ARTICLES
Nguyen Thi Kim Anh
A. The indefinite articles: a/ an
B. The definite article: the
I. When to use the definite article
II. When not to use the definite article
A. The indefinite articles: a/ an
1. Nouns mentioned for the first time
2. Nouns representing a group
3. Character, job or nationality
4. In certain numerical expressions
5. Other expressions
6. Before Mr./ Mrs, etc + surname
A. The indefinite articles: a/ an
The indefinite article a/ an is used before singular countable nouns or adjectives followed by singular nouns
a + consonant sounds
E.g. a ruler a European country
a university a one-way ticket
a hospital a blue overcoat
an + vowel sounds
E.g. an apple an egg
an umbrella an orange
an hour an exiting holiday
The indefinite article a/ an is used
1. Before a noun which is mentioned for the first time and represents no particular person or thing.
E.g. They live in a flat.
Take a break.
2. Before a noun which represents a group of people, animals or things (We can also use The or the plural form)
E. g. A car is faster than a bike.
(The dolphin is an intelligent animal.
Children need love and affection.)
3. When talking about someone`s character, job or nationality.
E.g. He is a pessimist.
Her husband is an accountant.
Howard is an Englishman
(but Claire is French)
4. In certain numerical expressions:
a couple a dozen
a half a quarter
a lot of a thousand/ million
a great deal of
a great many
E.g. We need a hundred copies.
A great many teenagers listen to music while doing their homework.
They walked a quarter of a mile.
5. to talk about:
price per weight or item
distance per amount of fuel or speed
frequency per time
certain illnesses
E.g. This brandy costs $25 a bottle.
My car does 50 miles a gallon.
My car does130 kilometers an hour.
They go to the cinema twice a month.
He has a fever/ a cold/ a toothache.
6. Before Mr./ Mrs./ Miss./ Ms. + surname, when we refer to someone unknown.
E.g. A Mr. Jones wants to see you.
B. The definite article: the
I. The definite article is used
1. Before specific nouns
2. Before unique nouns
3. Before names of seas, oceans, etc
4. With buildings, cinemas, theaters, etc
5. With newspapers, ships, etc

6. with names of families and nationalities
7. before musical instruments, etc.
8. with the superlative degree
9. with adjective referring to classes of people
10. with only, same ,ordinal number + nouns
11. before noun + of + noun
12. with titles
13. with historical events or references
14. with the North, South, East, West

The definite article the is used before
countable and uncountable nouns of all genders
both in the singular and plural.
I. The definite article is used
1. before countable and uncountable nouns which are specific or have been mentioned before.
E.g. I`ll see the doctor tomorrow.
The postman brought three letters and a parcel. The parcel was for Mary.
2. before unique nouns:
the earth the sky
the Pyramids the sun
3. before names of
Seas oceans
Rivers channels/ canals
Coasts deserts
countries, or regions (plural)
groups of islands
mountain ranges
the Mediterranean the Pacific
the Mississippi the English Channel
the Panama Canal the Blue Coast
the Kalahari Desert the Netherlands
the Highlands the Bahamas
the Andes
4. with
Buildings cinemas
Theaters museums
Galleries pubs
Restaurants hotels
institutions
the Odeon Cinema the Royal Theater
the British Museum the National Gallery
the Black Buoy the Pasta House
the Hilton the British Council
5. with newspapers, ships, services, organizations:
the Guardian the Queen Mary
the police the United Nations
6. with names of families and nationalities (when we refer to the whole family or nation)
the Simpsons, the Dutch, the Japanese
(The is optional with nationalities ending in -s: (the) Greeks, (the) Australians, etc.
7. before musical instruments, dances, inventions and the word radio
E.g. Pedro plays the guitar and
Rosa dances the flamenco.
When was the telephone invented?
We heard the news on the radio.
(But I saw that film on TV last week)
8. with the superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs.
E.g. He is the best student in his class.
Who is the richest in the world?

9. with adjective referring to classes of people:
the old the young
the blind the deaf
the poor the rich
the educated the dead
10. with only, same and ordinal numbers + nouns
E.g. This is the only pen I have got.
Dogs are not all the same.
Who was the first astronaut to walk on the Moon?
11. before noun + of + noun:
the Gulf of Mexico
the Statue of Liberty
12. with titles (not accompanied by proper names)
the King the Queen
the Prince of Wales
( But Queen Beatrix of Holland
Princess Margaret)
13. with historical events or references:
the Greek Revolution
the American Civil War
( But World War II)
14. with the North, the South, the East, the West
E.g.
Last year we visited the South of France.
The sun rises in the East.
II. The definite article is not used
1. Before general nouns
2. Before names of people, streets, etc.
3. Before names of squares, etc.
4. With pubs, restaurants, etc
5. Before names of magazines, etc
6. Before names of airlines or companies

7. With meals: breakfast, lunch, etc
8. Before the words: bed, court, etc
9. Before words: father, mother, etc
10. Before means of transport
11. With adverbs: north, south, etc
12. With some diseases

II. The definite article is not used
1. before countable and uncountable nouns which refer to something general or have not been mentioned before.
E.g. He likes coffee
Experience is important for this job.
Whales are mammals.
2. before names of
people streets
cities Islands
countries continents
mountains religious holidays
days of the week, months
Maggie Smith Oxford Street
Berlin Asia
Mont Blanc Christmas
Friday August
(but the High Street, the Vatican)
The is optional before the names of seasons, when the meaning is general:
Where do you usually go in (the) summer?
The is used when we talk about a specific season
Do you remember the winter of 1987?
3. before names of squares, parks, lakes, stations:
Euston Square Holland Park
Lake Oratorio Liverpool Street Station
4. with pubs, restaurants, hotel, shops, banks, etc whose names include the name of their founder or another proper name (e.g. a place):
Jimmy`s bar Luigi`s restaurant
Emily`s Hotel Harrods,
5. before names of magazines, sports, games, colors, school subjects, and languages
Newsweek (but The Economist),
Tennis chess
white geography
Greek
E.g. German is a difficult language
but The German language is difficult to learn
6. before names of airlines or companies: Air France BMW
7. with meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner,snack
E.g. What did you have for breakfast?
But when we talk about a specific meal, we use the:
E.g. I don`t enjoy the dinner on the plane
8. before the words bed, court, church, home, hospital, prison, school, university, work
when they are used for the purpose for which they exist
E.g. Thomas went to university to study engineering.
But He went to the university to visit his professor
9. before words: father, mother, mum, dad (when we refer to our own parents)
E.g. Father/ Daddy taught me how to drive.
10. before means of transport
E.g. I travel by car/ by bus/ by train/ by air
Also: on foot, on horseback
But He was in his car/ on the bus when I saw him.
11. with north, south, east, west when they are used as adverbs
E.g. They are heading west
12. with some diseases ( cancer, malaria..)
E.g. You should be vaccinated against malaria if you want to travel to the tropics.

THE END