WHAT IS ARTICLE? ÑIn English there are three articles: a, an, and the. Ñ Articles are used before nouns or noun equivalents and are a type of adjective. ÑThe definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. ÑThe indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known. Ñ There are certain situations in which a noun takes no article.