How to use Articles – some basic rules

SOME RULES FOR ARTICLES

 A AND AN: INDEFINITE ARTICLES

 

• Use before countable nouns:  A house, a book, a car.
• Do not use with uncountable nouns:   Bread, furniture, money, news, water.

• To refer to something for the first time:  Did I tell you I got a new job?  /   There is a man standing outside.

• To refer to a particular member of a group or class: John is an Englishman.

         Kate is a dancer.

         I was born on a Thursday.

         Jane is a beginner.

• Signifies nouns that are generic in nature: A horse has four legs. (all horses have four legs by nature)
• Used with singular nouns, never plural: An apple (not – an apples)

• To refer to a kind of feature:  The mouse had a tiny nose. It had massive sharp teeth.

 

                                  THE: DEFINITE ARTICLE

• Before the name of Historical Buildings-  The Red Fort , The Taj Mahal.
• Before the name of Religious books, newspapers , magazines-  The Gita , The Bible , The Tribune.
• Before the name of communities– The Sikhs , The Hindu , The Muslims , The Christian

• Before the name of important Trains-  The Shatabdi express , The Gareeb rath
• Directions
• Three parts of the day
• Planets
• Before ordinals         

        The first , The last

• Before Adjectives when they are used as nouns

        The rich , The poor , The brave.

• Before the name of famous or well known historical events

        The French revolution , The partition of India , The green revolution

• To refer to something which has already been mentioned:

        I have a computer .The computer is very expensive .

• Before the name of River , Ocean , mountain ranges , group of islands , bays , desert.

        The Himalaya , the bay of Bangal, The Sahara desert.

• Before comparatives

        The deeper well , the sweeter water ,

        The sooner you finish , the better it would be

• Before proper nouns to give them the meaning of When both the speaker and listener know what is being talked about, even if it has not been mentioned before:

        Where’s the bathroom?

• Use when there is only one of something:

        The president, the universe, the moon.

• Use with superlative forms of adjectives:

        The fastest, the oldest.

• Use for a particular item or just one instance:

       The books for my course are expensive.  

       The snow is going to be heavy tonight.

• Use before the name of musical instruments ( when describing the activity):

        I play the cello.    

        She plays the violin very well.

• Do not use if the destination implies the activity: 

         We’re going to school (to study).

         We’re going to the school (the place).

• Do not use in front of geographical names, except:
• Bodies of water – the Atlantic

• Mountain ranges – the Andes
• Some names of countries –The UK, the US, the Philippines, the Maldives
• Use with adjectives which refer to whole groups of people:

         The Polish like drinking vodka.  

         The Scots love eating pies.

         The dog is a faithful animal .

• Use with decades or groups of years:

          She grew up in the seventies. (1970-1979)

 

                                                   NO ARTICLE

• With the names of countries (if singular):

        He’s just returned from Germany.

• With the names of languages (except if followed by a noun):   

        French is spoken in Tahiti.

        Do you know the English word for ‘bhangra’?

• With the names of meals:

        Dinner is at six o’clock.

• With people’s names (if singular).

        John is my best friend.

• With titles and names:

        Prince Charles is Queen Elizabeth’s son.

• After the ‘s possessive case:

        My brother’s car is a banger!

• With professions (the field):

        I would like to study medicine. 

        I am interested in teaching.

• With names of shops:

        I bought my dress at H&M.

• With years:

        Do you remember 1989?

• With uncountable nouns (unspecific):

        Rice is the main food in Asia.

• With most names of towns, streets, stations and airports:

        I live in MORINDA.

• With names of individual mountains, lakes and islands:

         He lives near Himalaya .