Whenever I browse websites, forums, or even just talk to some of my online friends, I seem to find one common mistake that, quite frankly, drives me insane. Seriously. Does nobody know what an article is?

I’m not talking about a 100-1,000 word blog post or something you find in a magazine. I’m talking about one word. I’m talking about the or a or an. Small words that carry great weight. Consider this:

Would you rather learn “How to Make Fruit Smoothie” or “How to Make a Fruit Smoothie”?

In this post, I’m going to tell you what an article is and how to use one because using articles properly will increase the quality of your content tenfold.

It will also keep me from throwing my laptop at you. Lorenzo does not like flying.

What is an Article and How Do I Use One?

Well, An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun, and may also specify the volume or numerical scope of that reference (Wikipedia).

That’s a lot of information, to think about, so let’s break it down into sections. First, an article combines with a noun to show a connection. Consider this example:

I lost new wallet yesterday.

What kind of wallet? Was it just some random wallet that you had bought for emergencies, or was it the only wallet you had in store? Based on the context, your sentence should look like this:

I lost a new wallet yesterday as I was restocking the shelves.

I lost the new wallet that I bought to replace my old one.

See the difference? Now that you understand how to use a and the a bit better, let’s discuss the usage of the word an. An is used when a vowel starts the noun. For example:

I bought a apple at the store yesterday.

I bought an apple at the store yesterday.

The title of this article uses the word an – “Do You Know What an Article Is?” Awesome, right?

Quick Review

Let’s review our articles quickly. Take a look at these tips for a refresher:

• Use the to indicate a specific item.
• Use a to indicate an item in general.
• Use an with a general noun that starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u)

What Do You Think?

Have you been using your articles correctly?