Articles
A determiner
A word which is used with a noun, and which refers to something definite or indefinite
How many articles?
◦ Definite article
◦ Indefinite article
◦ Zero article
Indefinite Article – A/AN
Used with singular countable nouns only
Used to talk about one of something which we assumed the listener/ reader doesn’t know which specific thing
A car drove past
Definite Article THE
Used with
◦ singular countable nouns
◦ plural countable nouns
◦ uncountable nouns
A man is coming to fix the television. Used to talk about a specific example of something which (we think) is known to
both ourselves and the listener/ reader.
The cars were parked illegally in the city center.
Zero Article
Used with uncountable and plural countable nouns
Used to talk about things generally, not an individual item or example
Money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness.
Students never like tests
THE or Zero?
THE with nouns that are always singular
Something which is considered there is only one in existence
the sun, the moon, the seaside, the UN, the government
Superlatives
◦ He’s the best accountant in town.
Nouns with ZERO
Uncountable and plural countable nouns with a general sense (to refer to general ideas and categories)
Cars and buses are a major source of pollution in cities.
Abstract uncountable nouns
Laughter is good for you.
“Intelligence is something you are born with, not something you learn.”
General or Specific -THE
General Specific
I like all kinds of music. The music of Skalkottas is virtually unknown outside Greece.
Is there life after death? It was a film about the life of a polar explorer.
Students don’t like exams. The students who once failed this test are very nervous.
Classifying – Referring to a group
1. Plural nouns with zero article
Seagulls are found close to the coast. (generally)
2. Singular nouns with A/ AN
A seagull is a large white and grey bird. (all seagulls)
A tiger is in danger of becoming extinct.
Tigers are in danger of becoming extinct.
I’ve been studying a seagull. (one particular seagull)
I’ve been studying seagulls. (seagulls as a group)
3. Singular nouns with THE
The blackbird has a lovely song.
Classifying – Special Groups
1. Parts of the body
I looked at him straight in the eye.
He’s a pain in the neck.
! When the noun is related to the OBJECT of the
sentence (or SUBJECT in passive) ➔ THE
The bird was shot in the wing.
He gave the child a pat on the back.
! When the noun is related to the SUBJECT of the sentence ➔ POSSESSIVES
That seagull had hurt its wing.
He’s had a lot of trouble with his heart
2. Musical instruments
! About instruments generically
The horn is one of the most difficult orchestral
instruments to play.
! About bands, orchestras, recordings, etc.
I used to play trumpet in my school orchestra.
Does that recording have Clapton on guitar?
3. Scientific inventions
It would be difficult to imagine life without the telephone.
It would be very difficult these days to live life without video/ email
THE + adjective/ verb
THE + adjective ➔ personal noun
! The unemployed are calling for more government spending.
! The wounded were taken to the nearest hospital.
! The British are said to be very unfriendly.
! The accused is a young man with two previous convictions for robbery
THE + adjective ➔ abstract noun
! Out with the old, bring in the new.
! This is the ultimate in the chocolate cake.
! The unknown is often very frightening.
! into the open, for the common good, out of the ordinary, in the extreme, on the loose, to the full
THE + gerund ➔ a specific activity
! The waiting is the worst part of a visit to the dentist.
! I don’t understand what people see in the swimming as a sport
Summary of Article Use
Singular plural
uncountale
countable countable
definite THE THE THE
indefinite A/ AN zero zero
Special Uses
! THE or Zero with places
I met her at college.
I’ll meet you at the college. (I’ll meet you at college.)
Jane’s in hospital.
I left my coat in the hospital when I visited Jane.
! Dropping articles in double expressions, particularly after prepositions
with knife and fork, on land and sea, from top to bottom,day by day, husband and wife, inch by inch
! A noun used AFTER A GENITIVE is accompanied by
ZERO article
the coat that belongs to John = John’s coat
(NOT John’s the coat or the John’s coat)
! The genitive noun itself may have an article
the wife of the boss = the boss’s wife
! the … OF + a
Lying by the side of the road we saw the wheel of a car.
! Noun modifiers: the article of the first noun is dropped
guitar lessons = lessons in how to play the guitar
! Man and woman: general sense
◦ Man and woman were created equal.
◦ A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.
◦ Men and women have similar abilities and needs.
◦ How did Man first discover fire?
A/ AN or THE with proper nouns
! We met on a wet Tuesday five years ago.
! She died on the Wednesday after the accident.
! There’s a Jane working at the reception.
! That’s not the Adam Smith I went to school with.
! The late Michael Jackson was very famous for his songs of peace.
! The artist Joseph Turner was a romantic landscape painter.
! The Robinsons are away this weekend
Jobs and positions
! She’s an architect.
! Queen Elizabeth had dinner with President
Kennedy.
! The Queen had dinner with the President.
! He was elected (the) President in 1879.
! I want to see the President.
Illnesses
! I think I’ve got (the) measles.
! I’m getting toothache. ( US: a toothache)
! EXCEPTION: a cold, a headache
Basic Uses of A/AN
! With singular countable nouns
! Unknown persons/ things
◦ She has a car.
! What somebody/ something is
◦ I’m an engineer.
! Anyone/ anything
◦ A vegetarian doesn’t eat meat
Basic Uses of THE
! With singular countable nouns, plural countable the girl is…
nouns, uncountable nouns ! Uniqueness
! Known persons/ things ◦ The earth is not a safe place to live anymore.
◦ They have a daughter and a son. The boy is a student ! General sense
and ◦ THE + noun referring to animals and plants
◦ THE + adjective ◦ THE + scientific invention
◦ THE + nationality ◦ THE + musical instrument
