nouns Examples
name persons, places, things, or ideas that can be counted girl, girlscity, citiesgoose, geese
have plural forms philosophy, philosophies
Noncount nouns Examples
name things or abstract ideas that cannot be counted watersilverfurniture patienceknowledgeair
cannot be made plural

Singular or plural (both common and proper)

Singular nouns(count and noncount) Examples
represent one person, place, thing, or idea backpackcountrywomanachievement rainbeautyNile RiverBlock Island
Plural nouns (count only) Examples
represent more than one person, place, thing, or idea backpackscountrieswomen Ural MountainsFalkland Islandsachievements
must be count nouns

Specific (definite) or general (indefinite) (count and noncount)

Specific nouns

Examples

name persons, places, things, or ideas that can be identified within a group of the same type

The students in Professor Martin’s class should study.

The airplane carrying the senator was late.

The furniture in the truck was damaged.

General nouns

Examples

name categories of persons, places, things, or ideas (often plural)

Students should study.

Books bridge gaps between cultures.

The airplane has made commuting between cities easy.