English B2

UNIT 1
Articles
Teacher: Dr. A.Daukšaitė-Kolpakovienė
Institute of Foreign Languages, Vytautas Magnus University
 Indefinite article
• A/An – for singular countable nouns to talk about
indefinite (not specific) things or one thing (e.g. a class)
• Plural nouns never go with a/an
• An - when a noun starts with a vowel or an adjective that
modifies a noun that starts with a vowel (e.g. an apple, an
interesting subject but a subject)
• A/An - othen used after the verbs be and have
• A/An – to mean per (e.g. 5 days a week)
• H - a history but an hour
 Definite article
Use the definite article (the) when something is specific
(it may be singular or plural):

• When referring to something that is already known to

the listener because it has been mentioned before.
E.g. So I showed the photos to the police. (I’ve mentioned
these photos before.)

• When referring to something that is already known to

the listener because it is obvious from the context.
E.g. I forgot to give the cat her supper. (It is obvious I am
talking about my cat.)

• Superlatives (e.g. the best, the greatest).

• Ordinal numbers (e.g. the first).
• Words like last, next, only (when they do not refer to
time)
 Definite article
• When a defining or prepositional phrase makes the
noun (singular or plural) specific.
E.g. It’s the house at the top of the street.
• The words: beach, cinema, coast, country(side),
earth, ground, jungle, radio, sea, seaside, sky,
theatre, weather, station, library, pub, post office,
centre, shop, village, city, morning, evening,
afternoon
• TV (television) vs the TV (the device) – different
meanings
• The is optional with seasons
The old, the sick, the young, the
unemployed, etc.
 Zero article
Use the zero article (no article):
• Before abstract nouns.
E.g. you can’t stop time.
• Before general plural nouns.
E.g. Computers are very powerful now.
• But if the abstract or plural noun is made
specific by a defining phrase, we use an
article.
E.g. The computers we’ve just bought are
fantastic.
 Zero article
• Before people’s names and the names of
most companies, materials.
• E.g. Jane works for Deutsche Bank.
• Before the names of types of institutions
(used for the purpose for which they are
built), for example, school, hospital,
university, college, church, prison, court.
E.g. My brother is about to start school.
But if we are referring to a particular building,
we use the definite article.
E.g. Excuse me. Is the school near here?