A the or no article usage. Rules for using the indefinite article

20.10.2019

Rules for the use of definite and indefinite articles (Articles) in colloquial English speech.

The correct use of the indefinite and definite articles in English speech is very important for mutual understanding. When communicating with an English-speaking person, you risk being misunderstood if you make mistakes in using the article.

What is an article?

Article in English language- this is a function word, which is one of the main formal features of a noun, defines it, stands before the noun or before the word that defines it. The article is not used on its own, has no meaning and is not translated into Russian.

Example

a pen
a blue pen

V Slavic languages and, in particular, in Russian, articles do not exist, so for many English learners this part of speech causes difficulties in understanding how, where and why to use articles. In English, with the help of articles, a clarification is introduced - we are talking about an abstract or concrete subject.

Indefinite article

The indefinite article has two forms: a and an, used before singular countable nouns. Form a [ə] used before words that begin with a consonant. Form an [æn] used before words that begin with a vowel.

Indefinite (a/an)

The indefinite article a (an) is used:

1. When we mention a subject for the first time.
Example:
I saw a cat. - I saw a cat.

2. Before the names of professions.
Example:
I am a doctor. - I am a doctor.

3. Before a noun if it is preceded by an adjective that describes it.
Example:
She is a beautiful woman. – She is a beautiful woman.

4. In combinations

a couple
a pair
a little
a few

Definite article

The definite article (definite article) has one form the [ði:], is used when we are talking about something specific or previously encountered in the context, conversation, or about what the interlocutor knows from his general knowledge. Definite article the comes from the word that (that), can be used with singular and plural nouns, countable and uncountable.

Although the article the it is always written the same way, its pronunciation differs depending on which letter the next word begins with. Before vowels the pronounced with a long at the end (transcription [ði:]), and before consonants - with the sound [ə] (transcription [ðə]).

Definite (the)

Definite article the used:

1. When we talk about an object or person that has already been mentioned before or from the context, it is clear what we mean.
Example:
I saw a cat. The cat was black.
We've talked about this cat before.

Where is your son? - Where is your son?
He is in the kitchen. - He's in the kitchen.
There is only one kitchen in the house, so it is clear what we mean.

2. In front of items that are unique or exist in a single copy.

The Sun, the Moon, the President (one president in the country)

3. Before adjectives in the superlative degree the best.

4. Before the names:

seas (the Black Sea);
rivers (the Danube);
oceans (the Atlantic Ocean);
newspaper titles (The Times);
hotels (the Black Sea hotel);
theaters, galleries, museums.

Zero article

No article

The article is not used:

1. If we are talking about the subject in general, as a class.
For example: "I am afraid of dogs." - I'm afraid of dogs.
I am not afraid of any particular dog, but of all dogs in general.
That is, I'm talking about dogs in general as a class.

2. The article is not used before:

country names (England);
- exceptions: the USA, The Great Britain;
city names (London);
street names (Bakers street);
languages (English);
airports, stations.

3. Articles are not used in expressions:

at home;
at school;
at university;
at work / to work;
in bed / to bed;
by bus / by train / by car.

Do practice exercises

Supply "a/an", "the" or "--":

Example

He is (_) strong man. – He is a strong man.

I'm going to bed. I've got (_) headache.
Paris is (_) capital of France.
I'll be back in (_) minute.
(_) black is her favorite color.
I go to (_) cinema twice (_) week.
Coffee (_) produced in Brazil.
They make (_) good coffee here.
She does not know (_) English, she speaks (_) Spanish.
My brother, (_) geographic teacher, knows (_) lot about it.
I saw (_) wonderful picture.
Mister Alan grandma was (_) artist.
(_) cats should eat fish.
She is (_) economical woman.
(_) president is changing every 4 years.
I bought (_) couple of glasses in (_) museum yesterday.

When it is clear from the previous context or from the situation which object, phenomenon, etc. is being discussed, or when a specific object, etc., known in the situation to the speaker and listener, is meant, or when the given noun has already been at least earlier mentioned once in this context.
Close the door, please. Close the door, please.
(specific, this door, the door in the room in which the speaker is located or which he has in mind situationally).
Ann is in the garden. Anna (is) in the garden (which is near the house, in the known to us, etc.).
Please pass me the wine. Please pass me the wine (the one on the table).
A car struck a tree. You can see the mark on the car and the tree. The car hit a tree, (some car ran into some tree). Traces of what happened are visible on (this) car and on (that) tree.
Before a singular countable noun that means animate or inanimate object as a representative of the entire class, category or group, i.e., an object that expresses the general in a single concept.
The Hon is the king of beasts. The lion is the king of beasts (all lions).
The young man must be polite. The young person must be polite (a young person representing the younger generation).
Before nouns that are singular:
the Earth - Earth, the Sun - Sun, the sky - sky.
Before nouns that have a definition expressed by a definitive restrictive phrase, sometimes with the preposition of.
The water in the river was very cold. The water in the river (the water in this river) was very cold.
The girl in blue stood by the window. The girl in blue (the girl in blue, not red or white) was standing by the window.
The English teacher of our group was ill. The English teacher of our group was sick.
Usually before nouns:
- which are defined by adjectives in the superlative degree (meaning "most").
  He is the best student in our group. He is the best student in our group.
- which are used with definitions expressed by the words same - the same, very - the same, only - the only one, next - the next, last - the last.
  Read the same text. Read the same (same) text.
  You are the very man I am looking for. You are (exactly) the (most) person I am looking for.
  The next day we went to Moscow. The next day we went to Moscow.
Before nouns denoting the names of rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges, ships, newspapers, some states, cities, as well as before proper names in the meaning of a whole family:
the Volga - Volga, the Black Sea - the Black Sea, the Pacific Ocean - the Pacific Ocean, the Alps - the Alps, the "Kurchatov" - "Kurchatov" (name of the ship), the "Pravda" - "Pravda" (newspaper), the Ukraine - Ukraine, the Smirnovs - Smirnovs (the whole Smirnov family or the husband and wife of the Smirnovs).
Before the names of musical instruments, when this type of instrument is meant in general, and not a unit, one of them.
She learns to play the flute. She is learning to play the flute.

In many foreign languages there is such a thing as an article. To start learning grammar from this topic will be a good option for those who want to know English. Article (the rule of use will help to understand the issue) - service unit speech in English. It shows certainty or indefiniteness. Further in the text, the rules for its use are given when the article a (an), the is omitted.

Types of articles

There are two types of articles in English:

definite - the;
indefinite - a (an) (two forms).

The definite article shows that we are talking about some well-known or familiar subject that is more individualized, somehow stands out from others. And the indefinite one indicates a more generalized meaning or an object that appears in the text for the first time. Examples:

The girl has a dog./The girl has a dog.

From this sentence, it can be understood that we are talking about a particular girl who is already familiar to the reader and she was previously mentioned in the text, but the word “dog” is more generalized, which dog is unknown.

Origin

We have already found out that in English there is such a part of speech as the article: a (an), the. They originally came from other words and to some extent retained their old meaning.

For example, the definite article is an abbreviated form of the word that (that, that), which is why it carries such a specific meaning.

It comes from the word one (someone, some).

Definite article

In English, the definite article has two functions: the first of them is concretizing, and the other is generalizing. And this part of speech is used if a person knows exactly what subject is being discussed, or if this subject is unique.

The definite article in a concretizing meaning

It is used if one object stands out from the whole set, it has some excellent parameters, it is distinguished by a unique case, context. Before adjectives in

He is the best player in our team./He is the best player in our team.

Placed before the words following, last, next, only and very. They make the noun more specific.

And not the next day. / And not the next day.

Superlative adjectives are also preceded by the definite article.

It is the worst day in my life. / This is the worst day in my life.

The definite article in a general sense

In generalizing - when a noun can be attributed to a whole kind of objects.

Examples include the German Shepherd - the double coat is straight, and short length./For example, a German Shepherd. The coat has two characteristics: straight and short in length.

Here we are talking about all dogs belonging to a particular breed.

Omitted if replaced by a possessive pronoun.

She sure had some love for her German Shepards.

If you can put the word "this" before the noun.

The hotel also features easy access to the several subway stations./The hotel is also easily accessible from several subway stations.

When specifying the era, significant events.

The First World War./The First World War.

Before uncountable nouns, only if we are talking about a certain amount of substance.

And then the farmer has to find another way to deliver the juice.

Before the names of body parts.

The hand

Before social classes and strata of society.

The police./Police officers.

The definite article with proper nouns and some titles

It will help to better understand how to use articles with proper names and some names, the table below. All of the following words must be preceded by the definite article the.

proper names	Examples
Rivers	the Nakdong
Names of newspapers	the Washington Post
place names	the North Field
Objects from astronomy	the Moon
Mountain names	the Andes
cardinal directions	in the East
Surnames in the plural (meaning all family members)	the Adamsons
Channels	the Nicaragua Canal
City districts	the West End
Nationalities	the Italian
Unique architectural structures	the Winter Palace
desert	the Bolivian
Names of reservoirs	the Black Sea
Ship names	the Aurora
Some countries	the Argentina
Nicknames	the Tall Ben

Definite article. Plural

If the definite article is used before a word in the singular, then it is placed before it in the plural.

You can bring the ball with, if you want.

You can bring the balls with, if you want./If you want, take the balls with you.

Also, the article remains before the plural when it comes to a group as a whole.

The members of Golf club can breathe fresh air. fresh air. (Everyone can breathe fresh air).

Indefinite article a (an)

"a" is used if the first letter in the word is a consonant, "an" if it is a vowel:

a table, a carpet, a dog / table, carpet, dog;
an elephant, an eagle, an orange / elephant, eagle, orange.

Exceptions to the rule:

the article "a" is always placed before words that begin with the letter "u" if it is pronounced /ju:/ (English is a universal language);
before the words "one", "ones" the article "a" (a one-parent family) is always used;
if abbreviations start with a consonant but read with a vowel (F is pronounced like /ef/), they are always preceded by the indefinite article "an" (an FBI agent).

Classifying, generalizing and numeral meaning of the indefinite article

In expressive sentences, in exclamatory sentences that begin with the word what, the indefinite article is used.

What a great!

With singular nouns preceded by words such as rather, quite, such, and most.

In a rather prescient way./Very far-sighted.

If a noun is a generic value for the entire class, species, layer, etc., then it is preceded by an indefinite article. Most often, such a noun is at the beginning of a sentence and does not carry any important information. More significant details are described later in the text.

A newspaper text is a very laconic and relevant essay.

In the numeral value, the article denotes its original meaning - one.

I can stay in Paris for only a day./I could stay in Paris for only a day. (Here it is clear that the particle -a can be replaced by one, the word from which the article a (an) was formed (the - from that). In this sentence, the particle takes its usual place).

Indefinite article a (an). Plural

Articles that are used before singular nouns are not used in the plural.

She had a book of astrology./She had a book on astrology.

She had two books./She had two books. (As you can see, the article is omitted).

Proper nouns and the article a (an)

The article a (an) is used before if they:

unknown

A Mr. Anderson has come to see you./A certain Mr. Anderson has come to see you.

used as a noun

You think, I am a Leonardoda Vinci?

point to individual family members

It is no wonder; in fact, she is a Smith./No wonder, because she is a Smith.

describe the position of a place or object

We saw a rebuild Rome. / We saw a rebuilt Rome.

In addition, there are stable expressions that, regardless of the context, never change and always remain in their place. These phrases just need to be learned:

a few / a few, it is a pity / sorry, a little / a little, etc.

When the article is not needed

In English there is such a thing as when it is absent in sentences before nouns. Above in the article, cases were already mentioned when the article is omitted. Let's look at a few more typical rules.

If nouns are preceded by adjectives old / old, little / small, poor / poor, lazy / lazy, honest / honest.

She is little girl./She is a little girl.

If there is no definition for a noun.

I do not like Peter. / I do not like Peter.

Before titles, titles.

Lord Green./Lord Green.

Article exercises

To consolidate the acquired knowledge, you need to do a few exercises. Then check your answers with the keys, analyze the errors. For example, you can do the task below.

Insert the missing article a (an), the:

Paris is … beautiful town./Paris is a beautiful city.

What "s going on? I think it's ... salute. / What's going on? I think it's a salute.

Britney Spears is … singer./Britney Spears is a singer.

This is Nick. He is … engineer./This is Nick. He is an engineer.

… spider has eight legs./Spiders have eight legs.

It is … tomato./This is a tomato.

I am ... nurse. / I am a nurse.

She is … best./She is the best.

To take … seat./Sit down.

In ... country. / In the country.

Answers to the exercise. How to correctly insert the article a (an), the:

1. a. 2. a. 3. a. 4. an. 5. a. 6.a. 7. a. 8. the. 9 a. 10. the.

The scourge of all Russian speakers is articles. While this is clear and obvious to any European, it always seems to our brother that the British deliberately invented such short words to confuse and mislead. But everything is much simpler than it seems.

Yes, in English (and almost any other) language, a noun does not exist without some kind of qualifying word. Whether it will be an article, an adjective, a pronoun is not the point. The main thing is that Tamara and I walk in pairs, a noun needs a pair: acat, mycat, thatcat, bigcat.

Now the good news: there are only two articles. Uncertain a and certain the. However, there is another variation - an. But this is a purely phonetic feature: one cannot say aapple(try it yourself - the feeling of stuttering is guaranteed), that's why they say anapple. And now a few nuances.

3.1.1 The indefinite article(The Indefinite Article)

It is used when it is not important / unknown (underline as necessary) what subject is being discussed:

Take a pen. - Take a pen.

This means that you are simply asked to take a pen. No hidden meanings or hints. Compare:

Take the pen.- Take THIS/THAT pen.

Here it is already clear that you need to take a certain pen and no more. For example, the one that writes worse (so that she gets better).

The indefinite article was formed from the numeral one(one), and not at all from the first letter of the English alphabet that came across, as you might think. Therefore, it is easy to remember that you need to use it ONLY with a countable noun in the singular (you will not say that you have one money). Such an article indicates a CLASS of objects, without highlighting any particular object.

I have got a dog.
But: I have got dogs.

3.1.2 Definite article(The Definite Article)

Unlike its counterpart, it was formed from demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those). Therefore, it can be used with both plural and singular nouns.

The man is rather angry. This guy is pretty mean.
The bus near the green house is not yours!- That bus near the green house is not yours!
Thegirlsinourgrouparesokind. - The girls from our group are so kind. (meaning the girls from the group)

3.1.3 Indefinite articleversusdefinite

On the one hand, it seems that everything is clear even from the name of the article: indefinite for a certain subject, and definite for a specific one. However, there are nuances.

When we use the indefinite article:

. The noun is part of the nominal predicate (calm! You can, of course, rummage through Wikipedia. But it’s enough to know at least that after any of the forms of the verb tobe, tohave the article is used a)
Iamateacher. This is a lamp. There is a dress in her hands. She was a beautiful girl.

. Meaning "one".
I need an hour to be ready. - I need 1 hour to be ready.
Ican’ tsayaword. - I can't say a single word.

. The noun denotes a class of objects/living beings/people. Usually translated as any/any.
Astudentcangetupquicklywhenhereallyneedsit. - Any student will get up quickly in the morning if he really needs it.
A child will be happy to have a new toy.- Every child will enjoy a new toy.

. Before the name of the profession.
My father, a teacher of German, is rather furious today.

. In exclamatory sentences and amplifying constructions after what, such, quite, rather:
She is such a pretty girl! She is so pretty!
What a nasty child! What an impossible child!
It was quite a nice day. The day was pretty good.

When we use the definite article:

If it is clear from the situation that we are talking about a specific subject.
Look at the woman! Her dress is so bright!- Look at that woman. Her dress is so bright!
Whereisthebook?!! - Well, where is (this) book?
Take the flowers and go away!- Take your flowers and get out!

If the conversation has already mentioned this object.
When I came home there was a woman in the hall. Later I found out that the woman was my aunt. When I got home, there was a woman in the hall. Later I learned that this woman is my aunt.

If there is a clarification/definition that distinguishes an object from others.
The car of my boyfriend is not good enough.- My friend's car is not so good.
showmetheletterinyourhands! - Well, show me the letter that is in your hands.

If the object is one of a kind: thesun, theEarth.

If you need to designate the entire class of objects at once:
The cat is independent.- A cat is an independent being.
The apple-tree grows in Russia as well.- Apple trees grow in Russia too.

3.1.4 When we do not put ANY article(zero article) :

Before uncountable abstract nouns.
I appreciate kindness. I appreciate kindness.

Before plural nouns, when in the same situation the article would be put in the singular a.
There are books on the table. There are (some) books on the table.

Before proper names (names, surnames, cities, streets, continents, islands):
I live in Kiev. America was found in 1492.

But! Before oceans, seas, rivers, waterfalls, straits, countries in the plural (for example, the Philippines), countries with the words union / federation / kingdom / republic, as well as groups of islands / lakes the:
The Netherlands, the Russian Federation, the Black Sea, the Atlantic Ocean.

Before the names of the days of the week, months, seasons.
I like winter.
Let's go there on Friday

When the recipe for vinaigrette in the head, mixed with articles, is finally known, we offer the dish to chew well. Once again, in simple words and illustrative examples, we focus on key points use of definite and indefinite articles.

Exhaled? Did you get confused? You can check by taking a test on this topic and many others. Let's test and practice :)

Articles are the main determiners of names nouns. Before using any noun, it is necessary to decide whether it is definite or indefinite, i.e. It is necessary to imagine what subject is being discussed: about a specific or any.

In English, the article is almost always used before nouns:

Articles a and an are called indefinite article (the Indefinite Article)
The is called certain article (the Definite Article)

Consider three cases: when the indefinite article is used before the noun, when the definite article is used, and when the article is not used before the noun.

Indefinite article

There are two types of the indefinite article:

a used before words that begin with a consonant.
an used before words that begin with a vowel.

A noun with an indefinite article is the name of an object in general, and not the name of a specific object. For example, a student evokes a representation of a student in general, that is, a student of higher educational institution but not about a specific person.

The meaning of the indefinite article can be expressed in Russian with such words as one, one of, some, any, any, any, any, each.

The indefinite article is used with singular countable nouns. It is not used in the plural, sometimes it is replaced by indefinite pronouns some (several) any (any, anyone).

Definite article

The definite article has only one form: the. individualizing article the derived from demonstrative pronoun that- that.

No article: zero article

No indefinite article

The indefinite article is not used:

before plural nouns
an article - articles

abstract nouns
imagination - imagination
nouns mi real, uncountable(nouns that cannot be counted, for example, you cannot say: three waters).
water (water), salt (salt), tea (tea)

If there is a definition before the noun, then the article is placed before this definition:
a story (story)
an interesting story (interesting story)

substitution rule

Use of the indefinite article

1. Indefinite article is used before a noun when it only names an object, classifies it as a representative of a certain kind of objects, but does not single out it specifically.

a table - some table (just a table, not a chair)
a chair

2. when mentioning an object or person for the first time

That "s a pretty girl. - Beautiful girl

3. in a general sense:
A noun with an indefinite article in this sense means: any, anyone.

A cow gives milk.
A cow (any) gives milk.

3. with professions:

My Dad is a Doctor. - My dad is a doctor.
She "s an architect. - She is an architect.

4. with some quantity expressions:

a pair
a little - a little
a few - a few

5. in exclamatory sentences: before a singular countable noun after the word what (what).

What a beautiful day! - What a wonderful day!
What a pity! - What a pity!

Use of the definite article

Definite article is put in the event that the subject or person in question is known to both the speaker and the listener (from the context, the environment, or as previously mentioned in this speech).

It is a chair - this is a chair
The chair is at the table - the chair is near the table

Try to substitute the word this or that before the noun. If the meaning of what is being said does not change, then the definite article must be put before the noun, and if it changes, then the indefinite article is put before the noun in the singular (if it is countable), and not put before the plural noun at all.

1. Re-mentioned when it is clear from the previous text what it is about:

The girl was beautiful. (This) girl was beautiful.

2. Clear in a situation where it is clear what/who is meant:

The lesson is over. - The lesson is over.

3. Having an individuating definition, that is, a definition that distinguishes this person or object from a number of similar ones.

3.1. Definition, naming a sign :
This is the house that Jack built. This is the house that Jack built.
3.2. Definition, expressed by the adjective in the superlative form e
This is the shortest way to the river - This is the shortest way to the river
3.3. Definition, expressed by ordinal number
He missed the first lecture. - He missed the first lecture
3.4. Definition, expressed by proper name
the Bristol road - the road to Bristol.
3.5. Definitions expressed in words:
The next stop is ours. “The next stop is ours.

4. Before singular nouns:

the sun - the sun
the moon - the moon
the Earth
the floor - floor (one in the room)
the sea - the sea (the only one in the area)

5. Before adjectives and participles that have turned into nouns, with a plural meaning:

the strong- strong the old- old men, the young- youth,

Absence of an article (zero article

1. If there is a pronoun before the noun or nouns in the possessive case.
My room is large - My room is large.

2. A noun is used without an article in the plural in those cases:

2.1. when singular in front of him there would be an indefinite article:
I saw a letter on the table. — I saw a letter on the table.
I saw letters on the table. — I saw the letters on the table.

3. Uncountable real nouns.
water water, milk milk, chalk chalk, sugar sugar, tea tea, snow snow, grass grass, wool wool, meat meat and others.

4. Uncountable abstract nouns (abstract concepts).
weather weather, music music, power force, knowledge knowledge, art art, history history, mathematics mathematics, light light, love love, life life, time time
I like music - I love music.
But at the same time, some abstract nouns can be used with the indefinite article, expressing a kind of quality, state.
He got a good education. He received a good education.

In English, plural nouns may be preceded by a definite article, the pronoun some (any), or the determiner may be absent.

Rules for using the pronoun some

If it is possible to put one of the words before a Russian noun: several, some, some, some before the corresponding noun in English sentence is the pronoun some (any).
If none of these words can be placed before the Russian noun, then there is no determiner before the corresponding noun in the English sentence.

I bought some apples yesterday - I bought apples yesterday (a few, some apples)