ARTICLES COUNTABLE NOUNS UNCOUNTABLE Singular: a/the beach I like music. (no a/an) Plural: the bananas/bananas some, any, many, few some, any, much, little A/AN – with singular countable nouns: a beach a student an umbrella a university You cannot use singular countable nouns alone (without a/my/the): I want a banana. (NO: I want banana.) You can use plural countable nouns alone: I like bananas. (in general) A/AN • to say what kind of thing/person sth/sb is: A dog is an animal. I am an optimist. • A + ADJECTIVE + NOUN: Jack has got a long nose. This is a beautiful house. • to say what somebody’s job is: He is a teacher. • when we mentioned sth for the first time: I had a sandwich and an apple for lunch. The sandwich was not very good but the apple was very nice. (we know which sandwich and which apple from the previous sentence) • once a week / three times a day / £1.10 a kilo • tell a lie THE • when we are thinking of one particular thing: Tom sat on the chair nearest the door. Did Ann get the job she applied for? I cleaned the car yesterday. (= my car) • when it is clear in the situation which thing or person we mean: Can you turn off the light, please? (= the light in this room) I have been to the wedding. - The bride, the groom and the cake all look fantastic. (at one particular wedding) • the bank, the post office: I must go to the bank to get some money. (a particular bank or office) BUT: Is there a bank near here? • the doctor, the dentist: Carol is not very well. She has gone to the doctor. (her usual doctor) • the city centre, the army, the police: Susan works in the centre. My brother is in the army. • when there is only one of sth: The Earth goes round the Sun and the Moon goes round the Earth. • the ________ of ________: the capital of France, the bank of England, the Tower of London • the sky, the sea, the ground, the country, the environment • the same: at the same time, Your pullover is the same colour as mine. • the cinema, the theatre: I often go to the cinema but I have not been to the theatre for ages. (we do not necessarily mean one particular cinema or theatre) • the radio, BUT television: I often listen to the radio and watch television. • nationality: the French, the British (the people of that country), a Frenchman, a Scot • + adjective: the young (group of people who are young), the disabled • musical instruments: I play the piano. • with names of countries that consist of several parts – republic, kingdom, states the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Dominican Republic • with the name of oceans, seas, rivers, canals: the Atlantic, the (River) Thames • with plural names of people and places: The Taylors, The Netherlands, the Bahamas • with mountain ranges: the Rocky Mountains, the Giant Mountains • tell the truth ZERO ARTICLE • breakfast, lunch, dinner – normally without article: What did you have for breakfast? - if there is an adjective before them, then you use a/an: We had a very nice lunch. • before noun + number: Platform 5, World War 2 • with institutions (prison, hospital, school, church, university) – when we are thinking of the general idea of these places and what they are used for: Ken is in prison for robbery. Jack had an accident last week. He was taken to hospital. When I leave school, I want to go to university. Ann goes to church every Sunday. BUT: Ken went to the prison to visit his brother. (he went as a visitor, not prisoner), Jill has gone to the hospital to visit Jack. Excuse me, where is the university? (the uni buildings), The workmen went to the church to repair the roof. • bed, work (go to work/be at work/start work/finish work), home (go home/come home/arrive home, be at home): It is time to go to bed. Let’s go home. Will you be at home tomorrow afternoon? • sea (go to sea/be at sea) = be on a voyage: Keith is a seaman. He spends most of his life at sea. After finishing school, I will go to sea. BUT: I’d like to live near the sea. • when we talk about things or people in general: I am afraid of dogs. Do you collect stamps? Doctors are paid more than teachers. Do you like Chinese food? Do you listen to classical music? • mountain and lakes: Mount Everest, Lake Ontario Murphy, R: English Grammar in Use (Intermediate)