An article is a piece of writing, an item, or one of the little words a, an and the. A particle is a very small piece of something — dust, matter, or in physics an electron. A newspaper article; a dust particle. Both are grammar terms too, which adds to the confusion.
The core difference
- article — a piece of writing in a publication; an individual item; a clause in a document; the grammatical words a, an, the. An article on climate, an article of clothing, Article 5, the definite article.
- particle — a tiny piece or amount; in physics, a minute unit of matter; in grammar, a small function word such as up in give up. Dust particles, a subatomic particle, a particle of truth.
The tell
Particle contains part — a small part of something. Article is from a Latin word for a small joint or division — a single item or clause. If it is tiny and physical, it is a particle. If it is written, worn or numbered, it is an article. In grammar: the is an article; the off in take off is a particle.
In use
- article — She wrote an article for the weekend paper. In English, "the" is the definite article.
- particle — Particles of ash settled on the cars. The Higgs boson is a subatomic particle.
Common slips
- a dust article → a dust particle
- a newspaper particle → a newspaper article
Particle is a part; article is an item.
Where the words come from
Article is from Latin articulus, "a small joint, a division", the diminutive of artus "joint" — hence a clause of a treaty, then any single item, then a piece of writing. Particle is from Latin particula, "a small part", the diminutive of pars.
Frequently asked questions
What are the articles in grammar?
A, an and the. A and an are indefinite; the is definite.
What is a particle in grammar?
A small word that does not change its form and carries grammatical meaning — the up in "give up", the to in "to go", not in "not happy".
What does "article of clothing" mean?
A single garment. Article here means an individual item.