Articles And-Prepositions

Articles and Prepositions

Welcome to the chapter on Articles and Prepositions for Class 8. In this chapter, you will learn how to use articles ("a", "an", "the") and prepositions (such as "in", "on", "at", "by", "with", "from", "to", "under", "over", "between", "among", etc.) correctly in sentences. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to write and speak English more clearly and accurately!

Introduction

Articles and prepositions are important parts of English grammar. Articles help us specify nouns, while prepositions show the relationship between nouns and other words in a sentence.

Articles

There are three articles in English: a, an, and the.

• a is used before words that begin with a consonant sound.
  Example: a book, a car, a dog
• an is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
  Example: an apple, an umbrella, an hour
• the is used to refer to specific or known nouns.
  Example: the sun, the river, the answer

Note: Use "the" when talking about something unique or already mentioned.

Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence. They often tell us about place, time, direction, or method.

• in – used for enclosed spaces or periods of time.
  Example: in the room, in June
• on – used for surfaces or days/dates.
  Example: on the table, on Monday
• at – used for specific places or times.
  Example: at the station, at 5 o'clock
• by – used to show the agent or means.
  Example: by the river, by car
• with – used to show accompaniment or instrument.
  Example: with my friend, with a pen
• from – used to show the starting point.
  Example: from Delhi, from morning
• to – used to show direction or destination.
  Example: to school, to the market
• under, over, between, among – used to show position or relationship.

Common Mistakes

• Do not use "a" or "an" with plural nouns.
  Incorrect: a apples.
  Correct: apples.
• Use "the" with superlatives and unique things.
  Example: the best, the Earth
• Choose the correct preposition for time and place.
  Example: in the morning, at night, on Sunday

Fun Activity: Fill in the Blanks!

Fill in the blanks with the correct article or preposition:
1. She is sitting ___ the chair.
2. I saw ___ elephant at ___ zoo.
3. We will meet ___ 5 o'clock ___ Monday.
4. The cat is hiding ___ the table.
5. He travelled ___ train ___ Mumbai ___ Delhi.

Summary

• Articles ("a", "an", "the") help specify nouns.
• Prepositions show relationships of place, time, direction, and method.
• Use articles and prepositions correctly for clear sentences.

Practice Questions

1. Choose the correct article: ___ apple is on ___ table.
2. Fill in the blank: The dog jumped ___ the wall.
3. Which preposition fits? She arrived ___ the airport ___ time.
4. Write a sentence using "the" and "in".
5. Correct the sentence: He is going at school.

Challenge Yourself

• Write five sentences using different prepositions.
• Find three sentences in your textbook and underline the articles and prepositions.

Did You Know?

• "The" is the only definite article in English!
• Some prepositions can be used for both time and place, like "at" and "in".

Glossary

• Article: A word used before a noun to show if it is general or specific.
• Preposition: A word that shows the relationship between nouns and other words.
• Noun: A naming word (person, place, animal, or thing).
• Superlative: The highest degree of comparison (best, tallest, etc.).

Answers to Practice Questions

1. An, the
2. over
3. at, on
4. (Example: The book is in the bag.)
5. He is going to school.

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Use articles and prepositions correctly to make your English clear and strong!