THE ARTICLE
[1] The indefinite article A/AN
The indefinite article a/an is most often used:
• with a countable noun mentioned for the first time
She wants a bicycle.
A man is at the door.
• with singular countable nouns after the verb to be to classify things or people, to say what they are
My mother is a teacher.
But: no article after the verbs to turn, to choose, to commence, to appoint, toelect:
He was chosen Captain.
• with the verb to have/have got
They have a car.
• before certain numbers in certain number expressions
She drove at 60 miles an hour.
He gets 150 dollars a week.
[2] The definite article THE
The definite article the is most often used:
• when we refer to something that has been mentioned already
/ received an e-mail message in the morning. The e-mail message was from my friend.
• when we refer to something that both speakers know about
Let's go to the post-office.
Where is the baby?
• when a noun has a modifying phrase or clause that identifies it as specific
The information that I got from this book was helpful.
• when there is only one/unique thing
the moon
the sun
But: Saturn, Mars (possible usage)
A pearl-white moon (one of many appearances of the moon)
• with superlatives, ranking adjectives and ordinal numbers
He is definitely the most exciting musician.
The main street is over there.
The first person to come was my friend.
• with musical instruments and dances
to play the piano (in American English "the" is optional)
to dance the tango
• when we use an adjective (as a noun) to classify or describe a group of people or some abstract notions
the poor (бедняки)
the rich (богачи)
• with the names of certain state organizations of a country
the army, the navy, the police
• with the names of parties and organizations
the Conservative Party
the United Nations Organization
the European Union
• with the names of nationalities
the English, the French
• with the names of theatres, cinemas, museums
the Apollo (theatre)
the Prado (museum)
• with the names of hotels, ships
the Minsk Hotel
the Titanic
• with the names of newspapers, magazines
the Times, the Guardian (newspapers) the Independent (magazine)
• with the names of historical references/ events
the Renaissance
the Middle Ages the 1st World War But: World War I
• with the words station, shop, cinema, pub, library, city, village, jungle, seaside, etc.
[3] No article is used:
• with a countable noun in the plural to talk about something in general
• with an uncountable noun to talk about something in general
• with an abstract noun to talk about something in general
• when another determiner is used
I need this new car.
We need another new car.
• with the names of sports, games, activities, celebrations, colors, drinks, meals
• with the words home/father/mother, when we talk about our own home/father/ mother
Mother was at home all day yesterday.
• with the names of illnesses
But: flu/the flu
measles/the measles
mums/the mums
• with the names of languages
/ speak English
But: / know the English language.
What is the English for 'кот'?