आर्टिकल और प्रीपोज़िशन
Articles and Prepositions
Articles and prepositions are small words that carry a large share of grammar errors, especially for Hindi-medium candidates, because Hindi has no articles and its postpositions do not map one to one onto English prepositions.
Articles
- A before a consonant sound: a book, a university (the sound is 'yu'), a one-rupee note (the sound is 'w').
- An before a vowel sound: an apple, an hour (the h is silent), an MP (the sound is 'em').
- The for something already mentioned or unique: the sun, the Ganga, the Himalayas, the first boy.
- No article before a proper noun, a plural in a general sense, or an abstract or material noun used generally: honesty is a virtue, gold is costly, dogs are faithful.
The rule is about the sound, not the letter. That single sentence prevents most article errors and is exactly what CTET tests with words like hour, university, honest and European.
The definite article with names
- Rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges, deserts, groups of islands: the Ganga, the Arabian Sea, the Himalayas, the Thar.
- Newspapers, holy books, historic buildings: the Hindu, the Ramayana, the Taj Mahal.
- No 'the' before single mountains, lakes, countries in general: Mount Everest, Chilika Lake, India.
Prepositions of time and place
| Preposition | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|
| at | Exact time: at 5 o'clock | Exact point: at the gate |
| on | Day or date: on Monday | Surface: on the table |
| in | Month, year, long period: in May | Enclosed space: in the room |
| by | Not later than: by 6 p.m. | Beside: by the river |
| since | From a point of time | - |
| for | Over a period | - |
| between | - | Two things |
| among | - | More than two |
Fixed combinations to memorise
Many prepositions cannot be reasoned out and must be learnt as a pair: married to, angry with a person but angry at a thing, afraid of, good at, interested in, depend on, comply with, congratulate on, die of a disease.
✗ She is married with a doctor. | ✓ She is married to a doctor.
✗ He is an university student. | ✓ He is a university student — the sound is 'yu'.
✗ Distribute the sweets between the five children. | ✓ Distribute the sweets among the five children.
संकेत: article ध्वनि से तय होता है, अक्षर से नहीं; 'hour' में h मौन है इसलिए 'an hour'।
Articles and prepositions supply 2-3 questions and are the most reliably scoring area for a prepared candidate. The article trap is always a word whose spelling and sound disagree — hour, honest, university, European, one. The preposition trap is a fixed combination, so memorise the list above rather than translating from Hindi. Between for two and among for more than two is asked almost every cycle.
Frequently asked questions
Why do we say 'an hour' but 'a university'?
Because the choice depends on the first sound, not the first letter. The h in hour is silent so the word begins with a vowel sound, while university begins with the consonant sound 'yu'.
What is the difference between 'between' and 'among'?
Between is used when two persons or things are involved, and among when there are more than two. Divide the money between the two brothers, but distribute it among the five children.
When is the definite article 'the' used with place names?
With rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges, deserts and groups of islands, such as the Ganga and the Himalayas, but not with single mountains, lakes or most country names.
60-second recap
- A or an depends on the first sound, not the first letter.
- The is used for something unique or already mentioned.
- The Ganga, the Himalayas, the Taj Mahal; but Mount Everest and India.
- At for an exact point, on for a surface or day, in for an enclosed space or long period.
- Between for two, among for more than two; learn fixed combinations by heart.