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Articles

  • May 30, 2024
  • 5 min read

Updated: Jul 30, 2024

Articles in English are the most commonly used part of speech.

In English, there are two types of prepositions: the definite "the" and the indefinite "a"/"an." We use them before a noun or an adjective (defining the noun).

Inconspicuously short, yet they often carry a lot of meaning, so it is worth learning and mastering them to perfection.



fountainpen writing "article"


Definite article “the”

Definite article is used with singular and plural, countable and uncountable nouns.


the computer - the computers

the honey

the money




Use of “the”


Before nouns that refer to phenomena and concrete objects already known to the interlocutors:


  • There’s a car outside our house. (any car)

  • The car is red. (the specific car in question)


  • Can you close the door, please. (specific doors in this room)

  • We are going to the park. (the specific park)



Before nouns followed by an adjective (an expression that defines the noun):


  • The woman with a pink purse.

  • The house you sold last year.



Before nouns denoting a group or species:


  • The elephant is a very intelligent animal. (elephant - as a representative of a species, group)

  • The gorilla is an endangered species. (gorilla - species, group)



Before adjectives in the highest degree:


  • The smartest girl.

  • The most nefarious plan.



Before ordinal numerals and before 'only' (meaning 'the only one'):


  • The second floor.

  • The only person I can trust.



Before adjectives describing a group of people and nationalities:


  • The rich

  • The democrats 

  • The English



Before geographical names:


seas and oceans


  • The Mediterranean

  • The Atlantic ocean



rivers


  • The Thames

  • The Vistula



mountain ranges


  • The Himalayas

  • The Alps



deserts


  • The Sahara

  • The Gobi



Before the names of countries or groups of islands in the plural form


  • The Netherlands

  • The Canaries

  • The Bahamas



Before the names of countries in which "of," an adjective or phrases such as "republic" or "kingdom" occurs:


  • The United States of America

  • The United Kingdom

  • The Czech Republic



Before geographical names containing directions (sides of the world) and function as nouns:


  • The North Pole

  • The west of France

  • The Middle East

  • The wild west



Before the names of institutions, public buildings, hotels, cinemas and theatres:


  • The Hilton

  • The White House

  • The British Museum

  • The Globe


(exception: Covent Garden)



Before journal/newspapers names:


  • The New York Times

  • The Guardian



Before names referring to the whole family (group):


  • The Smiths

  • The Browns



Before people's names to emphasise that we are talking about that particular person:


  • I met John Doe while I was in Monte Carlo.

  • Really? The John Doe?



Before objects and phenomena that are unique/individual:


  • The Sun

  • The Moon

  • The Bible

  • The BBC



Before the names of musical instruments:


  • The violin

  • The piano

  • The flute



In expressions such as:


  • In the morning / afternoon / evening / night

  • In the middle

  • At the beginning

  • At the end

  • In / During the week

  • On the radio / phone

  • In the sky

  • In the army

  • In the city centre

  • In the cinema

  • In the house

  • In the country

  • The sooner, the better




Sometimes we use the preposition 'the' to emphasise a particular piece of information in specific contexts in situations where we do not normally use it:


  • Oh, yeah, I remember it was the Sunday I got my new Porsche. 

(as a general rule, we do not use 'the' before the names of days of the week, but in this situation, to emphasise the day in question, it may appear - it was this Sunday)






a bird flying on a blue sky

Indefinite article “a”/”an”

We use the indefinite article before countable nouns in the singular:



that begin with a consonant (or a vowel pronounced like a consonant), e.g.:


  • a desk

  • a table

  • a house

  • a dog

  • a door

  • a flower

  • a purse 



that begin with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or a silent 'h,' e.g.:


  • an airport

  • an egg

  • an honour

  • an apple

  • an hour




Use of a/an:


Before nouns referred to for the first time and not indicating any specific, defined object, subject or person:


  • This is a computer.

  • I haven’t got a scooter. 

  • There’s a woman in the garden.



Before nouns referring to a certain group of phenomena, animals, objects or occupations:


  • A monkey is a mammal.

  • Mercury is a planet.

  • She is a teacher. 



Before nouns referring to quantity, weight or time in the sense of "one:"


  • A kilo of tomatoes 

  • A hundred pound

  • A dozen eggs



Before nouns preceded by an adjective:


  • Clara has a marvellous cat.

  • What an interesting idea.

  • There isn’t an interesting programme on TV.



Before frequency, prices, speeds:


  • Once in a month

  • Five euros a kilo

  • 120 kilometres an hour



Before proper names in the sense of "some:"


  • There is a Mr Doe on the phone.



Before personal names in relation to works of art:


  • It is certainly not a Picasso.



Before proper names in the sense of 'similar to,' often ironically:


  • You are not a Brad Pitt.



The indefinite preposition will NEVER be used:


With plural nouns:


  • (x) a bags - (✓) bags

  • (x) a flowers - (✓) flowers

  • (x) a computers - (✓) computers



With uncountable nouns:


  • (x) a money - (✓) money

  • (x) a information - (✓) information

  • (x) a cheese - (✓) cheese



Before proper names:


  • This is Jane.



Before the names of the meals:


  • They’re having dinner.






counter pointing zero

Zero article



Use of the zero article:


Before the names of most cities, countries, continents, islands, lakes and individual mountains:


  • Los Angeles, Detroit, New York

  • France, Spain, Italy

  • Australia, North America, Europe

  • Borneo, Ireland, Greenland

  • Lake Ontario

  • Mont Blanc


Please note the exceptions: The Hague, The Gambia, The Bahamas, Argentina - the Argentine




Before proper names except in contexts for emphasis:


  • Mr. Doe

  • President Obama

  • Prince William



Before the names of streets, bridges and buildings:


  • O'Connell Street, Carnaby Street, Bourbon Street

  • Golden Gate Bridge, Tower Bridge

  • Casino of Marino, Windsor Castle


Please note the exceptions: The High Street, The Strand, The Shard



Before the names of days of the week, months, seasons, holidays:


  • on Monday

  • in summer

  • in August

  • for Christmas



Before abstract nouns and sentiments:


  • Love, luck, happiness, fear


Exception: 

Happiness is the common pursuit.

The happiness I felt at that moment was immense.



Before the names of sports and scientific disciplines:


  • gymnastics, judo, yoga

  • Mathematics, Chemistry, English



Before company names:


  • Samsung, Ford, Apple



Before the names of meals, unless they are preceded by an adjective (in which case we use an indefinite preposition):


  • I had dinner at 6 o’clock.  /  I’ve had a big dinner today.



Before nouns:


  • Home

  • Bed

  • Work

  • School

  • University

  • Hospital

  • Prison

  • Church 


Exception: 

He goes to school. - He goes to the school behind the corner. (specific building)



Before the names of groups of people or objects in a general sense:


  • Workers like to relax. (in general) - Tell the workers to relax. (specific group of people)

  • Children enjoy watching cartoons. - Tell the children not to watch them at night. 



Before expressions such as:


  • by car, by plane, by bus, by train, on foot

  • on TV

  • on holiday

  • all day / night

  • at night










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