article
C1Formal and informal; widely used across all registers.
Definition
Meaning
A piece of writing in a newspaper, magazine, or website that provides information, opinion, or analysis on a particular topic.
A distinct, countable object or thing, often one of a group; a separate clause or section in a legal document or contract; a part of speech (grammatical article: 'a', 'an', 'the'); an individual piece of personal property.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word bridges concrete and abstract domains. The core sense is informational (written piece), while extended senses range from grammatical to legal to everyday objects.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. 'Leader article' is a more common BrE term for 'editorial'. In BrE legal/commercial contexts, 'articles' can refer specifically to training contracts (e.g., 'to do one's articles' for solicitors).
Connotations
Similar in both. In formal contexts, implies authority and research.
Frequency
Extremely high and comparable frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
article about/on + topicarticle in + publicationarticle by + authorarticle of + faith/clothingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “an article of faith”
- “the genuine/article (authentic thing)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a specific clause in a contract or agreement (e.g., 'Article 5 stipulates the payment terms').
Academic
A peer-reviewed paper in a scholarly journal; also the grammatical function (definite/indefinite article).
Everyday
A news or blog post; an item for sale (e.g., 'articles of value'); a general term for a thing.
Technical
In law, a numbered clause; in grammar, a determiner; in commerce, a specific item in an inventory.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The trainee solicitor will article at a prestigious London firm.
- He is articled to a senior partner for five years.
American English
- She is articled to a law firm in New York. (Less common in AmE; 'clerk' is more frequent)
adverb
British English
- (Not applicable).
American English
- (Not applicable).
adjective
British English
- (Rare; not standard).
American English
- (Rare; not standard).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I read an article about cats online.
- There is an article on the table.
- She wrote a short article for the school magazine.
- The contract has twelve important articles.
- The journalist's article exposed corruption in the council.
- This is an article of clothing I rarely wear.
- His seminal article in 'Nature' revolutionised the field.
- The treaty's articles were subject to intense diplomatic negotiation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an ARTICLE in a magazine: it's a PART (a section) about a TOPIC (a thing). Both meanings—written piece and object—are connected by the idea of a distinct part.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/IDEAS ARE OBJECTS (you 'write an article' to contain them); RULES ARE SOLID STRUCTURES (legal 'articles' are building blocks of a contract).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'артикул' (which refers to a stock number or code for goods). 'Article of clothing' is 'предмет одежды', not 'артикль'. The grammatical article ('a', 'the') has no direct equivalent in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'article' to mean any text (e.g., a book chapter or a poem). Confusing 'article' with 'essay' (more personal/reflective) or 'paper' (more academic). Using the wrong preposition ('article of' vs. 'article about').
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'article' specifically mean a training contract for a solicitor?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
An article is typically written for publication (newspaper, journal) to inform or argue, often with a journalistic style. An essay is a more personal, reflective, or analytical piece, often for academic purposes.
They are the numbered sections or clauses that make up a formal document like a treaty, contract, constitution, or set of rules.
They 'articulate' or specify nouns, indicating definiteness ('the') or indefiniteness ('a/an'). The term comes from Latin 'articulus', meaning a small connecting part.
Yes, in formal or slightly old-fashioned usage (e.g., 'articles of value', 'household articles'), it means a separate, countable item, often part of a list or collection.
Collections
Part of a collection
Media and Communication
B1 · 50 words · Language for discussing media and communication.