The document provides 15 rules for using articles (a, an, the) correctly with nouns in English. It explains that countable nouns require articles, uncountable nouns usually do not, and some nouns can be both countable and uncountable depending on context. Specific types of nouns like languages, geographical areas, institutions and occupations are also discussed. The document concludes by providing examples and exercises to practice applying the rules.

1. There was a man talking to a woman
outside my house. The woman looked
American and I think the man was
Indian.

3. rule 1
 When you have a single, countable English
noun, you must always have an article
before it. We cannot say "please pass me
pen", we must say "please pass me the pen"
or "please pass me a pen" or "please pass me
your pen".
e.g. Can you give me the dictionary?
Can you give me a dictionary?

4. rule 2
Nouns in English can also be
uncountable. Uncountable nouns
can be concepts, such as 'life',
'happiness' and so on, or materials
and substances, such as 'coffee', or
'wood‘
e.g. X Happiness is difficult to
acquire.

5. rule 3
Uncountable nouns don't use 'a' or 'an'. This
is because you can't count them. For
example, advice is an uncountable noun. You
can't say "he gave me an advice", but you can
say "he gave me some advice", or "he gave
me a piece of advice".
e.g. We’ll buy a piece of / some jewellery for
the bride.

6. rule 4
Some nouns can be both countable
and uncountable. For example, we
say "coffee" meaning the product,
but we say "a coffee" when asking
for one cup of coffee.
e.g. I’d like a tea please.
X Tea is grown in Rize.

7. rule 5
You can use 'the' to make general things
specific. You can use 'the' with any type
of noun – plural or singular, countable or
uncountable.
e.g. "Please pass me a pen" – any pen.
"Please pass me the pen" – the one that we can
both see.
e.g. "Children grow up quickly" – children in general.
"The children I know grow up quickly" – not all
children, just the ones I know.
e.g. "Poetry can be beautiful"- poetry in general.
"The poetry of Hopkins is beautiful" – I'm only
talking about the poetry Hopkins wrote.

8. rule 6
Rivers, mountain ranges, seas,
oceans and geographic areas all
use 'the'.
e.g. "The Thames“
"The Alps"
"The Atlantic Ocean"
"The Middle East”

9. rule 6
Unique things have 'the'
e.g. "the sun”
"the moon"

10. rule 7
Some institutional buildings don't have
an article if you visit them for the reason
these buildings exist. But if you go to the
building for another reason, you must use
'the'.
e.g. "Her husband is in prison." (He's a prisoner.)
"She goes to the prison to see him once a month."
e.g. "My son is in school." (He's a student.)
"I'm going to the school to see the head master."
e.g. "She's in hospital at the moment." (She's ill.)
"Her husband goes to the hospital to see her every
afternoon."

11. rule 8
Musical instruments use 'the'
e.g. She plays the piano.

12. rule 9
Sports don't have an article.
e.g. He plays football.

13. rule 10
Illnesses don't have an article.
e.g. He's got appendicitis.
(But we say "a cold" and a
headache.)

14. rule 11
Jobs use 'a'.
e.g. I'm a teacher.

15. rule 12
Countries
We don't use 'a' if the country is
singular.
e.g. He lives in England.
But if the country's name includes a
common noun, we use 'the'.
e.g. The People's Republic of China
The Netherlands
The United States of America

16. rule 13
Continents, towns and
streets don't have an article
e.g. Africa
New York
Church Street

17. rule 14
Theatres, cinemas and hotels
have 'the'.
e.g. The Odeon
The Almeira
The Hilton

18. rule 15
Abbreviations use 'the'.
e.g.
the UN
the USA
the IMF

19. rule 16
We use 'the' before classes of
people.
e.g. the rich
the poor
the British

20. Let’s Practice
1. There was ____ sound in ____ living room.
2.Tom said he was _____ employee at _____
fast food restaurant. _____ restaurant is at
_____ shopping mall.
3. Jack Anderson was caught holding _____
match at _____ time of _____ fire.
4.She replied in _____ surprise that _____
question was much too difficult.

21. 5. I'm afraid I can't remember _____ exact date
of _____ show. But I do know that I bought
them in _____ shop on Broadway.
6. She's staying at _____ hotel in _____ small
town in Colorado. _____ town is near _____
Denver.
7. _____ children went to _____ film yesterday
afternoon. They enjoyed it _____ lot.

22. 8. I'm afraid _____ answer is 'no'. Come back when
you can make _____ new proposal.
9. _____ fruit is usually sold by _____ pound.
However, _____ exotic fruit is sometimes sold by
_____ piece.
10. He got _____ job in _____ best company in town.

23. Answers:
 There was a sound in the living room.
 Tom said he was an employee at a fast food restaurant. The restaurant
is at a shopping mall.
 Jack Anderson was caught holding a match at the time of the fire.
 She replied in surprise that the question was much too difficult.
 I'm afraid I can't remember the exact date of the show. But I do know
that I bought them in a shop on Broadway.
 She's staying at a hotel in a small town in Colorado. The town is near
Denver.
 The children went to a film yesterday afternoon. They enjoyed it a lot.
 I'm afraid the answer is 'no'. Come back when you can make a new
proposal.
 Fruit is usually sold by the pound. However, exotic fruit is sometimes
sold by the piece.
 He got a job in the best company in town.

24. More Practice
 _____ Pacific Ocean is _____ largest body of water on
_____ Earth.
 You can find _____ books you'll need for class at _____
Amazon.com.
 She's thinking about attending _____ English course
during _____ summer. She might go to _____ school in
_____ England.
 Meridith remembered to turn off _____ lights before
she left _____ apartment.
 They refused to listen to _____ Tim because they
thought he was _____ overbearing person.

25.  I enjoy listening to _____ number of programs on
_____ radio.
 He telephoned _____ agent that was listed in _____
telephone directory.
 John felt _____ painting was much too expensive and
decided to look for _____ different one.
 One of _____ students has committed _____ crime. No
one will leave the classroom until _____ guilty student
admits his or her _____ guilt.
 Our friends bought _____ new van that they took on
their holiday to _____ Yosemite National Park.

26. Answers:
 The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water on Earth.
 You can find the books you'll need for class at Amazon.com.
 She thinking about attending an English course during the
summer. She might go to a school in England.
 Meridith remembered to turn off the lights before she left the
apartment.
 They refused to listen to Tim because they thought he was an
overbearing person.
 I enjoy listening to a number of programs on the radio.
 He telephoned an agent that was listed in the telephone
directory.
 John felt the painting was much too expensive and decided to
look for a different one.
 One of the students has committed a crime. No one will leave
the classroom until the guilty student admits his or her guilt.
 Our friends bought a new van that they took on their holiday to
Yosemite National Park.

27. To do further practice
 http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/bl_articles1.htm
 http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/cw-articles.html
 http://www.englisch-
hilfen.de/en/exercises/nouns_articles/article_the.htm
 http://www.englisch-
hilfen.de/en/exercises/nouns_articles/article_the2.htm
 http://www.englisch-
hilfen.de/en/exercises/nouns_articles/article_the3.htm
 http://www.englisch-
hilfen.de/en/exercises/nouns_articles/article_a.htm
 http://www.englisch-
hilfen.de/en/exercises/nouns_articles/article_a2.htm
 http://www.englishpage.com/grammar/Articles/Exercises/
 http://www.nonstopenglish.com/exercise.asp?exid=429