Articles before Adjectives

Question

Hi,Wanted to know if we can place a/an/the before a phrase like this one - a/an/the "ideal climate". Can we also say this without using an article. Please also give me the reasons if yes/no. Thanks,Varsha

Ed_shaw · Accepted Answer

I am surprised this question does not come up more often than it does.
The answer is, yes, articles nearly always used before a phrase that contains
an adjective and a noun.It is correct to say 'the ideal climate,' or 'an ideal climate.'

One of the most common errors made by non-native speakers is a misplaced
article, as in, "ideal the climate," or "ideal climate the." Both are non-standard.

Do you know that the choice between 'a' and 'an' depends not upon the noun
but upon the modifier. For example, while 'an ideal climate' is correct,
'a ideal climate' is incorrect. It depends upon the sound of the first syllable
of the adjective. I hope this is not confusing to you. It is an important point.
Because the first syllable of 'ideal' with a vowel sound, eye, it requires 'an'
rather than 'a' as an article.

For example, if our phrase was 'harsh climate,' with 'harsh' sounding soft 'h'
first, the article used is 'a,' even though 'climate' is the noun.

This is an easy concept, once it is understood. However, it depends upon the ear to discern the right article, not the eye or the brain.

"The" is appropriate for either use.

Articles before Adjectives

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