The Articles in English

The forms of the article

1. The indefinite article [A / AN]
a hospital an heir
a university an umbrella
a VIP an MP

2. The definite article [THE]

the hospital the heir
the university the umbrella
the VIP the MP

3. The zero article (no article)

a man ᴓ men
an elephant ᴓ elephants
the MP ᴓ MPs
Articles with different classes of nouns
  Countable Nouns
Singular Plural Uncountable Nouns

Indefinite article an egg an eggs a sugar

No article egg eggs sugar

Definite article the egg the eggs the sugar

Articles with different classes of nouns
  Countable Nouns
Singular Plural Uncountable Nouns

Indefinite article an egg

No article eggs sugar

Definite article the egg the eggs the sugar

Special usage!
1. Indefinite article with uncountable nouns (“a type of…” / “such
type of…”)

Examples:
An education which does not include foreign languages is obsolete now.
A patriotism which is founded on hostility towards other nations is destructive.
He has a knowledge of history that would impress a university professor.
 Special usage!
 

2. The zero article with singular countable nouns in idiomatic expressions

Examples:
• at home, at work, go to prison, be at school
• day by day, from father to son, live from hand to mouth, by hook or by crook, cheek to cheek
• in winter, at midnight, at dawn, travel by night, be paid by day
• be appointed chair of the committee, be elected senator, be nominated Vice-President
• go on foot, go by train, contact by e-mail, send by post, made by hand,
• cut school, abandon ship, declare war, go to sea, send word, take office, take sth to heart,
make way, set sail, lie face down,
The meanings of the articles

The articles are used with common nouns:

- to generalize
(general reference, non-specific reference)

- to specify
(definite, specific, concrete, defined reference)
 General, non-specific meaning (‘any’)
  Countable Nouns Uncountable Nouns
singular plural
To refer to an instance of a class      
(of things, people, phenomena) He bought her a He bought her He bought her wine/
flower. flowers/ some some wine.
  flowers.

To define, to say that a given      

item belongs to a certain class This is a flower. There are flowers. This is wine.
(of things, people, phenomena)

To generalize about a whole The tiger is in danger Tigers are in danger of  

class (of things, people, of extinction. extinction.  
phenomena)
 Definite, specific, concrete, defined etc. meaning
Definite because… Countable Nouns Uncountable Nouns

singular
… it has already been A: I gave her a scarf and a
mentioned card for birthday.
B: Was the scarf
expensive?
plural
A: I gave her ᴓ / some A: I gave her ᴓ / some
flowers and a card for wine and a card for
birthday. birthday.
B: Were the flowers B: Was the wine
expensive? expensive?

…it is further defined by She lost the scarf (that) I She threw out the flowers She spilt the wine (that) I
some phrase or clause gave her. (that) I gave her. gave her.

…it is known, obvious to Lets’ go to the library. She kissed him on the Turn off the light.
the speakers which one is cheeks.
meant
…it’s unique in general or The sun has just set. The main streets in towns The truth will eventually
in the specific context usually lead to the Old win.
Town.