In English Article use depending on context

In English

Article use depending on context 1. When we refer to something we have already mentioned, we use the definite article. First, I grate some cheese. Then I sprinkle the cheese into the sauce. 2. A noun can be made definite by the details which follow it. This is called post-modification. There’s a tower over there. Yes, it’s the Tower of London. 3. Some things are definite because they are already know to the people talking about them. Jim is at the pub. (= The one we all usually go to. ) Pass the vegetables, please. (= These ones on the table. )

People 1. We use zero article with names of people, unless we specify the person. Tom lives in Bristol. Is he the Tom Davis you went to school with? 2. We can use a/an with names when you mean ‘a person called…’ Is there a Tom Davis staying here? 3. We can use the with the names of groups, when these are clearly plural. The Democrats 4. However, if a proper name comes before the noun there will be zero article. Euro MPs Manchester United supporters 5. Names of music groups vary a great deal, and may not fit general rules. The Who Primal Scream Many groups of people are described by the + singular adjective. The unemployed the dead

• groups and classes 1. An example of a thing, instrument etc uses a / an. A barometer is used to measure air pressure. 2. We use a / an for one of a class of things or people. Peter is a German. Maria is a teacher. This is an electric shaver. 3. We use a / an for one of a set of named things. They've bought a Picasso. ( = a work of art) This is a Henry Moore sculpture. 4. We use zero article with plurals and uncountables when they refer general. Teachers often work very long hours. Water is becoming a scarce resource. Girls are better at learning foreign languages than boys. 5. These too can be made specific, eg by the details which follow. The water tastes funny. ( = the water from the tap) The girls in my class learn fast. ( = these particular girls) 6. A singular noun to describe a class of things uses the. The bicycle is becoming increasingly popular. The whale is in danger of extinction.

ideas 1. Abstract ideas use zero article. Health is one of the most important things in life. 2. Note that an abstract noun can be made specific by what comes after it — then we use the. The health of millions of people may be at risk. school subjects 1. We use zero article when we talk about school subjects, such as geography, history. I'd rather study physics than biology. 2. These can also be used as adjectives with article + noun. I've started a physics course. The biology teacher is really good.

numbers and measurement 1. With rates and speeds use a / an. The car was going at 50 km an hour. The rent is £ 500 a month. 2. Use a / an for large whole numbers, fractions with singular nouns, weights and distances. a hundred a million a third a fifth two and a half a kilo a metre and a half But: two and seven eighths half-way 3. Half is usually used without an article. He has eaten half of the cake.

cities, towns, streets, places 1. Use zero article with proper names, though the is used when there is post modification with of. I live in Allan Road in Bristol in an area called Redland. oxford University the University of Oxford 2. Use the with the names of shops and places with a general reference. at the cinema / the supermarket / in the garden / in the mountains / at the beach etc 3. Other places vary. If they begin with the name of a place or person, then they tend to use zero article. London Bridge Waterloo Station Madame Tussaud's But: the London Eye Otherwise they use the Golden Gate Bridge the Hard Rock Café the Odeon Cinema 4. Note that a place name can also be used as an adjective, in which case we could use the. The London rush hour can cause long delays. some other cities have adjective forms, eg Paris / Parisian, Rome / Roman.

unique objects The is used with some familiar objects when we think of them as the only one. The Sun was setting over the sea. The moon rose into the sky. illness etc 1. A/ an is used with a headache, a cold etc. Have you got a cold / a headache / a toothache / an earache? 2. Most illness words use zero article. I've got flu. She's suffering from appendicitis. exclamations Use a / an in the expressions what a. . . l, such a. . . ! We use what a. . . when we are surprised or impressed by something. What a fantastic sight! What an awful room! We use such a / an. . . for emphasis with singular nouns. This is such a great film! He is such an interesting person.

calendar 1. We use zero article when we refer to days, months or parts of the day. I'll see you on Monday at midday. School begins in September. 2. We can use the with a day of the week when we refer to a particular week, and the with a month when we refer to a particular year. It started as an ordinary week but on the Friday I received a surprising message. 3. We use a / an with a day of the week when we refer to the day as a typical example. It was a Tuesday afternoon in August and nothing much was happening.

home, school, prison, hospital, work 1. We use zero article with at home, at school, in hospital, in prison, in bed when we speak about the place in general, or with reference to its use. Jack is in hospital (he's ill) Sue is at school (she's a student) 2. When we refer to something just as a building, place, etc we use the. The bus stops outside the school. (the building) Leave the towels on the bed. (the item of furniture) I was walking past the hospital. (the building) There was a riot in the prison. (the building) 3. Compare: Alan's in bed. (he's asleep) There's something crawling in the bed! (the item of furniture)

other generalized locations and activities 1. We use other phrases with zero article to describe what people are doing or where they are in general. on holiday on tout (performers) on location (place where a film is shot) on stage on duty at work 2. Specific examples use a / an or the. They decided to take a holiday abroad. He ran onto the stage.

changes of meaning 1. Some nouns can be countable or uncountable and have different meanings according to the article they use. a/ an a coffee a cup of coffee Can I buy you a coffee? The the coffee grains or beans etc. Put the coffee in the jar zero coffee in general Do you like coffee? 2. Many names of substances have a change of meaning when used as a single object. glass iron paper a glass an iron a paper for holding water etc glasses for helping the eyes for smoothing clothes a newspaper or a piece of published research 3. Some food nouns which usually have no plural can be used with a / an to talk about one particular type of that food. I try to eat as much fresh fruit as I can. This is a fruit that only grows in the tropics. Other foods used in this way are: wine, beer, cheese, meat, oil.

nationality 1. We use the with nationality adjectives that end -ese, -ch, -ss and are used to refer to all the people of that nationality, eg Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, British, Swiss, Dutch. The French drink a lot of wine. The Swiss are famous for their banks. 2. We use the with plural nationality nouns in same way, eg Russians, Americans, Poles, Greeks, Turks, Germans, Belgians etc. The Russians and the Poles are used to cold weather 3. We use a / an with singular examples. an Australian, a Greek, a Turk, a Russian, a Pole, a Romanian, a Bulgarian, an Egyptian, a Jordanian 4. Some nationalities end in -man / woman, and others have unique names. an Englishman / an Irishman / a Scotsman / a Welshman / a Frenchman / a Dutchman a Spaniard / a Cypriot / a Pakistani / an Iraqi / a Saudi / a Filipino Some nationalities can only be used as an adjective with a noun, eg Japanese person / man.

geography 1. We use the with the names of oceans, seas, rivers, geographical areas. They crossed the Pacific / the Atlantic / the Mediterranean etc in a small boat The sun sets in the West. She traveled widely in the Middle East. We took a voyage down the Danube. 2. The is used with north, south etc. to indicate geographical areas, but zero article is used to describe general directions. The sun sets in the west. The road runs from north to south. 3. We use zero article with continents, countries, lakes. Lake Geneva borders France and Switzerland. Morocco is in Africa. 4. We use the with plural or collective names. From here you can see the Alps. She lives in the Philippines / the Netherlands / the United Kingdom / the USA. 5. Names of mountains vary. He's climbed Everest and Mont Blanc but not the Matterhorn. 6. Names of islands normally use zero article unless they have post-modification with of. . . I've been to Crete / Majorca / Cuba. / haven't been to the Isle of Wight 7. We use the with deserts. The Sahara is not as dry as most people think.