THE USE OF ARTICLES (A/AN – THE – ZERO ARTICLE)

Ø Oranges are a very good source of vitamin C.

plural nouns (oranges), referred to in general  ZERO ARTICLE

 Give me the orange that is on the table.

that specific orange  DEFINITE ARTICLE THE

 I would like an orange, please.

any orange  INDEFINITE ARTICLE A/AN

ZERO ARTICLE – Ø
with plural nouns, when we refer to them in general

 Ø Families and communities are close.

with nouns such as school, home, bed

 Is Sue at Ø home?

 She’s gone to Ø bed.

 They’re at Ø school.

with proper names

 Ø Peter/ John/ Mary
ZERO ARTICLE – Ø
with names of cities, countries, continents…

 Ø Los Angeles/ London/ Lisbon/ Portugal/ France/ Europe/ Asia

…streets, squares, circuses

 Ø Oxford Street/ Trafalgar Square/ Piccadilly Circus

…mountains and lakes

 Ø(Mount) Everest/ Lake Michigan

…meals

 We usually have Ø breakfast at 7 o’clock.

ZERO ARTICLE – Ø
…times of the day

 We left at Ø midday/ lunchtime/ night/ midnight/ sunrise.

…methods of travelling

 by Ø train/ bus/ car/ bicycle/ sea/ boat/ coach

…sports or games

 Ø football/ basketball/ chess

DEFINITE ARTICLE – THE (o, a, os, as)
before something specific or unique
 The breakfast at your sister’s was very good.

 The blue jacket is mine.

 We came by the early train/ the 95 bus.

 the Earth is round.

before names of rivers, oceans, seas, waterways and deserts

 the (River) Mersey/ Atlantic Ocean/ Mediterranean Sea

 the English Channel/ Sahara Desert

before names of families and types of people

 the Simpsons / the Hamish
DEFINITE ARTICLE – THE (o, a, os, as)
before names of cinemas, theatres, hotels, museums and newspapers
 the National Theatre/ Star Hotel/ British Museum/ Daily Mirror

with the names of united countries

 the United States/ United Kingdom/ Soviet Union

before names of roads and directions

 the London road / the way to the Cathedral

before names of mountain ranges

 the Himalayas
DEFINITE ARTICLE – THE (o, a, os, as)
Pay attention!
 I’m going to the hospital to see Paul.

that specific hospital, where Paul is

 Stand on the bed to reach the lamp.

that specific bed, the one the person is on

 She’s going to the school to see John.

that specific school, where John is

 the morning/ afternoon/ evening (EXCEPTION)

INDEFINITE ARTICLE – A/AN
A (um/uma)
before singular words beginning with a consonant

A horse A school A game A boy

before mute U and EU

A university A european country

AN (um/uma)
before singular words beginning with a vowel

An apple An egg An igloo An umbrella

before mute H

An hour An honest person

INDEFINITE ARTICLE – A/AN
before unspecific singular nouns
 She dressed a fashionable shirt.

 She’s an intelligent girl.

 Could you give me a pen?

 A doctor must respect people.

before names of professions, numerical expressions or expressions of price

 Pat is a doctor.
 I paid a hundred dollars for my new jacket.