Use of articles in English: a and the. When to use the article a and the, or the basics of the English language

When talking about the most popular word in the English language, people get into arguments. Some are sure that this is some famous event, for example, “Christmas”. Others are sure that we are talking about God (God). But both of them are wrong in the end. Have you already guessed what we are talking about? Of course, about the article the. By the way, “a” is used a little less. As you already understand, today we will talk about them. What are they, why are they needed, and, most importantly, when are the articles a and the used in English? Let's figure it out together. So let's get started.

The article

The word article itself is that part of speech that is always placed before a noun. There are three of them in English: a, an and the. In fact, it all depends on the noun to which they are attached. This is why we figure out how to put articles in English. There are a number of rules here, following which you will always use this part of speech correctly. In fact, this topic is, on the one hand, the most beloved, and on the other, the most confusing for people who are starting to learn a foreign language. Many people are confused by the question of when to use the articles a and the in English. However, thanks to our article, you will be able to better understand what is being said and will no longer doubt the choice of this part of speech.

First, let's look at how to put articles in English. We have already mentioned that they are used together with nouns. But when should you use which one? The fact is that nouns in English can be of only two types:

• Countable;
• Uncountable.

In the first case, we are talking about objects that you and I can count. These are newspapers, days, children and so on. The second option refers to more global and stable concepts. Such as water, air, oxygen. Agree, we will not count them individually. When the article a, an, the is placed in English depends on what kind of noun is in front of us. We will talk about this in detail below.

In the case of the article, the number of the noun is not unimportant. As in Russian, it can be singular or plural. And this affects when the articles a, the and an are used. "How?" - you ask. The fact is that with countable plural nouns the or zero article is always used, we will talk about it later. The same is true with the uncountable form of this part of speech. When are the articles a and an used? Also, together with “the”, they are placed before a countable noun, in the singular. A little confusing, isn't it? We have compiled a small table for you to make it clear when the articles a and the are used in English.

Thus, we hope that due to the visual appearance it will be easier for you to understand when in English the article the and when a is used. And we move on.

The definite article the

Now we would like to tell you in what cases the article the is used. But first of all, it is worth recalling that this article is definite. This means that we are talking about something concrete, definite. Another option for determining when the article the is used in English is to translate the phrase into Russian. If in this case a demonstrative pronoun can be used instead, then it is definitely needed in this text. We have already mentioned where the article the is placed. Before nouns, both countable and uncountable, in any number. Below we will tell you in detail about when we use the article the and when we don’t. So let's get started.

When the article the is placed before a noun in English:

1. In the case when the word has already been used in context. This fact allows us to use this article accurately. For example: I have correspondence this morning. The newspaper was useful. What it means: I received correspondence this morning. The newspaper was useful.
2. This article is also placed before nouns that are known in the singular gender. For example: the sun, the God and so on.
3. When geographical names are used in the text, the article “the” is used, as, for example, in the following cases: the Atlantic Ocean, The Comoro Islands.
4. In the case when we are talking about the names of cinemas, hotels, companies and others, the definite article is used. For example, The Hilton hotel, the Louvre.
5. This article is also used with adjectives of the highest degree of comparison. That is, we are talking about expressions such as: the best, the most beautiful.
6. And also when mentioning musical instruments and the names of famous dance styles. For example, the ballet, the piano.

The article the is not used:

1. In the case when plural nouns are used and we are talking about something general. For example: Flowers bloomed in the spring. In this case, we are talking about all the flowers, we are not specifying them, which means the article the is not used.
2. Not used before names, or before proper names. For example: Anne came home.
3. Before the names of cities, countries, rivers, lakes, parks and islands. New York, Spain, Russia.
4. The names of various sports, activities, colors, days, months and drinks do not use an article. For example: May, green, Sunday.
5. In the case when the text contains the pronouns those, that and this, we do not put the. And also before possessive pronouns. This house is beautiful.
6. There are certain situations when this article may or may not be placed in front of certain words. It all depends on the specific meaning. For example: I go to school - I go to school. My mother went to the school for a meeting. That is, in the case when we are talking about visiting a specific school for a specific purpose, the article may be used.
7. Another option with an exception is the name of the diseases. You can use the at your own discretion.

We have looked at where the article “the” is placed, and where “a” is placed - we will find out a little lower.

Article "a"

Here we will talk about when the article “a” is used in English. First of all, it is worth noting that we are talking about two options. That is, in fact, we will talk about when the articles a and an are used in English. If you're wondering what this is all about, read on. This happens because some nouns begin with vowels, and therefore it is impossible to use the article a, so we put an. Very similar to the situation in Russian – o/ob. Now let’s talk in more detail about when the article “a” is used in English.

1. It is generally accepted that this article can be translated as “some”. That is, if you don’t know when the article a is placed, just try adding this translation to the noun. If the meaning of the phrase is unchanged, then this is the case when the article a/an is used.
2. When an item is mentioned for the first time, an “a” is added. We have already considered the option when the item was declared several times - we put the.
3. As a replacement for the word "per". For example: 5 hours per week can be replaced by 5 hours a week.

We have already looked at when the article “a” is used in English. Now it's time to talk about those cases when it is better to avoid it.

1. We have already said that this article is not placed before plural nouns, as well as before uncountable ones.
2. It should never be used together with pronouns. You choose to use one or the other.
3. There are also set expressions in which the use of articles is simply worth learning. We will talk about them below. There are also exceptions when "a" is not used despite the rules.

Now you and I know exactly where the articles the and a are placed. We will be able to communicate calmly with foreigners, and also tell others ourselves when in English the article “a” is used and when the article “an” is used. But this is not all the information on a given topic. Below we will talk about how articles are placed in English, as well as about those very stable expressions that you just need to learn. Well, let's get started.

A little about is and are

Let's start with the fact that when a preposition is given, “the” is not used in English. Another thing is the article “a”. It is used with the verb is. This happens in cases where any profession is mentioned: She is a doctor. In addition, “a” is always used after expressions with “this is”, “that is”, “it is”. For example: This is a table.

Thus, we have learned a little more about when the article “a” is used in English. The article is not used with the verb are.

Combinations you need to learn

How articles are placed in English, we have figured it out a little. However, as we have stated previously, there are a number of certain exceptions. It is about them that we will talk further.

Despite the rules about when to use the article in English, there are specific variations that are worth remembering.

You need to use the article a or an:

• With diseases: a headache;
• With professions: a doctor(doctor);
• With the verb to have: to have a look (look);
• In stable expressions: as a rule, as a result, as a matter of fact, a lot of, a few, it is a pity, to tell a lie, to go for a walk.

List of set expressions with the article the:

• By the way (by the way);
• On the one hand (on one side);
• In the past (in the past);
• To the right/left (right/left).
• indicating the time: in the morning, in the end, etc.
• With certain words: station, shop, cinema, pub, library, city, village.

We have looked at all the options and exceptions for when to put the articles “a” or “the” in English. And finally, we would like to talk about the history of their appearance.

Excursion into history

In fact, no one can say for sure the date of the appearance of articles in the English language. The fact is that at some point in their development, people simply began to replace the pronoun with an article. However, modern linguists have not been able to understand the origin and reasons.

We wanted to note the fact that even in the 20th century the article was not recognized by everyone as an independent part of speech. And it was completely difficult for foreigners to understand her. Just think, even the Germans did not always understand it right away. And this is taking into account the fact that the German language is famous for its confusing system of articles.

Now you not only know when to use articles in English, but you are also familiar with their history. We hope this inspires you to continue exploring this language. And we wish you success in the theory and practice of the acquired knowledge.

An article is a service word that shows that the word behind it is a noun and describes some of its characteristics. Articles allow us to distinguish them from other parts of speech. They perform other tasks as well.

There are two articles in English: uncertain — a (an) And definite — the.

The indefinite article before words that begin with a consonant sound is used in the form a[ə], for example: a desk [ə’desk], a book [ə’bʊk]; before words that begin with a vowel sound - in the form an[ən], for example: an animal [ən’ænɪməl], an eye [ən’aɪ]. The name of the article itself (without a noun) always sounds [еɪ].

Definite article the before words that begin with a consonant sound, it is pronounced as [ðə], for example: the table [ðə’teɪbl], the pen [ðə’pen]; before words that begin with a vowel sound, like [ðɪ], for example: the apple [ðɪ’æpl], the arm [ðɪ’ɑːm]. The name of the article itself is always pronounced as [ðɪ].

When writing and pronouncing articles, it is important what sound the word begins with, not what letter. For example, if the initial letter u reads like [ʌ], then you need to put an(an uncle [ən’ʌŋkl]), but if so, then - a(a union [ə’ju:nɪon]).

Another example: if at the beginning of a word the letter h pronounced, then you need to put a(a hen [ə’hen] chicken), but if not pronounced, then - an(an hour [ən’auə] hour).

Indefinite article
• has two forms - A And an;
• denotes an incomprehensible/unfamiliar object.

Definite article
• has one form - the;
• denotes an understandable/familiar object.

Articles are never stressed and in speech merge with the word following them. When there is an adjective, the article is placed before it. Compare: an apple - a big green apple.

Use of the article

When using articles, it is important to consider what number (singular or plural) the noun is in and what its type is, namely: common or proper, countable or uncountable, abstract or concrete.

In many cases, the use (or absence) of the article is governed by grammatical rules, but in some cases it is traditional. Such cases must be remembered.

Indefinite article

The indefinite article comes from the numeral one(one). It is not usually translated into Russian, but it could be translated as “one”, “one of” or “some”, “some”. Therefore, the indefinite article can only be used with countable nouns and only in the singular.’

The indefinite article is used:
1. When an object, creature or person is mentioned for the first time, for example: I see a boy (I see (some) boy).
2. If revolution is used there is, for example: There is an apple in my pocket (I have an apple in my pocket/in my pocket).
3. If revolution is used have something/ have got something, for example: I have (got) an orange (I have an orange).
4. If the profession, position, nationality and other characteristics of a person are called, for example: I am a teacher (I am a teacher); Her son is a pupil (Her son is a student).
5. When you need to indicate that a given object (creature, person) belongs to a certain group (the property of the group is expressed by an adjective), for example: Do you know that town? Yes, it is a nice small town (Do you know this town? Yes, it is a nice little town). (In this case, the item does not need to be mentioned for the first time.)
6. If you need to specifically emphasize that there is only one subject, for example: Do you have pencils? Yes, I have a pencil (Do you have pencils? Yes, there is (one)). (Here, too, the subject does not have to be mentioned for the first time.)

Definite article

The definite article comes from the demonstrative pronoun that(this). He distinguishes a specific object from among similar ones (“this”, “exactly this”, “that very one”).

The definite article is used:
1. If the subject has already been mentioned and the conversation continues specifically about it, for example: My friend has got a dog. He walks with the dog every day (My friend has a dog. He walks the dog every day). But: My friend has got a dog. My sister also has a dog (My friend has a dog. My sister also has a dog).
2. If the object or objects belong to some special group, for example: The flowers in our garden are very beautiful (The flowers in our garden are very beautiful). (Here in our garden there is a special group, so the word flowers is written with a definite article. In this case, the word may be mentioned for the first time, but the article will be definite.)
3. If the noun is preceded by an ordinal number, for example: The second lesson is English. (In this case, we are talking about a specific and unique thing: there can be only one second lesson.)
4. If the noun is preceded by a superlative adjective, for example: Not is the best pupil in our school (He is the best student in our school). (In this case, we are talking about a specific and unique thing: there can only be one best student.)
5. If we are talking about a unique phenomenon or object. (This is why the Earth and the Sun are usually written. Here, using the definite article is similar to capitalizing a word in Russian.)
6. If we are talking about familiar objects of furniture and the surrounding world, for example: Where is my coat? It hangs at the door (Where is my coat? It hangs at the door). (It is not necessary that a specific door is meant - just a familiar piece of furniture is called).
7. If an abstract noun is used in some of its particular manifestations, for example: I cannot see anything in the darkness! (I can't see anything in this darkness!)

Absence of article (zero article)

In the absence of an article, they also say that there is a zero article.

The article is missing in the following cases.
1. When an object (thing, creature, person) is mentioned for the first time in the plural, for example: I see boys in the street (I see (some) boys on the street).
2. If revolution is used there are with a plural noun, for example: There are apples in my pocket (I have apples in my pocket).
3. If revolution is used have something/ have got something, for example: I have (got) oranges in my refrigerator (I have oranges in my refrigerator).
4. If the profession, position, nationality and other characteristics of two or more people are called, for example: We are teachers; Her sons are pupils (Her sons are students).
5. When you need to indicate that these items belong to a certain group (the property of the group is expressed by an adjective), for example: Did you hear these songs? Yes, these were very nice songs (Have you heard these songs? Yes, they were very nice songs). (In this case, it is not necessary that the word be called for the first time.)
6. If an abstract noun is used in the most general sense, for example: Darkness is the absence of light (Darkness is the absence of light).
7. If the noun is preceded by a possessive pronoun, for example: My house is yellow (My house is yellow).
8. If there is a negation before a noun no(not not!), for example: We have no bread on the table (We have no bread on the table).

It is important to know! If in cases 1-5 uncountable nouns are used (they do not have a plural), then the article is also absent. All these cases are similar to the use of the indefinite article with singular countable nouns.

Using articles with proper names

Proper names are usually used without an article, for example: Moscow, New York, Elizabeth, Trafalgar Square, Elbrus.

The definite article is used in the following special cases.
1. Names of rivers, seas, oceans, for example: the Mississippi - Mississippi (river); the Baltic Sea - Baltic Sea; the Atlantic Ocean - Atlantic Ocean.
2. The names of some states, for example: the Russian Federation - Russian Federation; the Ukraine - Ukraine; the Brazil - Brazil; the USA - USA; the United Kingdom - United Kingdom.
3. Some other geographical names (with an article - according to tradition), for example: the Caucasus - Caucasus; the Crimea - Crimea; the Hague - The Hague (a city in the Netherlands).
4. Names of mountains (mountain systems), for example: the Alps - Alps.
5. Names of the cardinal directions: the North - north; the South - south; the East - east; the West - west.
6. Names of newspapers and magazines, for example: the Times - “The Times”.
7. Hotel names, for example: the Savoy - “Savoy”.
8. The name of the entire family (all family members) by last name, for example: the Krasnovs - Krasnovs (Krasnov family).

The following proper names are used without an article.
1. Names of continents, for example: America - America; Asia - Asia; Africa - Africa.
2. The names of most countries, for example: Russia - Russia; India - India; France - France; Great Britain - Great Britain.
3. Names of cities, for example: London - London; Paris - Paris; Moscow - Moscow.
4. Names of streets and squares, for example: Green Street - Green Street; Red Square - Red Square.
5. Names of months and days of the week, for example: I’ll see you in September/on Sunday.
6. First and last names, for example: Jack Black, Ivan Petrov.

Collocations with and without articles

Combinations without articles

after school/work - after school/work
at half past two - at half past two
at night - at night
at home - at home; at work - at work
at school - at school (in class)
at table - at the table (that is, at lunch, etc.)
by heart - by heart
by post - by mail
from beginning to end - from beginning to end
from morning till night - from morning to evening
go to bed - go to bed
in front of - ahead
play football/hockey - play football/hockey
to go/come home - go/come home

Combinations with the indefinite article

at a quarter past two - at a quarter past two
go for a walk - go for a walk
have a good time - have a good time
have a look - take a look
in a hurry - in a hurry
in a low/loud voice - quiet/loud
It's a pity! - It's a pity!
It's a pleasure! - Very nice!
It's a shame! - Ashamed!

Combinations with the definite article

go to the theater/cinema - go to the theater/cinema
in the country - outside the city, in the village
in the morning/afternoon/evening - in the morning/afternoon/evening
keep the house - stay at home
on/to the right/left - right, right/left, left
play the piano/guitar - play the piano/guitar
the other day - the other day
What is the time? - What time is it now?

It is impossible to boast of knowledge of English grammar without knowing seemingly insignificant but important details, for example, articles. One of the most insidious and treacherous of them is the definite article “the”. When communicating with a native speaker, it is very easy to get burned by using it inappropriately, or vice versa, by missing it. Knowing the following 10 rules, you can
strengthen your knowledge on the front of articles and be more confident in the correctness of your sayings. But be extremely careful - the rules are full of exceptions and pitfalls. Don't say “thanks” just yet. Check what we have in store for ya!

Let's start with something simple. You use an article when you want to distinguish a word from its other possible versions. If there is no confusion regarding what you mean, then you don't use the article. So if everyone already knows, for example, where you go to school (university or work), you simply say: “I"m going to school,” because there is no confusion. Or if you say that are you ever going to go to school in general, you don't use articles « the" The same applies to the house - usually everyone has one, and hell and Heaven, about which everyone knows. So, the next time you think about where you will go after death, think in English, and do it correctly: “I"m going to hell.” However, when we talk about special hell of a specific religion, the article “the” should already be: “ The hell of Islam is far worse than the hell of Chirstianity.»

With that being said, it is important to remember that if countable noun (one gun, two guns), That always use the article (the / a / an). And at the same time remember that can't bet his before plural (guns, books) or innumerablenouns(water, blood, advice, chocolate, meat etc.).

Generally

We don't put « the", When talking about something generally, without specifics.

Cats are awesome pets!

Here we are not talking about one specific awesome cat or pet, but about all awesome cats and pets at once.

Women love it when men do it right.
People are evil in that neighborhood.

Sport

Names of sports and other types of physical activity don't require article "the".

I love to go skiing in the winter.
I play baseball every day after school.
He loves watching hockey on TV.
She does yoga 3 times a week.
My daughter really enjoys dancing.

Family

We use « the"when we talk about family(by last name), but not about a specific person or combinations with names:

We"re having dinner with the Smiths tonight.
The Browns are going to the play with us.

John is coming over later.
Mary Carpenter is my boss.
Prince Charles is Queen Elizabeth's son.
President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

Numbers

We don’t put an article, When:

• after the noun there is a number:

He's staying at the Haunted hotel in room 221.
The train to Noplaceville leaves from platform 2.
My Exorcism class is in room 6 on the first floor(“first” is the adjective in this sentence and describes “the floor.”)

• year indicated:

1948 was a wonderful year.
He was born in 1995 .

We put the article before:

• superlative adjectives and ordinal numbers:

the third movie
the tallest kid
the last hour

• decades and other periods of years:

I"m the kid of the nineties.
This is a painting from the 1820's.

Only

If there is such a word in a sentence, then feel free to put “the” in front of it:

This is the only day we"ve had sunshine all week.
You are the only person she will listen to.
The only tea I like is black tea.

Not for the first time

We put " a"when we talk about something for the first time, and then change to « the"when what is being discussed is it's becoming clear. Also put « the"when everything is with completely obvious, or when something or someone is one of a kind. Using this rule, you will be right in most cases, but remember about hell and Heaven.

He was talking to a man. The man was laughing.
She gave him a present. The present was very expensive.
I cleaned the bathroom this morning.
The sun is hot today.
He walked around the world.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

We don't use article before the names of meals:

We had lunch at noon.
I have breakfast at 7 a.m.

Proper names

Majority names holidays, companies, languages, countries, streets, airports, stations, cities, continents, islands, individual mountains, lakes etc. - all these are proper names, and article Here usually not needed. But it is precisely in this section of the rules for using “the” that there is many exceptions, so be extremely careful.

McDonald's has restaurants in 119 countries.
Victoria Station is in the center of London.
Can you direct me to Bond Street?
She lives in Florence.
I got some cool ideas for Halloween. (there is only 1 Halloween that everyone knows about)
Asia and Europe are two continents, in case you didn't know.
Her son graduated from Harvard. (but “He has a master’s degree from the University of Toronto»).
I"m leaving for America next week (but " the United States»).
Lake Ontario and Lake Huron are 2 of the Great Lakes(“the Great Lakes” - a group of lakes on the border between Canada and the United States requires an article).
I teach people how to speak English / Chinese / Spanish / Russian(however, when talking about the inhabitants of a particular nation: “ The Spanish are known for their warm hospitality").
Mount Everest is the one I plan to climb next week (but “ the Ends», « the Rockies" or unusual names of individual mountains, such as Mt. " the Matterhorn"(peak in the Pennine Alps).
Easter Island, Maui, Key West- none of these islands I "ve visited (but chains islands like " the Aleutians», « the Hebrides" or" the Canary Islands» require an article).

Names, establishments and places

We don't use « the" before:

• names of professions, school subjects, shops and some places:

My office is located on Main Street/Washington Blvd..
I usually go to church on Sundays.
Did you go to school today?
She's studying business at university.
Engineering is a well-paid career.
He'll probably study medicine.
I"ll get the card at Smith's.
Can you go to Boots for me?

• names of subjects at school:

math
geography
business
history
science

• before the following words in a general sense:

school
prison
college

I hope to go to college.
He spent three years in prison.

We use « the" before:

• names of rivers, oceans and seas ( the Nile, the Pacific,the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Black Sea, the Thames);
• countries ( the Netherlands, the Philippines), also before those whose names include the words " republic", « states" And " kingdom» ( the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom);
• points of the globe ( the Equator, the North Pole);
• geographical areas ( the Middle East, the West);
• deserts, forests, sea bays and peninsulas ( the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula).
• names of newspapers and famous buildings, works of art, museums and monuments ( the New York Times, the Guardian,the Vietnam Memorial, the Louvre, the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower,the Globe).
• before the names of hotels and restaurants, unless they are named after a person ( the Golden Lion, the Hilton).
• in front of already known places that people usually go to ( the bank, the supermarket, the doctor's)

Let's go the movies.
My dad is in the hospital(Americans will put the article here, but the British may omit it).
She works at the post office.
What time do you have to be at the airport?
Please drop me off at the bus stop.
She doesn't like to go to the doctor or the dentist.

Abbreviations

Or acronyms are shortened forms of the name of something, using the capital letters of each word to form a new one. So, if the acronym is pronounced like a word, We we don't use « the»:

NATO['neɪtoʊ] (North Atlantic Treaty Organization here pronounced as one word) ambassadors met to discuss the situation.
UNSECO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was formed in 1946.
Sorry, you've got AIDS(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

The same goes for abbreviations names of educational institutions:

She has a Ph. D from MIT(Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

However, if the abbreviation is spelled out, That article"the" is needed. And you may well say the NATO member(NATO member).

The UN was created after the Second World War (United Nations = UN and spelled).

The same applies to the following abbreviations:

the EU(European Union)
the US(United States)
the CIA(Central Intelligence Agency)
the FBI(Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Now, in theory, you should be from “the” to “you,” but do not rush to become familiar. Don't forget about exceptions and the main rule. Good luck in learning English and keep the progress going!

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

Articles in English a/an And the indicate the degree of certainty of a subject in a given context or in general. In Russian, they, as function words, are absent and are not translated from English, but sometimes they can “occur” in phrases like: “I know a girl. This girl studies at our school." Or: “One boy loved to read. This boy once found a very interesting book..."

Therefore, on an intuitive level, sometimes we also use the words “one / one / one / alone” when we first mention an object, and “this / this / this / these” when we use it again in speech. This can be found especially often in fairy tales: “Once upon a time there was an old man...”

Use of articles in English

Correct use of articles in English often causes difficulty. There are, of course, rules for using certain articles - a/ an, the, zero article, but since native speakers trust, first of all, their intuition and logic, then by putting ourselves in their place and trying to think like them, we could make the task much easier.

What is this certainty/uncertainty?

I have bought a dog. - I bought a dog. In this context, you are talking about a dog for the first time; this means “some dog, one of many.” It is not yet clear to the listener which specific dog we are talking about, so in this example we use the indefinite article -a.

The dog is very cute. - The dog is very cute. Now you are already talking about “a specific dog - the one that you bought. The listener already understands that we are talking about your dog, so there is already a definite article -the. In other words, as in the “bearded” joke about English for “new Russians”: the article -a means “type”, and -the - “specifically”, i.e. one of many or a specific example.

Table of articles in English

It will help to systematize all of the above. table of articles in English.

The

A/An

Zero article:

If you still have questions on the topic of articles in English, Double You Studio, an English language school in Kiev (suburb, Vishnevoe, Sofievskaya Borshchagovka, Boyarka, Petrovskoe), will help you figure it out.

Today we will talk about the rules for using articles in English. There is no such concept in Russian grammar, so this topic is considered one of the most difficult. But in our article we will try to clarify everything. Using clear examples, we will show when the definite article the is used, and in which cases the indefinite article a/an or the zero article is used.

General rules for using articles in English

Why do we need an article in English at all? Its main function is to indicate the definiteness or uncertainty of a noun. Therefore, there are two articles in English - the indefinite article a/an (indefinite article) and the definite article the (definite article). There is also such a thing as a zero article.

The choice of one of the articles is inextricably linked with:

• Indefinite article a/an is used with singular countable nouns.
• Definite article the can be used with countable nouns (regardless of their number) and with uncountable nouns.
• Zero article used with uncountable nouns or with plural countable nouns.

I heard a story(singular countable noun). - I heard history.
It is good advice(uncountable noun). - This one good advice.
I liked the films(plural countable noun). - I liked movies.

Students often make three common mistakes when choosing an article:

1. Use the indefinite article a/an with plural countable nouns:

   I'd like to buy a books. - I would like to buy books.

2. Use the indefinite article a/an with uncountable nouns:

   I love a modern furniture. - I love modern furniture.

3. Use singular countable nouns without articles:

   You should visit doctor a doctor. - You should go to doctor.
   Give this toy to dog the dog. - Give me this toy dog.

If a noun is used with an adjective, then the article is placed before the adjective.

It is a hot day. - Today hot day.
It is the hottest day of this week. - This hottest day for this week.

We do not use the articles a, an or the if the noun already has:

• (my - mine, his - his);
• (this - this, that - that);
• numeral (one - one, two - two).

This is my house. - This my house.
I have one sister. - I have one sister.

The main principle of choosing an article in English: we use the indefinite article a/an when we are not talking about a specific object, person or phenomenon, but about one of many. If we are talking about something or someone specific, we use the definite article the.

Articles are not translated into Russian, but if you try to translate according to their meaning, the indefinite article means “one”, the definite article means “this”, “that”.

I need a purse. - I need handbag. (just one handbag)
I need the purse I took yesterday. - I need handbag which I took yesterday. (that same, specific handbag)

Watch two video clips: the first is about any film, and the other is about a specific one:

To make it easier for you to remember the general rules for using articles in English, we suggest keeping our author’s diagram for yourself.

The indefinite article a/an in English

The choice of the indefinite article a or the indefinite article an depends on the sound with which the word following the article begins.

We put the article a, if the word begins with a consonant: a f ilm /ə fɪlm/ (film), a c ake /ə keɪk/ (pie), a p lace /ə pleɪs/ (place).

We put the article an, if the word begins with a vowel sound: an a rm /ən ɑːm/ (hand), an e gg /ən eɡ/ (egg), an i nteresting /ən ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ book (interesting book).

note:

The words house (house) and hour (hour) begin with the letter h. In the word house /haʊs/ the first sound is a consonant, which means we put the article a - a house in front of it, and in the word hour /ˈaʊə(r)/ the first sound is a vowel, which means we choose the article an - an hour.

The words university (university) and umbrella (umbrella) begin with the letter u. In the word university /juːnɪˈvɜː(r)səti/ the first sound is a consonant, which means we need the article a - a university, and in the word umbrella /ʌmˈbrelə/ the first sound is a vowel, which means we use the article an - an umbrella.

In addition to the general rules, there are also special cases of using the indefinite article a/an:

1. When we classify someone or something, that is, we indicate which group, type, genus this someone or something belongs to.

   She's a nurse. - She works nurse.
   Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink. - “Coca-Cola” - non-alcoholic carbonated drink.

2. To indicate singularity when expressing measures of time, distance, weight, quantity, periodicity.

   Lemonade costs 2 dollars a liter. - Lemonade costs two dollars per ( one) liter.
   I drive at 50 kilometers an hour. - I drive at a speed of 50 kilometers in ( one) hour.
   I want a hundred roses. - Want one hundred (one hundred) roses

You will find more information on this topic in the article “The indefinite article in English".

The definite article the in English

In the general rules, we described the main cases of using the article the; now we will consider many special cases:

1. The definite article the is used with one-of-a-kind, exceptional objects: the sun (sun), the environment (environment), the internet (Internet).

   An adjective will help make objects unique: the tallest building (the tallest building), the best singer (the best singer), the most expensive car (the most expensive car).

   And thanks to the words only, same, first, objects also become unique: the same exam, the only person, the first time.

   Yuri Gagarin was the first person in space. - Yuri Gagarin was first person in space.

2. To describe or indicate a group of objects, a certain class as a whole, use the construction “the + singular countable noun.”

   The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world. - Cheetahs- the fastest animals in the world. (we are not talking about one cheetah, but about a species of animal)
   I play the piano. - I play on piano.
   I consider the telephone to be the most important invention. - I believe that telephone- this is the most important invention.

3. Also, when talking about a group of people, use the construction “the + adjective”. Please note that the verb in this case will be plural.

   For example: the young (youth), the poor (poor), the homeless (homeless).

   The young always argue with their parents. - The youth always argues with his parents.

   The same construction is used with adjectives that end in -ch, -sh, -ese, if all representatives of a nation are meant.

   For example: the French (French), the English (English), the Chinese (Chinese).

   The French are charming. - French people adorable.
   The Vietnamese are very hard-working. - Vietnamese very hardworking.

4. When referring to all family members as a group of people, use the definite article the and the plural surname: the Joneses.
5. The definite article the is often used with names:
   • buildings (hotels, cinemas, theaters, museums, galleries, restaurants, pubs) - the Plaza hotel, the Odeon, the Kremlin, the Red Lion pub a lion");
   • newspapers (the article is part of the name and is written with a capital letter) - The Times (the Times newspaper), The Guardian (the Guardian newspaper);
   • sporting events - the FIFA World Cup (World Cup);
   • historical periods and events - the Bronze Age (Bronze Age), the Vietnam War (Vietnam War);
   • famous ships and trains - the Mayflower (ship "Mayflower");
   • organizations, political parties, institutions - the Red Cross, the Democratic Party;
   • with those names in which there is a preposition of - the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Leaning Tower of Pisa), the University of Cambridge (Cambridge University)
6. The definite article the is also used with some geographical names:
   • with countries that contain the words states (states), kingdom (kingdom), federation (federation), republic (republic), emirates (emirates) in their names - the United States of America (United States of America), the United Kingdom (Great Britain) , the Dominican Republic (Dominican Republic), the Russian Federation (Russian Federation);
   • with the names of rivers, seas, canals, oceans, deserts, groups of islands, chains of mountains: the Amazon, the Maldives, the Black Sea, the Sahara, the Panama Canal ).
7. With the words theater (theatre), cinema (cinema), radio (radio), when we talk about pastime.

   I often go to the cinema with my friends. - I often go to movie with friends.

Zero article in English

In English there are nouns with which the article is not used; such an article is called zero.

The article is not used in the following cases:

1. With uncountable nouns that denote food, substances, liquids, gases and abstract concepts.

   I don't eat rice. - I do not eat rice.

2. With plural countable nouns, we talk about something in general.

   Wolves are predators. - Wolves- predators. (all wolves)

3. With names and surnames of people.

   James likes golf. - James loves golf.

4. With titles, ranks and forms of address, followed by the name - Queen Victoria (Queen Victoria), Mr Smith (Mr. Smith).
5. With the names of continents, countries, cities, streets, squares, bridges, parks, isolated mountains, individual islands, lakes.

   He went to Australia. - He went to Australia.

6. With names of pubs, restaurants, shops, banks and hotels that have a last name or first name that ends in -s or -"s - McDonald's, Harrods.
7. With the names of sports, games, days of the week, months, meals, with the word TV (television).

   Let's meet on Thursday and watch TV. - Let's meet at Thursday and we'll see TV.
   I don't play football in February. - I don't play football V February.

8. With the words church (church), college (college), court (court), hospital (hospital), prison (prison), school (school), university (university), when we talk about them in general as public institutions. However, if we mean a building, we use the definite article the or the indefinite article a/an depending on the context.

   Noah is at school. - Noah in school. (He's a student)
   His mother is at the school on a parents’ meeting. - His mother is in school at the parent meeting. (she came to a certain school building)

9. In some fixed expressions, for example:
   • go to bed / be in bed;
   • go to work / be at work / start work / finish work;
   • go home / come home / arrive home / get home / be at home;
   • go to sea / be at sea.

   My husband is a night-watchman, so he goes to work when I go home. - My husband is a night watchman, that's why he he's going to work, when I I am going home.
   Did you go to sea while I was in bed? - You went to the sea, while I was in bed?

10. When describing a method of transportation with the preposition by: by bus (by bus), by car (by car), by plane (by plane), by foot (on foot).

Finally, we suggest you take our test to consolidate new material.

Test for the use of articles in English

If you think that the meaning of speech will be clear without using articles in English, you are right. They will understand you, but for native speakers it will sound about the same as for us the speech of foreigners without genders and cases: “I want water,” “My car is fast.” If you want to speak English fluently and fluently, we recommend that you save this article.

Please note that we have given the basic rules for using articles in English. In addition to them, there are many more nuances, exceptions and special cases that students with a level and above study.