Articles (Unit 70..73)

• 2 A
• 2 The
• 3 0

A. Indefinite article .

• Use an before vowels (a, e, i, o, u)
• Use a/an + a singular noun
• Use a/an to say what something is.
• Use a/an + jobs.

EXAMPLES:
I'm an architect.
It's a credit card.
It's an umbrella.

The. Definite article .

1.Use the to talk about specific things and places.

EXAMPLES :
What is the longest river in the world?
Paris is the capital of Frence.
The Earth goes round the Sun .

2.We say:

the sea, the sky, the groud

the country, the countryside

EXAMPLES :
Don't sit on the ground ! It's wet.
Would you rather live in a town or in the country ?

3.We say:

the cinema, the theatre

the radio, (the) television

EXAMPLES :
We often listen to the radio.
I heard the news on the radio.
Astronaut must talk to each other by the radio on the Moon.
We often watch television.
Can you turn off the television, please?

4.We use the with some adjectives (without a noun). The meaning is always plural.

the rich, the old, the blind

the sick, the disabled

the injured, the poor

5.We use the with musical instruments:

the guitar, the piano

6.Geographical names with the:

7.We usually say the before the names of these places :

hotels (the Hilton)

restaurants/ pubs (the Red Lion)

theaters (the Palace Theater)

cinemas (the ABC)

museums (the Tate Gallery)

newspapers  (the Times)

0. Zero article.

1.We don't use the before a noune when we mean something in general:

EXAMPLES :
I love flowers.
I prefer classical music to pop music.
Do you like English food?

2.We don't use the with:

time expressions (next week, last year, etc)

go to sea, home

go/get to school, work, bed, college

prision, hospital, university, church

start, finish + work, school

leave, be in/at

EXAMPLES :
She starts work at 9.00.
I go home at 5.30.
After I leave school, I want to go to university . (as student)
Excuse me, where is the university, please? ( a particular building)

Jack had an accident a few days ago. He had to go to hospital. He is still in hospital now. Jill went to the hospital to visit him. She is at the hospital now.

3.We don't use the with the names of meals, sports, school subjects:

EXAMPLES :
What time is lunch ?
What did you have for breakfast?
I was very good at maths.

4.But we say a when there is an adjective before:
 
EXAMPLES:
That was a very nice lunch.

5.Geographical names without the:

names of continents (Asia)

countries and states (Japan, Texas)

cities, town, village (NewYork)

islands (Corfu)

mountains  (Everst)

streats/ roads/ squares (Red Square)

magazines (Cosmopolitan)

lakes (Superior)