UNIT 1 ARTICLES 1.

The use of articles in English is very different from their use in Hungarian.
In general references, we use the indefinite article, depending on whether the noun is singular
countable, plural countable or uncountable:
A lion hunts at night.
Lions hunt at night.
Hunting is dangerous.

When we refer to specific cases, we use the definite article:

The lion in the Budapest zoo gave birth yesterday.
She let the children in the class do the talking.
She was thinking of the book that had been left open on the bed.

The indefinite article (a/an)

1. Unknown and non-specific

a) The indefinite article (a/an) is generally used when talking about something or someone
unknown and non-specific.
I’ve met a girl. (You don’t know who it is.)

b) The indefinite article is also used when we talk about someone or something as a member
of a group or an occupation.
An elephant cannot jump.
A swimmer must train a lot.
It’s very hard to be an actor in a comedy.

c) When referring to unknown people, we can emphasise the name with the indefinite article.
A (certain) Mrs Stevens is looking for you.

d) The indefinite article is always and only used with ‘what/such a + singular countable noun’,
but never with plural or uncountable ones. The structure ‘so + adjective + a/an + singular
countable noun’ is also possible, although it is rather formal and somewhat old-fashioned.
What a (nice) coat!
What (nice) coats!
What (awful) weather!
(NOT What an awful weather.)
She was in such a (bad) mood yesterday. OR She was in so bad a mood yesterday.
I got such beautiful flowers for my birthday.
(NOT I got so beautiful flowers for my birthday.)
We had such (awful) weather at the excursion.
(NOT We had so awful weather at the excursion.)

Note: A lot of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
What a lot of people! What a lot of snow!

2. One
a) The indefinite article also means one. We use it in front of numbers, such as a hundred, a
thousand, a million, a billion etc. and we use a/an with other determiners as well, such as a
lot of, a number of, an amount of etc. (See also 6.7, 6.10, 6.11.)
 We were expecting more than a thousand people, but a lot more came.
(NOT We were expecting more than thousand people, but lot more came.)

b) When referring to a famous work of art, a/an is used with the name of the artist.
Mr Jackson bought a Van Gogh the other day.

c) In possessive structures when we intend to emphasise that there is one (two, three etc.) of
something, we either form the structure with ‘a/an/two/three + noun + of + possessive’ or
one/two/three of + possessive + plural noun’.
He is a distant relative of hers/Ann’s. OR He is one of her/Ann’s distant relatives.
(NOT He is a distant relative of her/Ann.)
I met three acquaintances of mine yesterday. OR I met three of my acquaintances
yesterday.
(NOT I met three acquaintances of me yesterday. NOR I met three of my acquaintance
yesterday.)

Note: Instead of a/an we can use that or those for specific cases, but not the.
Who is that new friend of your son’s?
(NOT Who is the new friend of your son’s?)
Those acquaintances of yours caused a lot of trouble last night.
(NOT The acquaintances of yours caused a lot of trouble last night.)

d) Some otherwise uncountable nouns may have a singular countable form expressed with an
indefinite article if there is an adjective before the noun. Some examples are education, help,
knowledge, sleep, understanding. (See also 4.2.)
I know it is awful to be woken out of a deep sleep at 5 am to start work.
It’s a great help to know I can rely on you for such last minute needs!
She was a sociable person with a remarkable gift for friendship and an immediate
understanding of others, especially the young.

3. Frequency and quantity

a) The indefinite article is often used in expressions of frequency and quantity. It means per in
expressions like three times a week, five times a year, two hundred kilometres an hour.
We always travel somewhere at least once a year.

b) When half is used in itself, the indefinite article comes after it, but when it is part of a
number, the indefinite article usually comes before it.
I’ve been waiting for more than half an hour.
(NOT USUAL I’ve been waiting for more than a half hour.)
She has been talking on the phone for one and a half hours.
(NOT She has been talking on the phone for one and half hour.)

c) When talking about a fixed quantity, the indefinite article is used with the structure ‘a/an +
adjective + plural noun’ or ‘another + plural noun’.
They spent a nice ten years together before they got divorced.
(NOT They spent nice ten years together before they got divorced.)
I’d like to work on this project for another fifteen days.
(NOT I’d like to work on this project for other fifteen days.)

Note: ‘A good few/a good many + plural noun’ structure is also possible:
 He had a good few girlfriends before he got married.

The definite article (the)

4. Specificity
a) The definite article is to be used when referring to specific things.
I’ve met the girl of my dreams.

b) The definite article is also used in defining relative clauses instead of demonstratives.
The photo (that) you sent me is great.
(NOT That/This photo (that) you sent me is great.)

c) The definite article is used when we refer to buildings or places in the physical sense, with
words like bed, church, college, hospital, prison, school, university etc. (See 2.2.)
The university was built in the twelfth century.
When he became ill, we visited him in the hospital.
I went into my own bedroom and sat on the bed for a few minutes.

d) Structures with of always take the definite article. In this case the first article is definite
even if the second noun is indefinite.
I love the architecture of the eighteenth century.
The cover of a book tells a lot about its content.
(NOT A cover of a book tells a lot about its content.)

e) When referring to specific things, the definite article always follows quantifiers with of
(most, some, many etc.) and of cannot be left out. In the case of all, both and half, of can be
omitted (for a detailed description see Unit 5 and Unit 6).
Most of the people around him treated him badly.
(NOT Most of people around him treated him badly.)
All/Both/Half of the children understood the task. OR
All/Both/Half the children understood the task.
(NOT All/Both/Half of children understood the task.)

5. Unique
a) When we talk about a species of animals or plants as a unique group, ‘the + singular noun’
is used with a singular verb to express generality.
The lion is in danger of becoming extinct. OR Lions are in danger of becoming
extinct.
(NOT THE SAME AS The lions in Africa are in danger of becoming extinct. This is
specific, because of in Africa.)

b) The definite article is used when talking about well-known, unique people:
She says she is going to marry Steven Spielberg, the director.

c) With nationalities we can use – if we want to – the definite article with the plural form of
the nationality. With words ending in -sh, -ss, -ch, and –ese, we indicate the plural form only
with the verb that follows, and we must use the definite article before the nationality.
The Hungarians are very hospitable. OR Hungarians are very hospitable.
The British are said to enjoy rainy weather.
 (NOT The British is said to enjoy rainy weather. NOR The Britishes are said to enjoy
rainy weather.)

d) When talking about inventions and musical instruments, we use the definite article, too.
Did you know that the computer was invented by a Hungarian?
She is playing the piano in the living room.

Note: When we refer to the action of playing, the indefinite article is possible:
Yesterday at the concert my best friend was playing a piano and his girlfriend a violin.

e) ‘Radio, cinema, theatre’ usually come with the definite article. However, we do not have to
use the when we talk about them as a form of art or a profession.
I just love going to the cinema, but my mother prefers the theatre.
Cinema is different from theatre in many ways.
He’s worked in radio all his life.

Note: The can be used before ‘television’ when we are talking about the TV set itself, but not
when we talk about television programmes.
I hope there is something good on TV tonight.
There is a vase on the TV.

f) Some adjectives can be used with the definite article, followed by a verb in the plural.
These are adjectives describing a social group or a group of people with some kind of a
handicap. Typical examples include: the blind, the dead, the evil, the handicapped, the old,
the poor, the rich, the young, the uneducated, the unemployed etc.
The old are more often seen to be ill than other age groups.
(NOT The old is more often seen to be ill than other age groups. NOR Olds are/The
olds are... )
The unemployed have time, it is money that they lack.

g) There are a few cases when both singular and plural verbs can follow the structure ‘the +
adjective’ (depending on the number of the participants): the accused, the deceased, the
former, the latter.
The accused was/were charged with theft.

h) The definite article is part of superlatives (the worst, the most/the least entertaining),
ordinal numbers (the first, the third) as well as other words such as: the above-mentioned,
the following, the former, the last, the latter, the next, the only, the same. Usually a noun
must follow the superlative adjectives. For most without an article, see 2.5.
The most important thing in life is making people feel good.
(NOT The most important in life is making people feel good.)
During the first year we didn’t see each other that often.
Two critics have written about his new novel. What the former valued as sensuality,
the latter condemned as vulgarity.

Note: Superlatives are usually followed by in when referring to a group or place, and of is
usually used with plurals.
They want to be the most successful company in the city/world.
He is the quickest runner of all the students.
6. The more … the more
The definite article is also used with ‘comparative adjectives + subject + verb’, meaning
minél … annál. When the comparative adjective is followed by it is, we can leave out it is in
both clauses. All tenses can be used with this structure, but in the first clause there is no future.
The more enthusiastic she was, the less interested her sister became.
(NOT The more she was enthusiastic, the less her sister became interested.)
‘When shall I send the answer?’ ‘The sooner, the better.’
The friendlier you are, the more smiling faces you see/will see.
(NOT The friendlier you will be, the more smiling faces you see/will see.)

7. Weight
We use the definite article with measurements of weight.
He sells apples by the kilo.
One can buy eggs by the dozen.

8. Body parts
We use the definite article before parts of the body in ‘verb + object + prepositional phrase’
constructions.
She couldn’t look him in the face anymore.
(NOT She couldn’t look him in his face anymore.)
Two boys thumped her in the stomach.

Note: The definite article is not to be used with a simple object:

Julie hurt her knee yesterday.
(NOT Julie hurt the knee yesterday.)

9. Geographical names
a) The definite article is used before a lot of geographical names, such as: names of oceans,
seas, rivers, mountain chains, deserts, most hotel names, cinemas, theatres, museums and art
galleries.
The Louvre in Paris is always full of people.
He has been elected director of the National Theatre.
We are going skiing in the Tatras this winter.

b) Although the definite article is not used with countries and cities, there are some
exceptions: The Netherlands, The Gambia, The Lebanon, The Hague as well as names that
contain the words Republic, State, Union and United.
At present he is Ambassador of the United States to the Netherlands.

c) In the names of non-English mountains, we use an article in English if there is an article in

the original language as well (e.g. Das X in German will become The X in English).
Exceptions are names of French mountains, which will become Mont X in English.
Have you climbed the Matterhorn?
I’d like to climb Mont Blanc one day.

d) We use the definite article if there is a structure with of.

I attended the University of London. OR I attended London University.

Exercises
1. In these sentences out of the four alternatives ONE is WRONG. Your task is to find this
wrong answer.

1. What can a rider do when … is broken?

A) the leg of a horse C) a leg of a horse
B) the leg of his horse D) his horse’s leg

2. … ruined in the fire.

A) A piano was C) The piano was
B) Piano was D) Two pianos were

3. She is …, she objects to anything you ask her to do.

A) such a stubborn child C) a most stubborn child
B) the most stubborn D) so stubborn

4. Although she spent … in the U.S., she hasn’t learnt much English.
A) half the year C) half year
B) half of the year D) one and a half years

5. … asked about what had happened exactly on the day of the murder.
A) The men accused of the murder were C) The accused was
B) The accused were D) The accused men were

6. … can survive in the desert for a long time without any water.
A) The camel C) A camel
B) The camels D) Camels

7. After the cinema I’ll pluck up the courage to … and tell him I love him.
A) take his hand C) look him in the eye
B) take him by the hand D) look him in his eyes

8. When I was young, … .

A) my mother often had to go to school C) my mother often had to go to the school to talk
to talk to my teachers to my teachers
B) I was often late for school D) holidays were longer

9. She lives in Paris … .

A) most of the year C) in the most part of the year
B) in the most expensive neighbourhood D) in a most elegant flat

10. Yesterday there was an interesting documentary about … .

A) the homeless C) homeless people
B) the homeless people D) the homeless people of Budapest

2. Choose the answer that best fits into the two gaps. In each answer the two parts are
separated by two strokes (//).

1. ‘What’s … TV?’ ‘… .’
A) in the//A new soap opera C) on//A video-cassette
B) on the//A video-cassette D) on the//A new soap opera
2. She sells eggs … three times … week.
A) by a dozen//a C) by dozen//the
B) by the dozen//a D) by a dozen//the

3. … exhibition … you recommended was superb.

A) That//that C) An//that
B) An//- D) The //-

4. Although it was … who gave the world football, at present … are the greatest masters of
this sport.
A) the English//the Brazilian C) English//Brazilians
B) English//the Brazilians D) the English//the Brazilians

5. ‘Did you really lend her … ?’ ‘Yes, because she wouldn’t like to go to the reception
without … necklace.
A) an expensive necklace of yours//a C) the expensive necklace of yours//-
B) one of your expensive necklace//- D) an expensive necklace of you//a

6. She majors in … at … .
A) twentieth century literature//the Oxford University
B) the literature of twentieth century//Oxford University
C) the literature of the twentieth century//Oxford University
D) the twentieth century literature//the University of Oxford

7. While we were spending our holiday at …, Sandra caught … and we had to look after her
all day.
A) lake Como//the flu C) the lake Como//flu
B) the lake Como//a cold D) the sea//cold

8. Did she really get … from Will Smith, … rock star?

A) Picasso//the C) the Picasso//a
B) a Picasso//the D) a Picasso//-

9. … only solution is to … hospital as soon as we can.

A) An//take him to the C) The//visit him in the
B) An//take him to D) The//visit him in

10. She is fond of … but somehow can’t appreciate … .

A) the cinema//the theatre C) the cinema//theatre
B) going to cinema//theatre D) going to the cinema//plays in theatre