When is the indefinite article used in English? The definite article THE in English

20.10.2019

Watch this video to get a basic understanding of articles in English language before reading the article.

Why are articles needed in English?

Did you know that the article is a part of speech that does not exist in Russian?

We change the stress and word order to give the phrase a shade, and in English it is strictly fixed.

See how the meaning of the phrase changes:

I like the car.
I like the car.

Do you feel a trick? In the first case, it is not clear what kind of car it is, and in the second it is about a specific car.

In English, you cannot interchange words, so articles are used to give the desired shade to the phrase. A, An and The.

Article rules

The concept of the article in English grammar is associated with the category of definiteness. Simplified, the rule of articles is:

Remember!
If we are talking about an unknown subject, then indefinite article A / An. If we are talking about something specific, then the article is placed before it. The.

Task: What articles should be used in the following examples?

We bought a car.

We bought the car we saw yesterday.

Click on the arrows for the answer.

Clue.
Article The descended from This(this) - you can point with your finger.
A / An descended from One(one).

That's why the article A/An used only in the singular!

In a simplified form, the grammatical rules of articles can be represented as follows:

Plural noun?
Noun countable?
Have you heard of him before? (indefinite or definite article)
Is it about something in common?

What is the difference between the articles A and An?

Let's repeat!
Indefinite article A/An(which is derived from one) put only before in the singular!

So what is the difference between A and An?

Article A placed before words that begin with consonants (a c at, a h ouse, a y ard), and An- before words that begin with vowels (an a pple, an h our).

Let this picture pop up before your eyes when you choose a meju a and an.

When do we use the indefinite article?

1. When we classify an object, we attribute it to a certain group of objects.

A cow is an animal. - A cow is an animal.
An apple is a fruit. - An apple is a fruit.

2. When we characterize the subject.

My mother is a nurse. - My mother is a nurse.
He is an idiot! - He's an idiot!

Articles in English: definite - the, indefinite - a (an), zero. The use of articles with geographical names.

The use of articles in English is a difficult task for beginners to learn this one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. There are three types of articles in English, and although there are clear rules for explaining their use, choosing the correct article can sometimes be difficult.

definite article the: Did you enjoy the party? - Did you enjoy the party?
two indefinite articles in English:

Article a- use if the following word begins with a consonant: I'm reading a book about England- I am reading a book about England

Article an- if the word after it starts with a vowel: I read an interesting story - I read an interesting story

“zero article” (zero article in English) is the absence of articles: Does she like meat or fish? Does she like meat or fish?

Articles in English can come directly before a noun:

She is an artist - she is an artist

In addition, articles in English can be separated from a noun using an adverb or adjective:

the newly renovated church - newly renovated church

a beautiful young woman - a beautiful young woman

Rules for the use of articles in English

The use of indefinite articles in English "a" and "an":

1. Indefinite articles in English “a” or “an” are used with nouns only in the singular in the following cases:

1.1. If the object or person is mentioned for the first time, and also if the noun is preceded by an adjective in the function of defining a descriptive character:

Can I make a suggestion? - May I guess?

Suddenly there was a loud bang- suddenly there was a loud bang

1.2. With nouns in construction “ there is” (there was):

There was a noise outdoors - there was some noise on the street

1.3. With nouns combined with the adjective “such”:

Such a day, such a car, etc.

1.4. In exclamatory sentences with the intensifying pronoun “what” indefinite articles are used in English:

What a day! “What a nice trip!”

1.5. With nouns preceded by the word “half”:

half an hour, half a day, etc.

1.6. Words that begin with the letter “ u”, provided that it is pronounced like / ju: / (for example, “ united”, “ useful”), are always used with the article “ a” (not “an”):

English is an universal language

English is a universal language

1.7. The words “one and ones” and all phrases starting with these words (such as one-sided, once-over) are always used with the article “a”:

a one-parent family, a one-way trip etc.

1.8. If abbreviations start with letters: F, H, L, M, N, R, S or X, and the pronunciation of these letters begins with a vowel (for example, F is pronounced like / ef /), then in such cases the indefinite article is always used "an" (not "a"):

an MBA degree, an FBI agent, etc..

1.9. As part of some stable combinations, the indefinite article is used in English:

a lot of, twice a day, as a result, it's a pity.

1.10. With professions:

a pilot, an engineer.

The use of the definite article in English ”the”

2. The definite article the in English is used both with the singular and with the plural; both with countable and uncountable nouns in the following cases:

2.1. When it comes to a specific person or thing in a specific situation: Can you walk the dog? Can you put the book on the table? Both interlocutors know which dog and which book they are talking about. In other words, the definite article the is the equivalent of the expression "that particular one over there." Imagine that you are returning from the store and say to your friend: "I bought the phone." With these words, you will mislead your friend, because in fact you said: “I bought (la) that phone over there », and your friend has no idea what phone they are talking about. Therefore, when mentioning an object or person for the first time, it would be correct to say: I bought a phone yesterday.

2.2. If an object or phenomenon has a description:

“This is the phone that I was telling you about yesterday”.

2.3. If the subject or person was mentioned in the context earlier:

This is a house. The house is very old.

the best friend, the longest trip etc.

the first day, the second chance, etc..

2.7. When used with the adjective “same”:

the same day, the same time, etc..

2.8. With nouns denoting the names of lakes, waterfalls, straits, mountain ranges, groups of islands, cardinal points, rivers, seas, oceans (i.e. with geographical names):

the Thames, the Atlantic Ocean, the Alps, the Bermudas, the English Channel, the Gulf Stream, the Suez Canal, the Niagara Falls etc.

2.9. With country names consisting of several words, including the following: federation, republic, union, state, kingdom. For instance:

the German Federal Republic, the USA, the UK etc.

2.10. The names of deserts also use the definite article the in English:

the Sahara Desert

2.11. As an exception, the definite article the in English is used with the following geographical names: the Netherlands (translated into Russian - No Man's Lands, to show that they still belong to someone, they use the definite article in English):

the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Vatican, the Congo, the Lebanon, the Hague and with some others

2.12. With nouns denoting the names of hotels, theaters, museums, courts:

the Hilton, the Covent Garden, the Titanic, the Bolshoy Theater etc.

2.13. With nouns denoting the names of English-language newspapers:

the Financial Times, the Daily Mail, etc..

2.14. As part of stable combinations, the definite article the is used:

to play the piano/ the violin / the guitar / the cello etc., to tell the truth, to go to the cinema/ theatre, to listen to the radio, the other way

2.15. With surnames, if the surname is plural and denotes the whole family:

the Smiths, the Browns, etc.

The use of the zero article “zero article" (omission of articles in English)

3. Articles in English are omitted in the following cases:

3.1. Before proper names, as well as before nouns denoting ranks and titles:

Professor N., General B., Queen Y.

3.2. Before nouns denoting days of the week in English:

Monday, Sunday….

3.3. With nouns combined with prepositions in English “from ….to, from …. till”:

from beginning to end, from north to south, from nothing till everything, from head to foot etc.

3.4. With nouns followed by a number or number:

page 45, room 8, tram 7

3.5. With nouns after the verbs “to appoint”, “to elect”:

to appoint director, to elect deputy.

3.6. Articles in English are not used with nouns denoting the following geographical concepts:

3.6.1. names of continents, as well as countries and cities, consisting of one proper name:

Europe, Asia, Australia, France, Italy, Spain etc.

3.6.2. the names of individual islands (if these are not groups of islands), mountains (if this is not a mountain range), as well as the names of lakes (if their name contains the word “Lake”):

Malta, Elbrus, Lake Ontario etc.

3.6.3. names of streets and squares:

Red Square, Trafalgar Square, Street, Regent Street etc.

3.7. In the headlines of newspapers and magazine articles:

Tasty farewell to winter, Color of Dream

3.8. In some stable combinations, articles in English are not used:

on foot, by heart, by car, at home, etc..

3.9. When using such nouns in a general sense:

Time is money. Life isn't easy. Love and friendship…

When defining these nouns in a concretized meaning, the definite article in English is used:

Don't you know anything about the life of this people? Where is the money I've laid on the shelf?

At first glance, there are a lot of rules about articles in the English language and you can’t remember everything. In fact, you don’t need to memorize absolutely all the rules, because in the process of listening to English speech, you will remember right choice this or that article in English quickly enough.

When it is clear from the previous context or from the situation what 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 countable noun in the singular, which means an animate or inanimate object as a representative of the entire class, category or group, that is, 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 - 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.

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?

The article in English 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

In Slavic languages, and in particular in Russian, articles do not exist, so for many English learners this part of speech makes it difficult to understand 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)

The definite article the is 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.

It is impossible to brag about knowledge of English grammar without knowing minor at first glance, but important details, such as articles. One of the most insidious and treacherous of these is the definite article "the". When communicating with a native speaker, it is very easy to "sleep" by using it out of place, or vice versa, missing it. Knowing the following 10 rules, you will be able to
strengthen your knowledge on the front of articles and be more confident in the correctness of your sayings. But be extremely careful - the rules are full of exceptions and pitfalls. Don "t say "thanks" just yet. Check what we have in store for ya!

Let's start simple. You use the article when you want to distinguish a word from other possible versions. If there is no confusion as to what you mean then you do not use the article. Therefore, if everyone already knows, for example, where you go to school (to university or to work), you just say: "I"m going to school", because there is no confusion. Or if you say that ever going to school in general, you do not use the article « the". The same applies to the house - usually everyone has one, and hell with Paradise, which everyone is aware of. So, when you once again think about where you will go after death, think in English, and do it correctly: "I "m going to hell." However, when we talk about special hell of a particular religion, the article "the" should already be: " The hell of Islam is far worse than the hell of Chirstianity.»

With that being said, it is important to remember that if noun countable (one gun, two guns), then always put the article (the / a / an). And at the same time remember that can't bet his before plural (guns, books) or incalculablenouns(water, blood, advice, chocolate, meat etc.).

Generally

We do not set « the", when talking about something generally, no specifics.

Cats are awesome pets!

Here we are not talking about one particular awesome cat or pet, but about all the awesome cats and pets at once.

Women love it when men do it right.
People are evil in that neighborhood.

Sport

Names of sports and other types of physical activity do not require the article "the".

I love to go skiing in the winter.
I play baseball every day after school.
He loves watching hockey on TV.
She does yoga 3 times a week.
My daughter really enjoys dancing.

Family

We use « the"when we say about family(name) but not about a specific person or combinations with names:

We're having dinner with the Smiths tonight.
The Browns are going to play with us.

John is coming over later.
Mary Carpenter is my boss.
Prince Charles is Queen Elizabeth's son.
President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

Numbers

Do not put the article, when:

after the noun comes the number:

He's staying at the Haunted hotel in room 221.
The train to Noplaceville leaves from platform 2.
My Exorcism class is in room 6 on the first floor("first" acts as an adjective in this sentence and describes "the floor" - floor).

year indicated:

1948 was a wonderful year.
He was born in 1995 .

We put the article front:

superlative adjectives and ordinal numbers:

the third movie
the tallest kid
the last hour

decades and other periods of years:

I"m the kid of the nineties.
This is a painting from the 1820's.

Only

If the sentence contains such a word, then feel free to sculpt “the” in front of it:

This is the only day we "ve had sunshine all week.
You are the only person she will listen to.
The only tea I like is black tea.

Not the first time

We put " a when we talk about something for the first time, and then change to « the', when what is in question it's getting clear. Also put « the', when all quite obvious or when something or someone is one of a kind. Using this rule, you will be right in most cases, but remember about hell and heaven.

He was talking to a man. The man was laughing.
She gave him a present. The present was very expensive.
I cleaned the bathroom this morning.
the sun is hot today.
He traveled around the world.

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners

We do not use article before meal names:

We had lunch at none.
I have breakfast at 7 a.m.

proper names

Majority names holidays, companies, languages, countries, streets, airports, stations, cities, continents, islands, individual mountains, lakes etc. are all proper names, and article here usually not needed. But it is in this section of the rules for the use of "the" that there is many exceptions so be extremely careful.

McDonald's has restaurants in 119 countries.
Victoria Station is in the center of London.
Can you direct me to Bond Street?
She lives in Florence.
I got some cool ideas for halloween. (there is only 1 Halloween that everyone knows about)
Asia and Europe are two continents, in case you didn't know.
Her son graduated from Harvard. (but "He has a master's degree from the University of Toronto»).
I'm leaving for america next week (but " the United States»).
Lake Ontario and Lake Huron are 2 of the Great Lakes("the Great Lakes" - a group of lakes on the border between Canada and the United States requires an article).
I teach people how to speak English / Chinese / Spanish / Russian(however, when talking about the inhabitants of a particular nation: " The Spanish are known for their warm hospitality").
Mount Everest is the one I plan to climb next week (but " the Endes», « the Rockies” or unusual names for individual mountains, such as Mt. the Matterhorn"(peak in the Pennine Alps).
Easter Island, Maui, Key West- none of these islands I "ve visited (but chains islands like " the Aleutians», « the Hebrides" or" the Canary Islands» require an article).

Names, establishments and places

We do not use « the" front:

names of professions, subjects at school, shops and some places:

My office is located on main street/Washington Blvd.
I usually go to church on Sundays.
Did you go to school today?
She's studying business at university.
Engineering is a well-paid career.
He'll probably study medicine.
I'll get the card at Smith's.
Can you go to Boots for me?

names of subjects at school:

math
geography
business
history
science

before the following words in a general sense:

school
prison
college

I hope to go to college.
He spent three years in prison.

We use « the" front:

names of rivers, oceans and seas ( the Nile, the Pacific,the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Black Sea, the Thames);
countries ( the Netherlands, the Philippines), also before those whose names include the words " republic", « states" and " kingdom» ( the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Republic of Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom);
dots the globe (the Equator, the North Field);
geographic areas ( the Middle East, the West);
deserts, forests, bays and peninsulas ( the Sahara, Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula).
names of newspapers and famous buildings, works of art, museums and monuments ( the New York Times, the Guardian,the Vietnam Memorial, the Louvre, Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower,the Globe).
before the names of hotels and restaurants, unless they are named after a person ( the Golden Lion, the Hilton).
in front of already known places where people usually go ( the bank, the supermarket, the doctor's)

Let's go the movies.
My dad is in the hospital(Americans will put the article here, but the British can omit it).
She works at the post office.
What time do you have to be at the airport?
Please drop me off at the bus stop.
She doesn't like to go to doctor or the dentist.

Abbreviations

Or acronyms - an abbreviated form of the name of something, using the capital letters of each word to form a new one. So here it is if the acronym is pronounced like a word, we do not use « the»:

NATO[’neɪtoʊ] (North Atlantic Treaty Organization is pronounced in one word here) ambassadors met to discuss the situation.
UNSECO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was formed in 1946.
Sorry, you've got AIDS(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

The same goes for abbreviations. names of educational institutions:

She has a Ph. D from MIT(Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

However, if abbreviation is spelled, then article"the" is needed. And you may well say the NATO member(member of NATO).

The UN was created after the Second World War (United Nations = UN and spelled).

The same applies to the following abbreviations:

the EU(European Union)
the US(United States)
the CIA(Central Intelligence Agency)
the FBI(Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Now you are supposed to be from "the" to "you", but do not rush to be familiar. Do not forget about exceptions and the main rule. Good luck with learning English and keep the progress going!

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