Use of articles with different kinds of noun

Here is a summary of the way we use articles with di erent kinds

of noun:

Article Noun Example

She has a bicycle already.
inde nite (a/an) singular countable

Articles in English
Take an umbrella with you.
singular countable The red bicycle is mine.

de nite (the) plural countable The bicycles are in the shed.

uncountable The salt is in the cupboard.

singular countable Zoe is in hospital.
no article plural countable They use bicycles to get to work.
PR. ZNIBER 2024-2025 uncountable Salt is cheap.
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Inde nite article (a/an)

Use Example
to talk about sb/sth that has not I’ve just seen a car coming up the
been mentioned before; to talk drive.
about sb/sth for the rst time There’s a spider in the bath.
I’d like an orange. (= any orange, not
to talk about one person, thing, etc.,
a speci c one)

A/AN
without saying which person, thing,
I want a new computer. (= any
etc. we mean
computer, not a speci c one)

Is a spider an insect? (= all spiders)

to refer to people and things in
A teacher ought to be patient. (= all
general
teachers)

to mean ‘one’, with some numbers

a hundred, a thousand, a third
and fractions

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 Inde nite article (a/an) Inde nite article (a/an)
Use Example Use Example
twice a week (= twice each week)
I get fty pounds a day. (— each with some illnesses, especially ones I’ve got a headache.
to mean ‘each’ or ‘per’ day) that aren’t serious She’s got a cold.
He was driving at 110 miles an hour.
(= per hour)

when we classify or de ne things or He’s a teacher. in certain phrases, especially ones

people (e.g. say what job sb does, A dictionary is a book that explains a few, a little, a lot, a great deal
that express an amount or quantity
what sth is used for, etc.) the meanings of words.

with adjectives followed by nouns, He was a tall young man.

in descriptions It was a beautiful day. What a day it’s been!
after what or such, for emphasis
He’s such a fool!
before sb’s name, when we don’t There’s a Mr Wilkins here to see
know the person you.

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Inde nite article (a/an)

Note that the choice of a or an depends on pronunciation, not on

spelling:
we use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound.

THE
Compare:
a book a computer a professor
an orchestra an email an igloo
but:
a euro a university a one-year-old child
an hour an MP

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 De nite article (the) De nite article (the)
Use Example
Use Example
I’ve got a cat and a dog. The cat’s
to talk about sb/sth you have Alexander Graham Bell invented the
name is Bob and the dog’s name is with inventions
mentioned before telephone.
Rosie.
with musical instruments She plays the piano.
We went to the café that’s next to
Which is the tallest building in the
the post o ce. with superlatives
to talk about sb/sth speci c world?
I want the red dress. (= not any
dress) the United States, the United
with the names of certain countries Kingdom, the Netherlands, the
What time does the moon rise? (= Lebanon, the Czech Republic
There is only one moon.)
to talk about sth that is unique
London is the capital of Britain. (= with the names of groups of islands the Philippines, the Maldives
Britain only has one capital.)
with the names of some mountain the Alps, the Pyrenees, the
to refer to people, animals or things The white tiger is an endangered ranges Himalayas
in general species. (= all white tigers)

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De nite article (the) De nite article (the)

Use Example Use Example
the Paci c, the Atlantic, the with adjectives used as nouns to the sick, the injured, the rich, the
with the names of oceans, seas, Aegean Sea, the North Sea, refer to a group of people young
rivers, deserts and regions the Thames, the Mississippi, the
Sahara Desert with nationalities, to refer to a group the Japanese, the Asians, the
with the names of hotels, theatres, the Hilton, the National Theatre, the of people French
museums and newspapers Natural History Museum, the Times the fourteenth of July, March the
in dates
the White House, the Houses of twenty- fth
with some important buildings
Parliament in some phrases referring to our the sea, the mountains, the
to refer to the media or types of the cinema, the theatre, the radio, physical environment countryside, the weather
entertainment the press, the opera
to refer to a place or person that the doctor, the dentist, the
with surnames, when we are
the Jones, the Mitchells people visit regularly hairdresser
referring to a whole family
She hit him on the ear. (= his ear)
with the names of groups The Beatles, the Rolling Stones to refer to a part of sb’s body I punched him on the nose. (— his
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nose)

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 No article
Use Example
I buy magazines about computers.
with plural countable nouns, to talk
I like music.
about sb/sth in general
Dogs love bones.
with uncountable nouns, especially She hates dishonesty.
abstract nouns or nouns referring to Many people are afraid of death.
substances Chocolate is bad for your teeth.

NO ARTICLE Gold is expensive.

Her husband is tall. (But: She’s married
with adjectives that are not followed to a tall man.)
by nouns The lm was excellent. (But: It was an
excellent lm.)
Sarah didn’t come with us last night.
with the names of people Mr Edwards will be with you in a
moment.
with the names of countries, states, France, New York, London, Texas,
cities, towns, etc. Devon
with the names of continents Asia, Europe, Africa
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No article No article
Use Example Use Example
with the names of mountains and Mount Everest, Mount Olympus,
lakes Lake Geneva, Lake Ontario with the names of magazines People magazine, Hello magazine
with the names of streets, roads, Oxford Street, Fifth Avenue,
squares and parks Brighton Road, Trafalgar Square, with languages She speaks German.
Oxford Street, Fifth Avenue,
with the names of shops, banks and I love chess.
Brighton Road, Trafalgar Square,
restaurants with games, sports and school How often do you play tennis?
Hyde Park
subjects Geography has always been my
with the names of airports or Gatwick airport, Charing Cross favourite subject.
stations Station
Have you had lunch yet?
Cambridge University, York with meals
Dinner’s ready.
with the names of universities University (But: The University of
York) They haven’t found a cure for
with the names of churches or St Martin’s Church, St Paul’s with some diseases and illnesses cancer yet.
cathedrals Cathedral She has diabetes.
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No article
Use Example
with ways of travelling/means of
travel by car/bus/train; go on foot
transport
He was sent to prison.

THANK YOU FOR

She goes to school.
Compare:
with some buildings and He’s in hospital. (= He’s a patient there.)
institutions, when we are referring He went to the hospital to visit his
to their main function or basic
purpose
friend. (= not as a patient)
She’s at school. (= as a pupil)
My mum will be waiting for us outside
YOUR ATTENTION
the school. (= We are
referring to the building, not its
purpose.)
in some common phrases at work, at home, in bed, watch TV,
listen to music
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