ARTICLES
1
Articles
• A determiner
• A word which is used with a noun, and which refers to
something definite or indefinite
• How many articles?
• Definite article (THE)
• Indefinite article (A/AN, zero)
2
Indefinite Article – A/ AN
• Used with singular countable nouns only
• Used to talk about one of something which we assumed the
listener/ reader doesn’t know which specific thing
A car drove past.
3
Definite Article THE
• Used with
• singular countable nouns
• plural countable nouns
• uncountable nouns
A man is coming to fix the television.
• Used to talk about a specific example of something which (we
think) is known to both ourselves and the listener/ reader.
The cars were parked illegally in the city center.
4
Zero Article
• Used with
• uncountable nouns
• plural countable nouns
• Used to talk about things generally, not an individual item or
example
Money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness.
Students never like tests.
5
THE or Zero?
THE + nouns that are always singular
• Something which is considered there is only one in existence
(unique)
• the sun
• the moon
• the seaside
• the UN
• the government
• Superlatives
• He’s the best accountant in town.
6
THE or Zero
Nouns with ZERO
• Uncountable and plural countable nouns with a general sense
(to refer to general ideas and categories)
Cars and buses are a major source of pollution in cities.
• Abstract uncountable nouns
Laughter is good for you.
“Intelligence is something you are born with, not something you
learn.”
7
General or Specific – THE
General Specific
The music of Skalkottas is
I like all kinds of music. virtually unknown outside
Greece.
It was a film about the life of a
Is there life after death?
polar explorer.
The students who once failed
Students don’t like exams.
this test are very nervous.
8
Classifying – Referring to a group
1. Plural nouns with zero article
Seagulls are found close to the coast. (generally)
2. Singular nouns with A/ AN
A seagull is a large white and grey bird. (all seagulls)
I’ve been studying a seagull. (one particular seagull)
I’ve been studying seagulls. (seagulls as a group)
3. Singular nouns with THE
The blackbird has a lovely song.
9
Classifying – Special Groups
1. Parts of the body
I looked at him straight in the eye.
He’s a pain in the neck.
• When the noun is related to the OBJECT of the sentence (or SUBJECT in
passive) ➔ THE
The bird was shot in the wing.
He gave the child a pat on the back.
• When the noun is related to the SUBJECT of the sentence ➔
POSSESSIVES
That seagull had hurt its wing.
He’s had a lot of trouble with his heart.
10
Classifying – Special Groups
2. Musical instruments
• About instruments generically
The horn is one of the most difficult orchestral instruments to play.
• About bands, orchestras, recordings, etc.
I used to play trumpet in my school orchestra.
Does that recording have Clapton on guitar?
3. Scientific inventions
It would be difficult to imagine life without the telephone.
It would be very difficult these days to live life without video/ email.
11
THE + adjective/ verb
THE + adjective ➔ personal noun
• The unemployed are calling for more government spending.
• The wounded were taken to the nearest hospital.
• The British are said to be very unfriendly.
• The accused is a young man with two previous convictions for
robbery.
12
THE + adjective
THE + adjective ➔ abstract noun
• Out with the old, bring in the new.
• This is the ultimate in the chocolate cake.
• The unknown is often very frightening.
• into the open, for the common good, out of the ordinary, in the
extreme, on the loose, to the full
13
Summary of Article Uses
singular plural
uncountable
countable countable
definite THE THE THE
(known) (specific) (specific) (specific)
indefinite A / AN zero zero
(not known) (not specific) (general) (general)
14
Special Uses
• THE or Zero with places
I met her at college.
I’ll meet you at the college. (I’ll meet you at college.)
Jane’s in hospital.
I left my coat in the hospital when I visited Jane.
15
Special Uses
• A noun used AFTER A GENITIVE is accompanied by ZERO article
the coat that belongs to John = John’s coat
(NOT John’s the coat or the John’s coat)
• The genitive noun itself may have an article
the wife of the boss = the boss’s wife
• the … OF + a
Lying by the side of the road we saw the wheel of a car.
• Noun modifiers: the article of the first noun is dropped
guitar lessons = lessons in how to play the guitar
16
Special Uses
A/ AN or THE with proper nouns
• We met on a wet Tuesday five years ago. the normal day that scarely anyone knows, except for the speaker
(speacial day)
• She died on the Wednesday after the accident. clarify the meaning of Weds
• There’s a Jane working at the reception. dont know so clearly 'bout that person (just heard 'about/ think that
the listener dont know)
• That’s not the Adam Smith I went to school with. clarify the meaning
Are you sure it's a Van Gogh? a work of art of that person
• The late Michael Jackson was very famous for his songs of peace.
• The artist Joseph Turner was a romantic landscape painter.
• The Robinsons are away this weekend.
17
Special Uses
Jobs and positions
• She’s an architect.
• Queen Elizabeth had dinner with President Kennedy.
• The Queen had dinner with the President.
• He was elected (the) President in 1879.
• I want to see the President.
Illnesses
• I think I’ve got (the) measles.
bệnh có nhiều chủng bệnh --> zero article
• I’m getting toothache. (American English: a toothache)
• EXCEPTION: a cold, a headache bệnh chung chung, có đuôi -ache
18
Basic Uses of A/AN
• With singular countable nouns
• Unknown persons/ things
• She has a car.
• What somebody/ something is
• I’m an engineer.
• Anyone/ anything
• A vegetarian doesn’t eat meat.
19
Basic Uses of THE
• With singular countable nouns, plural countable nouns,
uncountable nouns
• Known persons/ things
• They have a daughter and a son. The boy is a student and
the girl is…
• Uniqueness
• The earth is not a safe place to live anymore.
• General sense
• THE + noun referring to animals and plants
• THE + adjective
• THE + nationality
• THE + scientific invention
• THE + musical instrument 20
