Zero article

Image   Marion lives in Ø Paris. 

 


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.

 

 

With republic, kingdom, etc. or plurals:

 

the Czech Republic

the United Kingdom

the Netherlands

 

 

Islands

 

Ø Ibiza, Ø Corsica and Ø Sicily are all islands in the Mediterranean.

 

 

With the word isle(s) or plurals:

the Isle of Wight

the Channel Islands

 

Cities and towns

 

Ø Birmingham is 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.

 

 

For 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.

 

 

We can say:

The English language is spoken by about 900 million people.

 

 

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.

 

I'm at Ø work now.

 

He takes his children to Ø school every morning.

 

She's in Ø hospital. [staying as a patient]

 

 

the synagogue, the temple, the mosque, etc.

 

Compare:

She works in a hospital. [It doesn't matter which one.]

 

I will go to the hospital tomorrow. [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.

 

She's studying Ø archaeology at Manchester University.

 

 

 

Generalisations

 

 

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 have a nice lunch every Sunday with my family.

  

 

Other expressions

 

I go to Ø bed at 11.00.

 

I go to work by Ø bus or Ø train but never on Ø foot.

 

They're on Ø holiday.

 

 

Compare:

 

The dog's in the bed again! [talking about a specific bed]

 

 

 

 





Image  My daughter is at Ø university [= she's a student] but she's on Ø holiday at the moment with a friend.  

Image My husband works as a lecturer at the university. [We know which one]  

Image  I love listening to Ø music...

Image   but I don't like going to Ø concerts; the music is too loud.