The document discusses the use of articles (a/an, the, no article) in English. It provides rules for when to use a/an, the, or no article with singular and plural nouns, locations, institutions, days/months, occupations, geographical areas, buildings and more. It also includes examples and a short quiz to check understanding of the rules.

1. ARTICLES A/AN,THE, NO ARTICLE

2. A/AN with singular nouns The first time you mention a thing/person or when the listener doesn’t know which thing we mean. Eg: I saw an old woman in the garden. Tom sat down on a chair (we don’t know which chair) When you say what something/somebody is or what something/somebody is like. Eg: She is a cute girl. (what she is like) A dog is an animal. (what it is.) When you say what somebody does. (with jobs...) Eg: He is a fireman. In exclamations with What...! Eg: What a horrible day! In expressions like three times a week.

3. THE When we talk about something we have already mentioned. Eg.: I saw a strange man yesterday night. The man was very tall. When there is only one thing of something. Eg: The earth is the planet where we live. When it’s clear what you are referring to. For example, in a room we talk about “the light/the floor/the ceiling/the door/etc. Eg: Michael closed the window. Where is the toilet, please? Did Ann get the job she applied for? (the speakers know about it previously)

4. THE We use the with: the police/the fire-brigade/the army, etc. We also say: the doctor, the dentist, etc. We usually say the radio . Eg: We often listen to the radio . With places in a town: the cinema, the theatre, the bank, the post office,etc. Eg:I went to the cinema yesterday night. With superlatives. Eg: She is the most beautiful in the world. We use the with some adjectives (without a noun). The meaning is always plural, the rich=rich people in general. Eg: Why doesn’t the government do more to help the unemployed ? We use the with some nationalities. Eg: The French are famous for their food = the French people)

5. DON’T USE AN ARTICLE… When you are speaking in general (with plural or uncountable nouns). Eg: Lions are more dangerous than dogs. Sugar is sweet. With some phrases like at home/work, go home/to bed, With institutions ( school, church,prison, etc.) we don’t use an article when you are thinking about the institution and the normal purpose it is used it for. If you are just thinking about the building, use a or the . Eg: She is in prison (she is a prisoner) But compare: They must rebuild the prison as it is too old. (the building) Before meals, days and months . Eg: I always have lunc h at 2 p.m. But we say a meal. Eg: We had a meal in a restaurant. Before next/last + day s,week,etc. Eg: We are meeting next Mond ay.

6. GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES Continents: Africa (not The Africa)—NO ARTICLE Countries and states: France (not The France)—NO ARTICLE **But we say the with names that include words like ‘republic’,’kingdom’,’states’.--ARTICLE Eg:The United Kingdom, The United States **We also use the with plural names-ARTICLE: The Netherlands, The Philippines. Cities: Cairo (not The Cairo)– NO ARTICLE **Exception: The Hague (in the Netherlands) Individual islands: Corfu, Sicily, Bermuda,..—NO ARTICLE **Island groups usually have plural names with the —ARTICLE THE : the Bahamas, the Canaries,… Regions: we say Northern England/southern England—NO ARTICLE **But we say: The Middle East, the north of England – ARTICLE THE

7. Geographical names Mountains: Individual mountains usually have names without the –NO ARTICLE Eg: Mount Everest **Mountain ranges usually have plural names with the –ARTICLE THE : the Rocky Mountains, The Andes,… Lakes: Lakes usually have names without the : Lake Constance – NO ARTICLE Names of oceans/seas/rivers/canals have the –ARTICLE THE :the Atlantic, the Red Sea, the Nile, the Suez Canal (on the maps the is not usually included in the name)

8. Names of streets, buildings, etc Names of streets/roads/squares— NO ARTICLE… Regent Street Broadway **Exceptions: motorways and numbered roads: the M6 Many names ( airports, universities …) are two words—NO ARTICLE: Kennedy Airport/Cambridge University. The first word is usually the name of a person or place. We do not usually say the with names like these. **But we say ‘the White House’, ‘the Royal Palace’, because white and royal are not names (this is the general rule, but there are exceptions) Hotels, restaurants/pubs,theatres,cinemas,museums/galleries — ARTICLE THE The Hilton, The Red Lion (pub), the National Theatre, The Odeon, the British Museum.

9. Names of streets, buildings, etc Shops, restaurants, hotels, banks named after the people who started them. These names end in s or ‘s . –NO ARTICLE. Maxim’s restaurant, Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, Lloyds Bank. Places, buildings + of —ARTICLE THE : the Bank of England, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London. Newspapers —ARTICLE THE : The Times, the Washington Post.

10. Now you try!

11. He is ___ doctor.

12. A

13. Today ____moon is very big.

14. the

15. John is going to ____ theatre next week.

16. the

17. Sue is ill today,so she can’t go to ____ school .

18. No article

19. Every term parents are invited to____school to meet the teachers.

20. The

21. ___cat doesn’t like ___apples.

22. The (because we are talking about this cat,not in general) / No article

23. They got married. But ___marriage wasn’t successful.

24. The

25. What’s ___ highest mountain in ___ world?

26. the/the

27. ___life would be very difficult without ___ electricity.

28. No article/no article

29. It was ___beautiful day. __sun shone brightly in __sky.

30. A/the/the

31. ___flying can be dangerous!

32. No article

33. That’s all!!