What function does an article serve in a sentence?

An article serves the important function of modifying a noun and indicating definiteness. Articles are a type of determiner that help specify whether a noun is being used in a general or specific sense. For example, the definite article "the" refers to a specific item that is already known to the reader or listener (e.g., "the cat" refers to a particular cat), while the indefinite articles "a" and "an" introduce a noun in a general way, suggesting that it is one of many (e.g., "a cat" implies any cat, not a specific one).

Recognizing this function helps distinguish between general and specific references in communication, making it crucial for proper sentence construction and clarity. In summary, articles play a key role in how nouns are understood in context, signaling whether something is familiar or new to the conversation.