Articles

How do we use articles in English?
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ARTICLES

Are words used before nouns to denote that they are definite or indefinite.

The, a, and an are most often used before nouns to refer to people, things, or ideas. Generally, no article is used before the names of particular people or singular places.

South America 

Main Street  

Everest 

Lake Ontario  

President Bush  

Stanford University 

Dr. Lyons.

Plural place names and some names of geographical areas take the.

We flew from the United States to the Caribbean. 

We’re going skiing in the Rockies. 

They crossed the Sahara Desert.

a / an

v USED TO REFER TO A PARTICULAR ITEM THAT IS NOT YET KNOWN TO THE SPEAKER, THE LISTENER, OR BOTH

The indefinite article is used to introduce a single item for the first time.

Is that noise an ambulance or a police car? 

Do you have a pen I could use?

v USED TO STATE WHAT TYPE OF THING SOMETHING IS

A and an are used to say what group a particular person or thing belongs to.

She’s an economist. 

This is a wonderful surprise!

v USED TO MEAN “ONE” OR “EACH”

The indefinite article is preferred to one when talking about a single thing or person.

The thieves took a painting and four silver candlesticks. 

They’re only going to stay for a day or two.

It is also commonly used with words for quantities ending in 00 and with dozen.

a hundred, a thousand, a million

One is used for emphasis or in order to contrast with other numbers.

Give me one good reason why I should! 

Last year we sold three thousand copies, but we sold only one thousand this year.

A and an are used with units and some other words to mean “each.”

It costs $12.95 a yard (= for each yard). 

He reads three books a week.

the

v USED TO REFER TO ONE OR MORE PARTICULAR ITEMS THAT ARE KNOWN

The is used when something introduced earlier is referred to again.

They served a piece of meat and some potatoes. The meat was revolting, but I managed to eat the potatoes.

The is also used when it is very clear what is being referred to, even if it has not been mentioned before.

The moon looks beautiful tonight. 

The phone’s ringing. 

What’s the date? 

Can I use the bathroom?

v USED TO MAKE GENERAL OR INDEFINITE PHRASES THAT REFER TO PARTICULAR ITEMS

In the examples below, the nouns in the sentences on the left refer generally to a group of items, or to particular items that are not known or specified. In the sentences on the right, the noun phrases refer to particular things. The definite article is then required.

Normally I like music.  

Normally I like the music you like.

Managers often complain.   

The managers in our office often complain.

A man called.       

The man you met yesterday called.

no article

v USED TO MAKE GENERAL STATEMENTS

A noun that has no plural is labeled [U]. In general statements using [U] nouns, no article is used.

History is my favorite subject. 

Life is too short to worry about money. 

Classical music will never be as popular as pop music.

Usually with [C] nouns the plural is used without an article in general statements.

Elephants can’t jump. 

Do you like strawberries?

It is also possible to make general statements using a definite or indefinite article before a [C] noun.

An injured lion (= any injured lion) is an extremely dangerous animal. 

Does the computer (= Do computers in general) really save time and money? 

The Italians and the Turks are very different, I think.

Some general rules

Example sentences in the dictionary show how particular nouns are used with a, an, and the, or with no article. The following table gives approximate rules for some common types of nouns.

       a or an    the  no article

v days, months, holidays Come on Monday. 

I was born on a Friday. 

I’m going home for Thanksgiving.

v languages      I’m trying to learn Japanese.

v nationalities ending in -s      (the) Mexicans

v nationalities (other endings) the French

v meals     I don’t usually eat breakfast.

v musical instruments      I play drums. 

 She’s learning the piano. • He bought a guitar.

v job names      She’s a dancer.

v professions    He wants to go into teaching.

v sports and games Do you play chess?

v titles used alone    the Pope • the president

v years      Tyler was born in 1985.

v years in groups      He grew up during the 1950s.