THE ENGLISH ARTICLES

Articles

THE
INDEFINITE THE
ARTICLE ZERO DEFINITE
ARTICLE ARTICLE
a/an
Ø the
 THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE (A/AN)
We use a/an with countable nouns in singular:
 when we mention something/someone for the first time: I've
got a dog.
 when we say something or someone belongs to a certain type
or kind of things/people: Zakopane is a mountain town. My
mum is an accountant.
 THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE (A/AN)
We use a/an with countable nouns in singular:
 when the noun is used in a general sense and has the
meaning of "every" :A drowning man catches at a straw
 A/an preserves its old original meaning of "one".:He had
hardly spoken a word since we left the house.
 THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE (A/AN)
 in quantitative expressions (time, measure, weight,
frequency): a lot, a few, a little, a couple of, a kilo, a
litre, a kilometre :lt is 80 p a kilo.
 before nouns describing common, minor illnesses: I've
got a headache/a sore throat/a stomach ache.
 THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE (A/AN)
 in expressions of frequency: three days a week, once a
year
 in fixed phrases: go for a walk, have a rest, as a result,
take a shower
 We can also use a/an with some numbers: It cost a
hundred pounds.
 THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE (A/AN)
 in some grammatical structures: It is a book. What a clever
man! But: What nice weather we are having today! (Mind
uncountable nouns) .
 When we talk about people or things "in general" (with
plural no article is used). :A cat is a domestic animal. Cats
are domestic animals.
 THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE (A/AN)
 in detached apposition: My friend, a history teacher,
knows a lot about it. But: Pushkin, the great Russian
poet, ... Ivanov, the inventor of this machine, ...
 We use a/an after the attributes such, rather, quite: He is
such a clever man.
The indefinite articles are not used before a plural
noun. We use a before a word that begins with a
consonant. We use an before a word that begins with a
vowel, or a word that begins with a consonant but has
vowel sound
 THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 when we talk about something that has already been
mentioned before:I've got a dog. The dog is very old.
 when the speakers know what thing/person we are
talking about: I put the plants on the foor. Did you talk to
the boss yesterday?
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 when we use an adjective in a superlative form:
Mount Hoverla is the highest mountain in
Ukraine.
 THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 when there is only one of something: the mayor of New
York, the Equator,the President
 before the names of musical instruments in sentences
describing the abilities to play instruments: He plays the
piano.
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 before adjectives and nationalities understood as
groups of people: the English, the rich
 with family names when we mean the whole
family: I've asked the Smiths to dinner.
 THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 before country names including a common noun (state,
republic, kingdom): the USA, the UK
 THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 before river names (the Nile), oceans and seas (the Pacific
Ocean), mountain ranges (the Alps), archipelagos (the Maldives),
deserts (the Sahara desert), canals (the Panama Canal)
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 before some geographical locations including of:
the Valley of the Kings, the south of France
 with titles.
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 before the names of cinemas, theatres, restaurants: The
Empire, The Forest Front (restaurant)
 before the ordinal numbers: the first, the second
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 before nouns such as: the police, the weather, the press,
the radio
 before some nouns in fixed phrases: at the
cinema/theatre, on the bus/train, in the mountains, at the
seaside, on the coast, in the sky, on the ground, in the
forest
 THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 when the noun denotes a thing unique: the Sun, the Moon, the Earth,
the Universe, the Galaxy, the Solar system, etc.
 With nouns used in a generic sense (as a type or a genre): The
tragedy and the comedy appeared in Greece. The pine grows in the
North. O When was the telephone invented?
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
We use the:
 With the nouns modified by the pronouns same, all and the
adjectives wrong, right, very, next, following, last, only,
whole: Ol found him in the last carriage of the train. You're
the very person I need.
THE ZERO ARTICLE (NO ARTİCLE)
We use the zero article:
 before plural, countable nouns or uncountable nouns when do
not give specific information about the people or things we
are talking about: I like horror films. Dolphins are sea
mammals. People can only drink fresh water.
THE ZERO ARTICLE (NO ARTİCLE)
We use the zero article:
 before proper names such as first names, family names,
names of cities, roads, states, lakes, islands, mountain peaks,
continents:I live in Whitely Road. Sherpa Tenzig and Edmund
Hillary were the first men to climb Mount Everest. Lake
Victoria is in Africa.
THE ZERO ARTICLE (NO ARTİCLE)
We use the zero article:
 before names of the days of the weak, month, holidays and
celebrations: We're leaving on Tuesday. Easter often falls in April.
 before names of sports, colours, meals, diseases: Green is favourite
colour. I often play basketball. He came down with malaria.
THE ZERO ARTICLE (NO ARTİCLE)
We use the zero article:
 before nouns in some typically used epressions: at home, in
bed, to school/work, by bus/train/car, have something for
(breakfast/lunch/dinner), go on holiday…
THE ZERO ARTICLE (NO ARTİCLE)
We use the zero article:
 In the technical literature, especially in instructions even if
they are stated informally. e.g. Supply the correct adaptor for
the different standard of telephone plug.
THE ZERO ARTICLE (NO ARTİCLE)
We use the zero article:
 In advertisements and signatures to photos e.g. Very
demanding but challenging role for articulate secretary
bursting with enthusiasm! Experienced, confident secretary
needed by disorganized lawyer in well-established legal
practice!
 In culinary recipes