Table of Contents
Definite, indefinite and zero articles
Introduction
Mary is a scientist. She studied Ø biology at the University of Manchester.
Definition
We use articles before nouns to help define them.
Indefinite article: a or an I have a banana and an orange.
Definite article: the The meal we had last night was delicious.
Zero article: Neither a/an nor the People often drink Ø coffee after Ø dinner.
Note that
Sometimes an article is not necessary but we always need one with a singular countable noun.
|
| Singular countable nouns | Plural countable nouns | Uncountable nouns |
|
a - for nouns that begin with a consonant
|
|
|
|
|
an - for nouns that begin with a vowel
|
|
|
|
|
the
|
|
|
|
|
zero article
|
|
|
|
Indefinite article
a is used:
- before consonants: a doctor, a mechanic, a dog, a big car, a happy person
- before vowels that sound like the consonant /j/: a university, a European person
an is used:
- before vowels: an architect, an umbrella, an easy exercise, an important meeting
- before 'h' when it is silent: an hour, an honourable person
- before consonants that sound like vowels: an FBI agent, an SNCF employee
| Rules for 'a/an' | Examples |
|
To define something |
Tennis is a sport. Manchester is a city in England.
|
|
To describe someone or something
|
She's a lovely person. He's an optimist. It's a lovely day today.
|
|
To talk about jobs
|
He's a lawyer and his wife is an electrician. |
|
When we mention something or someone for the first time |
I have a dog and a cat. There's an angry man in reception! She has a new car.
|
|
When we mean one of many - it doesn't matter or we don't know which one |
Can you open a window, please? She works in an office.
|
Definite article
the is used before singular and plural countable nouns and before uncountable nouns.
| Rules for 'the' | Examples |
|
When we talk about something specific - we know which one(s) |
What is the name of your company? Here are the parts that you ordered. The children are on holiday this week.
|
|
When we talk about something previously mentioned |
We have a cat and a dog. The cat is very old but the dog loves playing with the children.
|
|
When there is only one |
Paris is the capital city of France. the sun the Queen of England
|
| Countries which are plural or which include the kind of country in the name - kingdom, republic etc. |
the UK the United States the Netherlands the Republic of Ireland
|
| Plural names of places |
the Alps the Maldives the Midlands
|
|
Regions and points on the globe |
the Far East the Mid-West [U.S.] the North the North Pole Manchester is in the north-west of England.
|
|
Geographical features: oceans, seas, rivers, forests, gulfs, peninsulas and deserts (but not lakes)
|
the Pacific the Irish Sea the Rhone the Sahara the Black Forest the Gulf of Mexico
|
|
When talking generally about the population of some countries
|
The Spanish start work later and finish later than other Europeans.
The Japanese are often quiet during meetings.
|
|
As an alternative to the plural when discussing facts relating to animals or objects generally And, similarly, when talking about musical instruments |
The elephant is found in Africa and Asia. [Elephants are...] The CD was invented in 1965. [CDs were...] Do you play the piano? I love listening to the violin. |
|
Buildings |
the National Gallery the Louvre the Ritz Hotel
|
|
Some organisations and institutions |
the police the Army, the Navy, the Royal Air Force the BBC the Internet
|
|
Some expressions relating to position or time |
on the top in the middle at the bottom on the left/right
at the moment in the end at the beginning
at the weekend in the morning/afternoon/evening
|
|
With 'same'
|
It's the same as this one.
|
|
With some adjectives to refer to a group of people
|
the poor = poor people generally the rich the young the homeless
|
|
Before superlative adjectives and adverbs
|
the biggest the most beautiful the least expensive the best/worst the most carefully
|
|
Before some adjectives, often in promotional literature |
the necessary = what is necessary
Have a look at these recommendations and do the necessary.
|
|
Before some adjectives to make a noun [only in literary or poetic language or in certain expressions] |
the deep = the sea the blue = the sky It was like a bolt from the blue = It came as a complete surprise to me.
|
Zero article
We don't always need to use a/an or the before a noun. We sometimes call this zero article or you may see it as Ø.
| Rules for zero article | Examples | Exceptions |
|
All continents and most countries |
Ø Japan is in Ø Asia and has more than 6,000 islands.
The north coast of Ø France faces the south coast of Ø England.
|
Names of countries which include republic, kingdom etc. or plurals:
the Czech Republic the UK the Philippines the Netherlands
|
|
Islands |
Ø Ibiza, Ø Corsica and Ø Sicily are all islands in the Mediterranean.
|
Names which include the word isle(s) or plurals:
the Channel Islands the Isle of Wight the Scilly Isles
|
|
Cities and towns |
Ø Birmingham is the second largest city in England.
|
the Hague
|
|
Mountains & lakes |
Ø Lake Gwynant is 3km from Ø Mount Snowdon in North Wales.
|
When we don't include 'Mount':
the Matterhorn the Jungfrau
Groups of lakes:
the Great Lakes
|
|
Names of streets |
Ø Oxford Street in London has 548 shops.
|
the High Street [Street signs usually show High Street but we always say the High Street.]
|
|
Names of shops |
Ø Sainsbury's is England's oldest supermarket and Ø Tesco is the biggest.
|
A particular shop:
The Sainsbury's in the High Street is open on Sundays.
|
|
Languages
|
Swiss people speak Ø German, Ø French, Ø Italian or Ø Romansh.
|
Sometimes, instead of 'English', (or any other language) we say:
The English language is spoken as a native or foreign language by about 900 million people.
The meaning is the same but this is more formal.
|
|
Places such as school, prison, hospital, church etc. when we think of them generally, not as specific buildings
|
Christians go to Ø church on Sundays.
My son's going to Ø university in September and my daughter left Ø college last year - she's at Ø work now.
He takes his children to Ø school every morning.
She's in Ø hospital. [staying as a patient for more than a day]
We took him to Ø hospital when he broke his leg.
He's in Ø prison. He went to Ø prison 5 years ago for murder.
|
'The church' means the Christian Church as an institution, not a place.
the synagogue, the temple, the mosque, etc.
Compare:
She works in a hospital. [It doesn't matter which one.]
I went to the hospital yesterday. [as a visitor - and we know which one.]
|
|
Names of stations, airports etc.
|
You can get a train to Ø Gatwick Airport from Ø Victoria Station.
|
|
|
Sport and education
|
I like playing Ø golf at the weekend.
She's studying Ø archaeology at Manchester University.
|
|
|
Generalisations - uncountable and plural countable nouns only |
I love Ø coffee but I don't like Ø tea.
He reads Ø magazines about Ø cars and Ø motorbikes.
Ø Happiness is more important than Ø money.
|
Compare:
I need a coffee but the coffee at work is horrible!
She loves Ø music but she doesn't like the music her son listens to. |
|
Meals
|
In Spain, they have Ø lunch and Ø dinner much later than in England.
|
Compare:
We had a nice lunch yesterday.
The lunch at the convention was terrible!
|
|
Other expressions |
I go to Ø bed at 11.00 & on Sundays I stay in Ø bed until 10.00.
I go to work by Ø bus or Ø train but never on Ø foot.
It's on Ø page 36.
They're on Ø holiday.
|
Compare:
The dog's in the bed again! [talking about a specific bed]
|
|
Before 'next' and 'last' |
I went to Japan Ø last year. [last = previous]
I'll see her at the meeting Ø next month. |
Louis Philippe was the last king of France. [last = final]
The last time I went to London, it rained every day! [last = the most recent]
I was there first and Jean was the next (person) to arrive.
|
Examples
Can you open a window, please? Can you close the window, please?
My daughter's at Ø university, My husband works as a lecturer at the
[she's a student] but she's on university. [We know which one]
Ø holiday at the moment with a friend.
I love listening to Ø music... ...but I don't like going to Ø concerts; the music is too loud.
I need to buy a book. The book I am looking for is by J. Wright.
