Articles
ARTICLES
1/ Position of articles
The last few days, a really good concert, my only true friend
All the time, rather a good idea, exactly the wrong colour, such a funny expression, both the red dresses, quite a nice day, just the right amount, what a pity
It was too nice a day to stay inside.
2/ The use of articles
- depends on the nouns (countable, uncountable in sg. or pl.)
- when we talk about things in general (Englishmen, the guitar, life in general, whisky) or if we talk about particular examples of these things (an Englishman, a guitar I want to buy, the life of Beethoven…)
- when we talk about particular examples, it depends whether these are definite (the hearer knows which ones we mean) or indefinite (then we use a, an, some or no article).
A/ Countable and uncountable nouns
A cat, the cat, the cats, the water, cats, water.
I want to be a doctor. Talking about professions!
Mistakes: It’s a nice weather. Weather is Uncountable, it cannot take A.
Some word are both U and C: coffee, a coffee, iron , an iron
Singular Countable nouns must always have a determiner; Exceptions are only in expressions with prepositions like: by car, in bed…
B/ things in general
He likes cars, girls, food and drink.
The cars in that garage belong to the girls who live next door.
She loves life. He’s studying the life of Beethoven.
Most birds can fly.
I admire eighteen-century music. The music of the eighteen century is interesting.
-Another way of generalizing is to use singular with A/ AN
-A healthy society can tolerate a lot of criticism. One should give a child a lot of encouragement.
Generalizing about science and technology – usually with THE and singular countable noun:
- I hate the telephone. The whale is a mammal, not a fish.
Also about musical instruments and the cinema and the theatre as general ideas.
- I play the guitar.
- I prefer the cinema to the theatre.
When we talk about group of people:
The blind, the rich, the meek, the Irish…
C/ talking about particular things:
- definite meaning = the
Shut the door! I had a trouble with the car this morning. How did you like the film?
- indefinite meaning = a, some/any, no article
Pass me a piece of bread. Let me buy a drink! I met a friend of yours yesterday. Shall we go and see a film? Could I have a 10p stamp, please? Is your car a Volvo? I’ve got a headache.
Would you like some cheese? We haven’t got any problems. I think we’ve got mice. We need beer.
When we say what people and things are like:
She’s a doctor. He’s a very handsome boy. What is it?-It’s a collapsible stroller.
In plural or with Uncountable nouns: You’re fools. It’s petrol.
A man came up to a policeman and asked him a question. The policeman didn’t understand the question, so he asked the man to repeat the it.
- some, any, no article
Would you like (some) cheese? Did you buy (any) nails?
You’ve got some great jazz CDs. You’ve got beautiful toes. (not some, that you’ve got indefinite number of them, perhaps 6 or 7 ). Is there any more beer in the fridge? We need beer, sugar, butter, eggs. (the usual quantity).
SOME with singular countables:
There’s some man at the door waiting for you. = “I don’t know about him and I am not interested”
SPECIAL RULES AND EXCEPTIONS:
1/ common expressions without articles
To school, at school, from school, in/ to class, to/at/from university/college, to/in/into/from church,
To/in/into/out of prison/hospital/bed, to/at/from work, to/at sea, to/in/from town, at/from home, for breakfast, at lunch, to dinner, at night, by car/bus/bicycle/plane/train/tube/boat, on foot, to go to sleep no articles with double expressions with prepositions: with knife and fork, from top to bottom, on land and sea, arm in arm, day after day, inch by inch…
2/ genitives (possessiveness)
John’s coat,
3/ nouns used as adjectives
Lessons in how to play the guitar = guitar lessons (the article is dropped)
4/ man and woman
God created man and woman for each other.
BUT : modern: A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.
5/ radio and television
In general we don’t use articles: It’s easier to write plays for television than for radio.
BUT : listen to the radio, on the radio BUT watch TV, on TV
6/ musical instruments
I play the piano, Stivin on sax, Miles Davis at the piano. GAMES: play chess, play football.
7/ all and both
After all and both article the can be dropped… All (the) students in the class passed the test.
Both (the) children are good at Maths.
8/ illnesses
A headache But toothache, earache, backache…. I’ve got a cold
9/ numbers
A hundred pounds, a million…… ,
10/ seasons
We can say both in spring and in the spring
11/ positions
Elizabeth II, Queen of
12/ exclamations
What a lovely dress!
13/ ships
The Queen Mary, The USS Hornet
14/ geographical areas
I’m going to the country. I love the mountains but I hate the sea.
15/ place-names
THE: seas: the Atlantic, mountain group: the Himalayas, island groups: the West Indies; areas: the Middle East, the Midwest; rivers: the Danube, deserts: the
NO ARTICLES : continents: Africa, counties, states, towns:
THE: the
16/ special styles
Instructions, newspaper headlines, notices, lists, notes, posters… DROP ARTICLES
Abbreviations: a UFO, an MP, the UN, UNO, NATO = acronyms are proper names, they drop articles
