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ARTICLES

The document discusses the usage of the zero article, definite article, and indefinite article in English. It provides examples of when each article is used, such as with uncountable nouns for zero article, previously mentioned items for definite article, and describing jobs for indefinite article.

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Glacier Nguyễn
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39 views2 pages

ARTICLES

The document discusses the usage of the zero article, definite article, and indefinite article in English. It provides examples of when each article is used, such as with uncountable nouns for zero article, previously mentioned items for definite article, and describing jobs for indefinite article.

Uploaded by

Glacier Nguyễn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ARTICLES

ZERO ARTICLE

1. With uncountable nouns and abstract or general ideas, and plurals (not
previously mentioned and not post – modified)
I like orange juice.
Give peace a chance.
I hate dogs.
2. With most proper names
We live in France.
I’ll see you in January.
3. With names of meals when they refer to routine times
It’s time for lunch.
What’s for dinner?
4. With unique jobs or roles (definite article is also possible)
Jim is (the) chairman of the company,
5. With prepositions of place, when the place plays a special role
Sally is in prison. (She’s a prisoner)
Sally is in the prison. (A visitor to the building)
Similarly: church, hospital, school, university
6. With general means of transport
We went there by car.
But if in or on is used: We went there in a car/on a bus.
7. With names of sports, academic subjects, nationalities and languages
She plays badminton after school.
I don’t have History this semester.
He is not American. He is Canadian.
8. With names of magazines
Cosmopolitan, Newsweek

DEFINITE ARTICLE
1. Previously mentioned items
There is a bedroom and living room. The bedroom is large.
2. Single items, whose reference is clear
Can you pass the sugar?
What happened after the war?
3. Unique objects
The moon is full tonight.
4. Items which are followed by a descriptive phrase, which makes them definite
(post – modification).
This is the man that I told you about.
5. National groups
The British drink far too much tea.
6. Classes of people
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
7. Individual items which represent a class
The lion is fast disappearing.
1
8. Names of musical instruments and ability to play
I can’t play the piano but I can play the guitar.
9. Some geographical names
‘Plural’ names of countries, or where the name contains a noun.
The Netherlands
The People’s Republic of China
*Names of rivers and oceans and regions.
The Thames flows into the North Sea.
the Arctic, the Middle East
*This does not apply to:
Lakes: lake Geneva
Mountain peaks: Everest
Continents: Asia
Countries: France
10. Names of organisations, museums, hotels, importasnt building
the World Health Organisation, the Louvre, the Grand Hotel, the Twin Towers
10. Superlatives, ordinals, the same, the only
This is the best.
You are the first.
This is the only one.
11. Newspaper, mass media
We like the Tuổi Trẻ Newspaper very much.
I went to the cinema.
12. Place names
Post – modification, especially with … of … plays a role in place names
Compare:
Leeds University / The University of Leeds
London Bridge / The Bridge of London
The same applies in geographical names:
Canvey Island
The Isle of Man
INDEFINITE ARTICLE
1. Describing jobs.
Peter is a lorry driver.
2. With singular fractions, group numbers and large numbers.
One and a half kilos
A dozen eggs
A hundred envelopes
3. Meaning per.
He was doing ninety miles an hour.
Julie earns £500 a week.
4. Unknown people
Use of a / an emphasizes that a person is unknown.
A Mr. Jones called while you were out.

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