How to define an article. Definite article

Article– this is special function word in English, which is used before a noun. The article is often not translated into Russian. In English, the article is a noun determiner and is not an independent part of speech. More information about the article in English.

the definite article the used in English in the following cases:

1. The definite article is used before countable nouns, if it is clear from the situation/previous experience/context what object or person is being talked about we're talking about .

Examples: We met a girl in the park. The girl was a famous actress. – We met a girl in the park. This girl was a famous actress. (In the second sentence the noun girl used with the definite article the, because the girl was already discussed in the previous sentence)
Please close the book . - Close the book, please. (It must be clear to the interlocutor what book we are talking about, otherwise the speaker could not use the article in this case the)

2. The definite article is used before a noun with a modifier, which indicates what kind of subject we are talking about.

Examples: Show me the magazinethat I gave you 2 weeks ago. – Show me the magazine that I gave you 2 weeks ago.
The keylying near the pillar is mine. – The key lying near the counter is mine.

3. The definite article is used with nouns that denote unique, one-of-a-kind objects, or the only objects under given conditions.

Examples:the sun – sun (does not indicate the name of the planets, therefore it is used with the definite article as a unique phenomenon),
the moon – moon (does not indicate the name of the planets, therefore it is used with the definite article as a unique phenomenon),
the sky – sky (one of a kind),
the Eiffel Tower - Eiffel Tower (the only one),
the captain - captain (since he is the only one on the ship),
the chief – chef (since he is the only chef in the restaurant),
the window – window (since it is the only one in the room),
the Earth – Earth (Earth as a planet, one of a kind),
BUT!
Noun Earth in the meaning of one of the planets (as Venus - Venus or Saturn - Saturn) used without an article and written with a capital letter, since according to the rule, the names of the planets are used without an article.

4. The definite article is used before a noun, which denotes not a separate object, but the whole class as a whole.

Examples:The lion is a wild animal. – A lion is a wild animal.
The pine is an evergreen tree. – Pine is an evergreen tree.

5. The definite article is used with the names of cinemas, hotels, museums, galleries, newspapers and magazines, ships.

Examples:the Odeon - Odeon cinema,
the Astoria – hotel “Astoria”,
the British Museum - British Museum,
the Tate Gallery – Tate Gallery,
the Times - The Times newspaper,
the Santa Maria - ship "Santa Maria", etc.

Note! If the name of a city facility (cinema, hotel, museum, gallery, etc.) contains the name settlement or a person's name (ending in –s or ‘s), then no article is used.

Examples: St. Paul's Cathedral - Cathedral of St. Pavel
Madame Tussaud’s Museum – Madame Tussaud’s Museum
Covent Garden – Opera theatre"Covent Garden" (named after the nearby market)
MacDonald's - McDonald's
Westminster Abbey - Westminster Abbey (named after the area)
Buckingham Palace - Buckingham Palace (named after the county in England)
Edinburgh Castle – Edinburgh Castle
London Zoo – London Zoo
Scotland Yard - Scotland Yard

6. The definite article is used with names of rivers, canals, seas, oceans, groups of islands, mountain ranges, deserts, lakes(if they are used without the word lake).

Examples:the Dnepr - Dnieper,
the Panama Canal - Panama Canal,
the Black Sea - Black Sea,
the Pacific Ocean - Pacific Ocean,
the Hawaiian Islands - Hawaiian Islands,
the Bahamas - Bahamas,
the Urals - Ural Mountains,
the Sahara desert - Sahara desert,
the Ontario - Ontario et al.
BUT!
Lake Superior – Lake Superior
Leech Lake– (lake) Lich
Loch Ness – (lake) Loch Ness (loch – Scottish version of the word “lake”)

7. The definite article is used with country names consisting of more than one word.

Examples:the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Union of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
the United States of America – the USA – United States of America,
the Philippines - Philippines,
the United Arab Emirates - United Arab Emirates,
the Netherlands – Netherlands, etc.

As an exception, the definite article is used with the following countries and localities:

Examples:the Sudan - Sudan,
the Congo - Congo,
the Argentina Argentina,
the Ukraine - Ukraine,
the Crimea – Crimea,
the Caucasus – Caucasus, etc.

8. The definite article is used with the following city names:

Examples:the Hague - The Hague,
the Athens - Athens,
the Vatican – Vatican, etc.

9. The definite article is used with the following words (when they are used as adverbs of place):

Examples:beach- beach, cinema- cinema, city- city, country(side)- countryside, ground- Earth, jungle– jungle, library- library, pub– bar, radio- radio, sea– sea, seaside– coast, station- railway station, shop- shop, theater- theater, world– peace, etc.

10. The definite article is used with adjectivesonly - only, last - last, first - first.

Examples: It was the first time I was ever in love. – It was the first time I fell in love.
I had the only dream to become an engineer-designer of the electronic devices. – My only dream was to become an engineer-designer of electronic equipment.

11. The definite article is used with substantivized adjectives.

Examples:the rich - rich,
the young - youth,
the homeless - homeless people, etc.

12. The definite article is used with adjectives in the superlative degree.

Examples: Nicole is the best friend. – Nicole is my best friend.
Winter is the coldest season of the year. – Winter is the coldest season of the year.

13. The definite article is used with ordinal numbers.

Examples:the first - first,
the second - second,
the fifteenth – fifteenth,
the second Unit - second lesson,
BUT
Unit 1 – Lesson 1, etc.

14. The definite article is used with wordsmorning - morning, afternoon - day, evening - evening.

Examples: in the morning - in the morning,
in the afternoon - during the day,
in the evening - in the evening.

15. The definite article is used with names of musical instruments.

Examples:the piano - piano,
the violin - violin,
the double-bass - double bass,
the guitar - guitar, etc.

16. The definite article is used with names of nationalities.

Examples:the Ukrainian - Ukrainians,
the Belorussian - Belarusians,
the English - Englishmen,
the Dutch - Dutch, etc.

17. The definite article is used with a surname when talking about the whole family.

Examples:the Petrovs – Petrov family,
the Browns - Brown family, etc.

18. The definite article is used with titles.

Examples:the Queen - queen,
the Prince - prince,
the Lord - lord
BUT!
Queen Victoria - Queen Victoria,
Prince William - Prince William,
Lord Byron - Lord Byron, etc.

The indefinite article is used when you mention something for the first time or want to say: “any one”, “any”, “one of”.

Article a (an) is only used before singular countable nouns - i.e. in front of those where you can mentally say one.

Countable nouns are those that can be counted. For example, books, trees, dogs, etc.

In the plural, the indefinite article is not used.

1. At first mention

I've seen a new film. The film is called Slumdog Millionaire. - I watched a new film.

How to use the article

It's called Slumdog Millionaire.

This is a classic example: the first mention uses the article a, when repeated - article the.

2. General situation (some one, some, any)

We are talking about something in general, and not about something specific.

Example

I'd like to buy a dress. - I want to buy a dress.
We are not talking about a specific dress, but about some kind of dress.

What if you said:
I’d like to buy the dress - this would mean that you do not mean some unknown dress, but a specific dress, this.

3. We are talking about a representative isolated from a number of similar

Example

Ludwig van Beethoven was a great composer. - Ludwig van Beethoven was a great composer.

Those. one of the great composers. If we put here instead of the article a article the, this would mean that Beethoven - the only one great composer in the world. But that's not true. There are many great composers, and Beethoven is only one of them.

The difference between the article a and an

Article a used before words that begin with a consonant, and the article an- from a vowel.

Examples

A book - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An apple - the word begins with a vowel sound.

It seems that everything is simple and clear? Yes, but there are also more complex situations. Please note - from a consonant (vowel) sound, not letters.

Examples

A house - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An hour - the word begins with a vowel sound.
A university - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An umbrella - the word begins with a vowel sound.

How can this be, you ask? Why before the word university there is an article a? After all, this is a vowel sound!
Remember, it's not about spelling, it's about pronunciation. Look at the transcription of the word university: it starts with . And this is a consonant sound! By the way, in Russian th- this is a consonant sound.

Examples

The words in the table below begin with a consonant, so they are preceded by Always the article is put a.

The words in the table below begin with a vowel sound, so they are preceded by Always the article is put an.

Note

Choice of article a or an affects the first sound of the word that immediately follows the article. Please note - the first word will not always be a noun!

Example

An umbrella is the vowel sound in the word umbrella
A black umbrella - consonant sound in the word black
An hour - vowel sound in the word hour
A whole hour - consonant sound in the word whole

Return to “Grammar” section

Article in English- this is an auxiliary part of speech that serves to express the category of certainty or uncertainty of an object expressed by a noun.

Determination means that an object is individualized, distinguished from all other objects of this type, and indeterminacy is a more general reference to this type of object as a whole.

For example:

The boy has a ball.
The boy has a ball.

In the above example, a specific, specific boy is meant, known to the reader from the context, and the word “ball” has more general meaning and denotes what type of item he has.

There are two articles in English: the definite the and uncertain a (an).

Examples of using articles in English

Both of them originated from significant parts of speech and partially retained their old meaning.

Definite articlethe derived from the demonstrative pronoun that, hence its meaning of concreteness.

The old meaning can be traced in phrases such as:

at the time - at that time

of the kind - of this kind

Indefinite articlea came from the numeral one, the meaning of which is clearly visible in the phrases:

not a word - not (one) word

a mile’s walk - at a distance of (one) mile

a cup or two - (one) cup or two

The indefinite article in English has two variants - a And an. If a noun begins with a consonant, then the form is used a, if with a vowel - form an:

a tree [ ətri:] - tree

a worker [ ə wɜ:kə] - worker

a hero [ ə hiərəʊ] - hero

an apple [ ən æpl] - apple

an engineer [ ən endʒiniə] - engineer

an hour [ ən aʊə] - hour

Zero article or its absence before a significant noun occurs in certain cases when using plurals, proper names, geographical names, uncountable and abstract nouns, etc.:

people - people

water - water

Europe - Europe

English articles in detail:

Further:

/ Online lessons / Articles

Articles in English.

Articles of the English language There are two types - a (an) and the.

The indefinite article in English a, an(the Indefinite Article) is used only before singular countable nouns:

A cup, a table, a pen

But,
an – used only before nouns that begin with a vowel:

an apple, an exam, an interesting book

Uncountable nouns are used with a zero article, i.e. without article, or with an indefinite pronoun.

Milk- milk (always plural)

some milk– milk (or some milk)

The indefinite article indicates that an object belongs to some class of homogeneous objects:

A gym, a horse

The Definite Article the (the Definite Article)in Englishused:

1. With nouns that have already been mentioned in the conversation, in a sentence

I have a dog.

The definite article the in English

The dog is funny.

I have a dog. The dog is funny.

2. With the names of oceans, seas, rivers, mountain ranges

The Black Sea, The Pacific Ocean, the Thamse…

But,
The article is not placed at all before proper names:

England, Russia, London, Kiev, Mr. Brown.

3. With the names of the four parts of the world

The South, the North, the Earth, the West

4. With objects or concepts that are one of a kind

The sun the moon the sky…

5. With nouns that denote a whole class or species

The tiger is a wild animal

But,
The article is not used at all if the noun denotes a general meaning

Life is good.

6. Before the surnames of persons in the plural, unless they denote a whole family

The Stevensons – The Stevenson Family

Remember the following frozen phrases:

In the morning
in the afternoon
in the evening
at night

And:

To go to bed
to go to work
to go to school
to go home
to come home
to leave home for work (for school) – go to work (school)
at half past five
at a quarter past five
after work - after work
from work - from work
after school - from school
to have (cook, make, prepare) breakfast
to have (cook, make, prepare) _ lunch(dinner supper, tea, coffee)
to watch TV
to play chess
to play football
out of – something has ended
to play the piano
to play the guitar
doors
in a loud voice – loudly (to speak)
in a low voice - quietly (speak)
in an angry voice – evil (to speak)
in a thin voice - thinly (speak)
in а___voice – with a voice (to speak)

Articles in English are not used before the names of lakes, mountains, islands, continents, cities, and countries.

Exceptions:

The United States of America
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
the Netherlands
the Crimea

Remember the following frozen English phrases:

In the north
in the south
in the east
in the west
to the north
to the south
to the east
to the west

To have a good time - have a good time

From morning till _ night – from morning to night

All day long - throughout the day

A lot of - a lot of

What's the use? - What's the use?

To the cinema
to the theater
to the shop
to the market
at the cinema
at the theater
at the shop
at the market
to go for a walk – go for a walk

Remember the following phrases frozen in the English language:

On _ horseback - on a horse
on_ shipboard – on board the ship
in_fact – known, actually
the same - the same, identical

Remember the use of the article in exclamatory sentences beginning with the word “what”:

What a good boy! What a long story! What a day!

Pay attention to the use of the article with the word other:

another - another (indefinite), some other, one more (in the plural or before uncountable noun- other.)
the other - the other (specific), that other, the other of the two.

After a while - after a while
from place to place - from place to place
It was morning
It was night
It was daytime
It was evening
at sunrise
at sunset
in the country - to the country
by bus, by tram, by train, by car – by bus, by tram, by train, by car
in town - to town
in spring
in summer
in autumn
in winter
the rest of the… – the rest(s)…
in a day
in a week
in a month
in a year
for life - for life
a great deal - excellent
deal! - Deal!

The indefinite article a, an (The Indefinite Article) is used only before countable nouns in the singular:

This is a tennis racket.

Uncountable nouns are used either without an article or with indefinite pronouns:

There is snow on the field.
There is some milk in the cup.

The indefinite article in English indicates that an object belongs to any class of homogeneous objects:

It is a gym. That is a horse with pommels.

The definite article the (The Definite Article) is used:

With nouns that have already been mentioned in the conversation, in a sentence

I see a ball. The ball is on the playground.

With the names of the four parts of the world

the South, the North, the West, the East

With names of oceans, seas, rivers, mountain ranges

the Black Sea, the Pacific Ocean, the Thames, the Urals

With objects or concepts that are one of a kind

the earth, the sun, the moon, the sky, the world etc.

With nouns that are representatives of the entire class of homogeneous objects:

The tiger is a world animal.

Before the surnames of persons in the plural, if they mean the whole family:

The Browns are our best friends.

Definite article (the)

Articles cause a lot of difficulties, and not only because in Russian there is no analogue and nothing to compare with. But because despite its specific meaning, there are many cases of use and exceptions to them.

8 rules for using the definite article in English

So, what is the essence of the definite article the?

The definite article also defines a noun by indicating its specificity. Its roots grow from the demonstrative pronoun that, which, like the article the, indicates something specific, precise, definite. One form, two pronunciations.

Small features of using the article the

As with the indefinite, it all depends on the noun that follows. So, if there is a consonant at the beginning of the word, then the is pronounced as [ðƏ], and if there is a vowel or silent h, then - [ði]. Very often, the definite article in English is replaced by possessive pronouns if it is important to indicate who owns this or that object, person, etc. In some cases, it is replaced by its ancestors - demonstrative pronouns - this, that, these, those. Sometimes, even if the is written in a sentence, in Russian it sounds like “this, that, those.”

The day was very interesting and full of emotions. — The day was very interesting and full of emotions.

My day was very interesting and full of emotions.

— My day was very interesting and full of emotions.

When is the article the used?

Almost every noun in English must be accompanied. The use of the article the has a number of cases that need to be remembered.

1. If the item one of a kind (the earth, the sky, the sun , the Taj Mahal) and there are no other analogues, then we put the. The same is true with an object that the only one in the situation . For example, sitting in a room, you ask to close the door, the only one that is there.

Look at the moon! It is shining brightly. - Look at the moon. She shines brightly.

Close the door, please. — Close the door, please.

2. With nouns, being in the function of circumstances (where something is: in a garden, in a city, implying a specific garden or city), the definite article is also used. By using the article the, you specify.

It was very dark in the room. — The room was very dark.

They are working in the field. — They are working in the garden.

3. With nouns, denoting a certain quantity in a certain place.

The snow is dirty. — The snow is dirty (specifically in some place, because in general it is clean, white)

Give me the water, please. - Give me some water, please. (Not all the water, but a certain amount, for example, to drink)

4. If the offer contains "application", giving additional information about the person, and if the fame of this character is emphasized, then we put the.

Pushkin, the famous Russian poet, was killed. — Pushkin, the famous Russian poet, was killed.

5. After words one of, some of, many of, each of, most of, both, all.

All the newspapers were sold out. — All the newspapers were sold out.

Show me one of the dresses. — Show me one of the dresses.

Each of the women have children. — Each of the women has children.

6. Before superlative adjectives, before words the same, the following, the next (meaning next in order), the last (last) , before ordinal numbers.

It is the most interesting article I have ever read. - This is the most interesting article, which I have ever read.

The last week was very tiring. — The last week was very exhausting.

She took the next ticket. - She took the next ticket.

7. Before substantivized adjectives, participles, before the word people in the meaning of people.

The rich have a happy life. — The rich have a happy life.

The Soviet people won the war. — Soviet people won the war.

8. Before words denoting social classes of people.

The workers have a small salary. — The workers have low wages.

9. Usually, the article is not used before proper names. But there are exceptions that we will consider. For example, before names denoting the whole family as a whole.

The Makarny have a big house. — The Makarnis (Makarni family) have a big house.

10. Before titles some countries where the words republic, kingdom, states, union, federation are present, before names that are in the plural: the Netherlands, The Philippines, the Baltic States.

The Czech Republic is located in the center of Europe. — The Czech Republic is located in the center of Europe.

She has just come from the United States of America. — She just arrived from the United States of America.

11. Before titles rivers, seas, oceans, straits, canals, currents, lakes (if the word lake is not included).

The Pacific ocean is the greatest ocen in the world. — The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world.

The Baikal is in Siberia. — Baikal in Siberia. (But: Lake Baikal)

12. Before titles deserts, mountain ranges, island groups (in the only one - without).

We are going to climb the Alps. — We are going to climb the Alps.

When I was traveling around the world I was in the Sahara. — when I traveled around the world, I was in the Sahara.

13. Before the names of the four cardinal directions: the south, the north, the east, the west, poles, regions, ships.

He has lived in the west since 1967. - He has lived in the west since 1967.

My parents went on board the Star. — My parents arrived on the Star ship.

14. Before titles museums, cinemas, clubs, galleries, restaurants, monuments, names of English (American) newspapers (except “Today”), hotels.

I try to read the Morning Star every day. — I try to read the Morning Star every day.

I would like to put up in the National. — I would like to stay at the National Hotel.

Of course, it’s quite difficult to remember right away when the article “the” is used. It's all a matter of practice. But remember one truth: before common nouns, if something specific is indicated, you understand what kind of subject we are talking about, then feel free to put the. But you still have to learn how to use proper names.

Small features of using the article the

The day was very interesting and full of emotions. — The day was very interesting and full of emotions.

My day was very interesting and full of emotions. — My day was very interesting and full of emotions.

When is the article the used?

Almost every noun in English must be accompanied. The use of the article the has a number of cases that need to be remembered.

Look at the moon! It is shining brightly. - Look at the moon. She shines brightly.

Close the door, please. — Close the door, please.

It was very dark in the room. — The room was very dark.

They are working in the field. — They are working in the garden.

3. With nouns, denoting a certain quantity in a certain place.

The snow is dirty. — The snow is dirty (specifically in some place, because in general it is clean, white)

Give me the water, please. - Give me some water, please. (Not all the water, but a certain amount, for example, to drink)

4. If the offer contains "application", giving additional information about the person, and if the fame of this character is emphasized, then we put the.

Pushkin, the famous Russian poet, was killed. — Pushkin, the famous Russian poet, was killed.

5. After words one of, some of, many of, each of, most of, both, all.

All the newspapers were sold out. — All the newspapers were sold out.

Show me one of the dresses. — Show me one of the dresses.

Each of the women have children. — Each of the women has children.

6. Before superlative adjectives, before words the same, the following, the next (meaning next in order), the last (last) , before ordinal numbers.

It is the most interesting article I have ever read. — This is the most interesting article I have ever read.

The last week was very tiring. — The last week was very exhausting.

She took the next ticket. - She took the next ticket.

7. Before substantivized adjectives, participles, before the word people in the meaning of people.

The rich have a happy life. — The rich have a happy life.

The Soviet people won the war. — The Soviet people won the war.

8. Before words denoting social classes of people.

The workers have a small salary. — The workers have low wages.

9. Usually, the article is not used before proper names. But there are exceptions that we will consider. For example, before names denoting the whole family as a whole.

The Makarny have a big house. — The Makarnis (Makarni family) have a big house.

The Czech Republic is located in the center of Europe. — The Czech Republic is located in the center of Europe.

She has just come from the United States of America. — She just arrived from the United States of America.

11. Before titles rivers, seas, oceans, straits, canals, currents, lakes (if the word lake is not included).

The Pacific ocean is the greatest ocen in the world. — The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world.

The Baikal is in Siberia. — Baikal in Siberia. (But: Lake Baikal)

12. Before titles deserts, mountain ranges, island groups (in the only one - without).

We are going to climb the Alps. — We are going to climb the Alps.

When I was traveling around the world I was in the Sahara. — when I traveled around the world, I was in the Sahara.

13. Before the names of the four cardinal directions: the south, the north, the east, the west, poles, regions, ships.

He has lived in the west since 1967. - He has lived in the west since 1967.

My parents went on board the Star. — My parents arrived on the Star ship.

14. Before titles museums, cinemas, clubs, galleries, restaurants, monuments, names of English (American) newspapers (except “Today”), hotels.

I try to read the Morning Star every day. — I try to read the Morning Star every day.

I would like to put up in the National. — I would like to stay at the National Hotel.

It is impossible to boast of knowledge of English grammar without knowing seemingly insignificant but important details, for example, articles. One of the most insidious and treacherous of them is the definite article “the”. When communicating with a native speaker, it is very easy to get burned by using it inappropriately, or vice versa, by missing it. Knowing the following 10 rules, you can
strengthen your knowledge on the front of articles and be more confident in the correctness of your sayings. But be extremely careful - the rules are full of exceptions and pitfalls. Don't say “thanks” just yet. Check what we have in store for ya!

Let's start with something simple. You use an article when you want to distinguish a word from its other possible versions. If there is no confusion regarding what you mean, then you don't use the article. So if everyone already knows, for example, where you go to school (university or work), you simply say: “I"m going to school,” because there is no confusion. Or if you say that are you ever going to go to school in general, you don't use articles « the" The same applies to the house - usually everyone has one, and hell and Heaven, about which everyone knows. So, the next time you think about where you will go after death, think in English, and do it correctly: “I"m going to hell.” However, when we talk about special hell of a specific religion, the article “the” should already be: “ The hell of Islam is far worse than the hell of Chirstianity.»

With that being said, it is important to remember that if countable noun (one gun, two guns), That always use the article (the / a / an). And at the same time remember that can't bet his before plural (guns, books) or innumerablenouns(water, blood, advice, chocolate, meat etc.).

Generally

We don't put « the", When talking about something generally, without specifics.

Cats are awesome pets!

Here we are not talking about one specific awesome cat or pet, but about all awesome cats and pets at once.

Women love it when men do it right.
People are evil in that neighborhood.

Sport

Names of sports and other types physical activity don't require article "the".

I love to go skiing in the winter.
I play baseball every day after school.
He loves watching hockey on TV.
She does yoga 3 times a week.
My daughter really enjoys dancing.

Family

We use « the"when we talk about family(by last name), but not about a specific person or combinations with names:

We"re having dinner with the Smiths tonight.
The Browns are going to the play with us.

John is coming over later.
Mary Carpenter is my boss.
Prince Charles is Queen Elizabeth's son.
President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

Numbers

We don’t put an article, When:

after the noun there is a number:

He's staying at the Haunted hotel in room 221.
The train to Noplaceville leaves from platform 2.
My Exorcism class is in room 6 on the first floor(“first” is the adjective in this sentence and describes “the floor”).

year indicated:

1948 was a wonderful year.
He was born in 1995 .

We put the article before:

superlative adjectives and ordinal numbers:

the third movie
the tallest kid
the last hour

decades and other periods of years:

I"m the kid of the nineties.
This is a painting from the 1820's.

Only

If there is such a word in a sentence, then feel free to put “the” in front of it:

This is the only day we"ve had sunshine all week.
You are the only person she will listen to.
The only tea I like is black tea.

Not for the first time

We put " a"when we talk about something for the first time, and then change to « the"when what is being discussed is it's becoming clear. Also put « the"when everything is with it's obvious to everyone, or when something or someone is one of a kind. Using this rule, you will be right in most cases, but remember about hell and Heaven.

He was talking to a man. The man was laughing.
She gave him a present. The present was very expensive.
I cleaned the bathroom this morning.
The sun is hot today.
He walked around the world.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

We don't use article before the names of meals:

We had lunch at noon.
I have breakfast at 7 a.m.

Proper names

Majority names holidays, companies, languages, countries, streets, airports, stations, cities, continents, islands, individual mountains, lakes etc. - all these are proper names, and article Here usually not needed. But it is precisely in this section of the rules for using “the” that there is many exceptions, so be extremely careful.

McDonald's has restaurants in 119 countries.
Victoria Station is in the center of London.
Can you direct me to Bond Street?
She lives in Florence.
I got some cool ideas for Halloween. (there is only 1 Halloween that everyone knows about)
Asia and Europe are two continents, in case you didn't know.
Her son graduated from Harvard. (but “He has a master’s degree from the University of Toronto»).
I"m leaving for America next week (but " the United States»).
Lake Ontario and Lake Huron are 2 of the Great Lakes(“the Great Lakes” - a group of lakes on the border between Canada and the United States requires an article).
I teach people how to speak English / Chinese / Spanish / Russian(however, when talking about the inhabitants of a particular nation: “ The Spanish are known for their warm hospitality").
Mount Everest is the one I plan to climb next week (but “ the Ends», « the Rockies" or unusual names individual mountains, like Mt. the Matterhorn"(peak in the Pennine Alps).
Easter Island, Maui, Key West- none of these islands I "ve visited (but chains islands like " the Aleutians», « the Hebrides" or" the Canary Islands» require an article).

Names, establishments and places

We don't use « the" before:

names of professions, school subjects, shops and some places:

My office is located on Main Street/Washington Blvd..
I usually go to church on Sundays.
Did you go to school today?
She's studying business at university.
Engineering is a well-paid career.
He'll probably study medicine.
I"ll get the card at Smith's.
Can you go to Boots for me?

names of subjects at school:

math
geography
business
history
science

before the following words in a general sense:

school
prison
college

I hope to go to college.
He spent three years in prison.

We use « the" before:

names of rivers, oceans and seas ( the Nile, the Pacific,the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Black Sea, the Thames);
countries ( the Netherlands, the Philippines), also before those whose names include the words " republic", « states" And " kingdom» ( the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom);
points of the globe ( the Equator, the North Pole);
geographical areas ( the Middle East, the West);
deserts, forests, sea bays and peninsulas ( the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula).
newspaper names and famous buildings, works of art, museums and monuments ( the New York Times, the Guardian,the Vietnam Memorial, the Louvre, the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower,the Globe).
before the names of hotels and restaurants, unless they are named after a person ( the Golden Lion, the Hilton).
in front of already known places that people usually go to ( the bank, the supermarket, the doctor's)

Let's go the movies.
My dad is in the hospital(Americans will put the article here, but the British may omit it).
She works at the post office.
What time do you have to be at the airport?
Please drop me off at the bus stop.
She doesn't like to go to the doctor or the dentist.

Abbreviations

Or acronyms are shortened forms of the name of something, using the capital letters of each word to form a new one. So, if the acronym is pronounced like a word, We we don't use « the»:

NATO['neɪtoʊ] (North Atlantic Treaty Organization here pronounced as one word) ambassadors met to discuss the situation.
UNSECO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was formed in 1946.
Sorry, you've got AIDS(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

The same goes for abbreviations names of educational institutions:

She has a Ph. D from MIT(Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

However, if the abbreviation is spelled out, That article"the" is needed. And you may well say the NATO member(NATO member).

The UN was created after the Second World War (United Nations = UN and spelled).

The same goes for the following abbreviations:

the EU(European Union)
the US(United States)
the CIA(Central Intelligence Agency)
the FBI(Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Now, in theory, you should be from “the” to “you,” but do not rush to become familiar. Don't forget about exceptions and the main rule. Good luck in learning English and keep the progress going!

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

27.11.2014

An article is a word that defines a noun.

There are two types of articles in English: the definite (the) and the indefinite (a/an).

Based on the names, the indefinite article is used when we are talking about a phenomenon that we encounter for the first time, an object in general, and the definite article is used when we are talking about something specific, or something that has already been encountered in conversation.

The concept of the article is present in many languages of the world, but in the same number of languages it is absent.

Therefore, do not panic if articles are not used in your native language.

The data will help you make fewer mistakes when speaking English.

It is very important to be able to use the correct articles in your speaking or writing.

1. With the names of countries and continents

In this case we do not use articles at all, BUT if the name of the country consists of parts, such as, USA, UK, UAE, then our article appears the, and it will be: the USA, the UK, the UAE, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands.

This also applies to continents and islands: usually we do not use the article, but if the name is a composite name, the definite article takes place.

For example: Africa, Europe, Bermuda, Tasmania BUT the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas.

She lived in America.
They live in England.
My friend is from the Czech Republic.

2. With the words breakfast, dinner, lunch

When talking about eating in general, there is no article. But if you're talking about a specific breakfast, dinner or lunch, use the.

Eg:

I don't eat breakfast.
We didn't like the dinner.

3. With names of work, profession

In this case the indefinite article is used a/an.

For example:

I want to be a politician.
My younger brother wants to be a vet.

4. With the names of the cardinal points

Usually the names of the cardinal directions are written with a capital letter, so they are easy to recognize: the North, the South, the East, the West .

True, if a noun indicates a direction, then it should be used without an article and written with a small letter.

For example:

They went east.
The North is cooler than the South.

5. With the names of oceans, seas, rivers and canals

Remember that the definite article is always used with the names of these bodies of water.

For example: The Amazon, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal .

I would like to swim in the Red Sea, and you?
The Amazon is the longest river in the world.

6. With names of unique phenomena

This means that a phenomenon or object exists in one copy, one of a kind, in particular, the sun, the moon, the inter net , the sky , the earth.

Eg:

The sun is a star.
We looked up at all the stars in the sky.
He is always on the internet.

7. With uncountable nouns

This category of nouns implies those units and concepts that we cannot count. Plus how identification mark in most cases, they have no ending –s– plural indicator.

But do not forget that there are ten exceptions to one rule, that is, if you are talking in general about some uncountable concept, there will be no article, but again, if the case is particular, use the.

For example:

I like bread/milk/honey.
I like the bread/the milk/the honey. (Specifically this and nothing else.)

8. With last names

If we are talking about members of the same family, you can put the article the before the surname. This way you denote a group of people, a family, in one word.

Eg:

The Smith are coming for dinner today.
Have you seen the Johnson recently?

These are not all the uses of articles in English. However, first remember these rules, gradually deepening your knowledge

Hi all! Each language has its own rules that lend themselves to logic and explanation, and there are exceptions that are subject only to rote learning. If your native language- Russian, and you are studying English, then you are very lucky. You will have to learn a lot fewer rules. When studying irregular or modal verbs, you may not agree with me. But believe me, in English rules and there are much fewer exceptions than in Russian.

Definite article

Many cases of using, for example, articles in English can be reduced to a few basic rules, and in other cases you need to learn to find the logic of these same rules. Well, the rest, of course, you just have to memorize :). In this article I will tell you about the basic rules for using the Definite Article in English. You already know from previous lessons that there are two types of articles in English: uncertain (a/an) and definite (the), expressed by a given single form. Individualizing"The" , like definite, originated from Old English, where it served as a demonstrative pronoun"that"

By pointing at something or someone, you rid your speech of any uncertainty, and the interlocutor will immediately understand what you are talking about. " The“That’s why it’s called definite because when it’s used it’s immediately clear what object, person or event it’s about and it goes: The sandwich on the table(identifies a specific book lying on a specific table).

Thus, Definite Article sometimes used when the person or thing being mentioned is known to both the listener and the speaker (from what was previously mentioned in the conversation, the environment, the context): It is a table. The table is at the wall - the table is near the wall.

Basic rules for using the definite article

The fact that Definite Article comes from a demonstrative pronoun determines the basic rules for its use. “The,” unlike “a/an,” can be used in any number and placed before any noun. But in what situation? So, the definite article is used before:

One of a kind items: The Moon moves around the Earth. — The moon moves around the Earth.
Subjects that have a definition: The boy that has stolen a picture, was caught. — The boy who stole the painting was caught.(Which boy? - who stole the painting)
Objects from a limited collection or group: The wheel of the lorry was missing. — The truck didn’t have wheels.(One of the 4 or 6 wheels of the truck was missing).

Article The

These are the basic rules for using Definite Article.

In general, try to do this: put the pronoun “this” or “that” before the noun.If the meaning of a sentence or phrase does not change, then feel free to put “The”, and if it does, then before the uncountable noun. in units We put “a/an”, and if this is a plural noun, then we don’t put the article at all!Simply and easily! But you all need to know the rules, so let’s continue.