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.
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)
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.
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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