• Definition:
          An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun.

Indefinite Articles - A/An

        'A' and 'an' are the indefinite articles. They refer to something not specifically known to the person you are communicating with. They are both used before nouns that introduce something or someone you have not mentioned before:-

For example:
"I saw an error message in the application which was not correct".
"Please have a look and suggest any changes in the document".

        ‘A’ or ‘An’ is also used when talking about your profession:-
"I am looking for a Hindi teacher."
"I am a software developer working in Pune."

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A:
        You use a when the noun you are referring to begins with a consonant (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y or z)
For example:
"a city", "a factory", and "a hotel".

Wrong Usage: I am waiting for the friend.
Correct Usage: I am waiting for a friend.

Wrong Usage: There should be an warning for all incorrect references.
Correct Usage: There should be a warning for all incorrect references.

Wrong Usage: On the right hand side, there is list of all account numbers.
Correct Usage: On the right hand side, there is a list of all account numbers.

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An:
        You use an when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u)

Wrong usage: The tool will help the user to generate queries in a external file.
Correct usage: The tool will help the user to generate queries in an external file.

Wrong Usage: The task will create a event which will handle multiple applications.
Correct Usage: The task will create an event which will handle multiple applications.

Wrong Usage: There is elephant in the yard.
Correct Usage: There is an elephant in the yard.

Some Exceptions:
        You use ‘an’ when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
For example:
“an MBA”, "a University"
        Pronunciation changes this rule. It's the sound that matters, not the spelling.  If the next word begins with a consonant sound when we say it,

For example,
        "university" then we use a. If the next word begins with a vowel sound when we say it, for example "hour" then we use an.
        We say "university" with a "y" sounds at the beginning as though it were spelt
        "youniversity". So, "a university" IS correct.
“a uniform”.
        We say "hour" with a silent h as though it were spelt "our". So, "an hour" IS correct.

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Definite Article - The(determiners)

        You use ‘the’ when you know that the listener can work out what particular person/thing you are talking about.

For example:
"The application you developed was not correct."
"Did you attach the word document?"

        You should also use ‘the’ when you have already mentioned the thing you are talking about.

For example:
"She's got two children; a girl and a boy. The girl's eight and the boy's fourteen."
"The books are expensive." = (Not all books are expensive, just the ones I'm talking about.)
"Books are expensive." = (All books are expensive.)

Wrong Usage: Application will compare values from different sources.
Correct Usage: The application will compare values from different sources.

Wrong Usage: User can input some deviations for testing of process.
Correct Usage: The user can input some deviations for testing of the process.

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No Article

General examples:
My colleagues work hard.
Marketing is necessary.

        You do not use an article before uncountable nouns when talking about them generally.
For example:
Information is important to any organization.
Coffee is bad for you.

        You do not use an article before the names of countries except where they indicate multiple areas or contain the words (state(s), kingdom, republic, union). Kingdom, state, republic and union are nouns, so they need an article.
For example:
No article - Italy, Mexico, Bolivia, England
Use the
the UK (United Kingdom), the USA (United States of America), the Irish Republic
Multiple areas! the Netherlands, the Philippines, the British Isles

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