Another Article on the Articles

Grammar Focus (B2-C2)

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My Favourite Mistake

Did you see me walking by, did it ever make you cry?
Now you’re my favorite mistake
Yeah you’re my favorite mistake …

You think I must be daydreaming of a long-lost love when I sing this Sheryl Crow song.

But noooo …

I’m thinking of THE and wondering if it ever cried when I forgot to use it!

The use of the articles is my “favourite (grammar) mistake”!

My mother tongue doesn’t have articles, so they have always been a headache, when learning both English and French.

Anyway, love them or hate them, we need to use them …

I am well aware that there are tons of explanations in your coursebooks and grammar books on how to use the articles, as well as thousands of online pages where you can read about this topic. Still, I decided to write my own comprehensive guide on how to use each article.

Hopefully, you’ll like it and find it useful. (Fingers crossed!)

warm-up

First of all, what do you say we check how good you already are when it comes to articles?

 

Take a look at this general knowledge quiz. Complete the gaps with the correct article: A/AN (indefinite), THE (definite) or – (zero). 

  1. What country is __ Lake Victoria in?
  2. Who was __ second person to walk on __ moon?
  3. What country does __ Volga river flow through?
  4. In which ocean can you find __ Seychelles?
  5. What’s __ highest mountain in __ Alps?
  6. What is __ 50% of 50?
  7. What colour are __ babies’ eyes at birth? 
  8. Which bird is __ symbol of __ USA?
  9. Which animals were domesticated first __ cats or __ dogs?
  10. Which travels faster __ light or __ sound?
  11. Which planet in our solar system is furthest from __ sun?
  12. Who are more numerous in the world, __ men or __ women?
  13. How many countries are there in __ UK?
  14. What type of fruit is __ Granny Smith?
  15. How many players can be on court in __ basketball team?
  16. What is __ first sign of __ zodiac?
  17. Which nation first gave __ women __ right to vote?
  18. What was __ name of __ first man to be sent into space?
  19. Which European country hasn’t fought in __ war since __1815?
  20. What is __ largest man-made structure on Earth?
  21. What vegetable is __ vodka often made from?
  22. Is __ spider __ insect?
  23. What colour is __ black box flight recorder on __ plane?

 

Now, how about you try to answer the questions in the quiz?

I knew you’d be up for it! Awesome!

(To check your answers, scroll to the end of the lesson.)

definite article (THE)

We use the before a noun when it is clear what is being referred to, because:

✍️ it is defined immediately afterwards (e.g. The location they chose was very remote. The advice my wife gave me didn’t save me from getting into trouble.)

✍️it has already been mentioned (e.g. The researchers carried out a survey… It is not surprising to learn from the survey that…)

✍️ it is unique (She works closely with the director and the producer. The Earth revolves around the Sun. The Queen will be opening a new music hall next month.)

We use the before the names of:

  • oceans (the Pacific)
  • rivers (the Thames)
  • seas (The Mediterranean)
  • deserts (the Gobi)
  • groups of islands (the Canaries)
  • mountain ranges (the Alps)
  • gulfs (the Persian Gulf)
  • bays (the Bay of Biscay)
  • straits (the Straits of Gibraltar)
  • countries when the name includes the word states, republic, kingdom, or union (the Czech Republic)
  • nationalities (the French)
  • families when we refer to all the members of a family (The Smiths are coming for dinner tonight.)
  • places if they consists of an adjective followed by a noun (the National Gallery)
  • places or institutions if they contain the possessive of-construction (the Isle of Man, the University of Chicago)
  • theatres, cinemas, clubs, hotels and newspapers (the Globe, the The Phoenix, the Victory Club, the Hilton, the Times)

 

The definite article is used with the double comparative. (The older I get, the sillier I become. The more I know him, the less I like him.)

The is also used before an adjective to turn it into a class noun or an abstract noun (the rich, the beautiful).

The above-mentioned rules cover the majority of cases, but in some cases usage is everything. Take a look at some common cases in which singular, concrete nouns are used without an article:

🖊️ to live from hand to mouth (to live in great poverty)
🖊️ to turn turtle (to capsize)
🖊️ by word of mouth (orally)
🖊️ to set sail (to start a voyage)
🖊️ to fight tooth and nail (to fight very hard)
🖊️ by hook or by crook (by fair means or foul)
🖊️ to give ground (to retreat)
🖊️ to be at stake (in danger)

indefinite article (A/AN)

We use a/an before a singular countable noun when it is not immediately clear what is being referred to, because:

✍️ it is mentioned for the first time (e.g. I’m going to tell you a story about a little girl and three brown bears.)

✍️ it is not important which particular thing is being referred to (e.g. Police officers arrested a demonstrator (= some demonstrator; it’s not really important who he is) outside the Houses of Parliament.)

The indefinite article is used with:

  • with certain numbers and fractions (a quarter of an hour)
  • instead of using more formal per (80 miles an hour)
  • a noun which describes or classifies something (Maria is a doctor. That was a lovely dinner!)
  • names of certain illnesses (a cold, a headache, an allergy; but: the flu, the measles)
  • a proper name to express uncertainty about the person’s identity (A Mr Jones was looking for you yesterday.)
  • a proper name to refer to the characteristic features of the person (He was an Einstein of his time.)
  • a proper name to refer to a work of art created by the person (He bought a Picasso at Sotheby’s in 1970.)

zero article

Plural, abstract and uncountable nouns require no article if they are used in a general sense.

Examples:

Crocodiles can be dangerous. (plural)

All you need is love. (abstract)

Advice is not always welcome. (uncountable)


The zero article is used with:

  • cities, countries and continents, but there are a few exceptions (the Hague, the Vatican, the Netherlands, the Gambia, the Antarctic, the Arctic)
  • names of places and institutions which consist of a proper name and another noun (Trafalgar Square, Victoria Station)
  • titles (General Cook, Lord Byron, King William I; BUT: the Reverend, the Venerable, the Marquis of Bath)
  • meals (I’ll have fruit for lunch.), but if there is an adjective before the name of the meal or a phrase or clause after it, an article is used (The breakfast that they served was fabulous. I had a quick lunch at Wendy’s.)
  • names of days, months, seasons and holidays (on Monday, in March, in summer, at Christmas)
  • certain parts of the day (at midnight, before dusk, after sunset, at sunrise), but if there is an adjective before the noun or a phrase or clause after it, the noun usually takes an article (the summer I met my future husband; it was a beautiful sunset)
  • lakes and mountain peaks (Lake Michigan, Mont Blanc)
  • islands (Ceylon, Cuba, Australia)
  • streets and roads (Downing Street) (but: the High Street, the Mall, the M40, the Champs Elysees)
  • nouns that refer to certain places and institutions when we are talking about the natural purpose for which they are intended (The children are at school.), but if we mean the place (usually the building) itself, the definite article is used (In 1985, there was a fire in the school.)
  • certain prepositional phrases (in charge, in tears, in danger, at war, by heart, beyond control)
  • with magazines (Cosmopolitan)

put it into action

Complete the sentences with A, AN, THE, or – (no article).

  1. __ Kremlin is probably __ most famous building in __ Moscow.
  2. James had __ accident while he was skiing in Austria and now he’s in __ hospital.
  3. __ first state in __ USA where __ women could vote was Wyoming.
  4. __ population of __ South Africa is approximately 60 million.
  5. I went to __ university the year after I finished school. First I worked as __ au-pair in Italy for six months.
  6. __ River Ebro in Spain flows into __ Mediterranean Sea.
  7. We couldn’t visit __ village church yesterday because there was __ wedding taking place.
  8. __ quickest way to get from London to Oxford by __ car is to take __ M40 motorway.
  9. __ Lake Superior, in __ Canada, is __ biggest lake in __ world.
  10. I’m not usually frightened of __ spiders, but __ spiders in __ zoo were enormous.

ANSWER KEY

General knowledge quiz
1 – (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania)
2 the, the (Buzz Aldrin)
3 the (Russia)
4 the (Indian Ocean)
5 the, the (Mont Blanc)
6 – (25)
7 – (Blue for Caucasian babies, grey or brown for babies of African or Asian descent)
8 the, the (the Bald Eagle)
9 -, – (dogs)
10 -, – (light)
11 the (Neptune)
12 -, – (The most common answer amongst researchers in this area is that there are slightly more men than women.)
13 the (4: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
14 a (apple)
15 a (5)
16 the, the (Aries)
17 -, the (New Zealand)
18 the, the (Yuri Gagarin)
19 a, – (Switzerland)
20 the (The Great Wall of China)
21 – (potatoes)
22 a, an (no)
23 the, a (orange)

Put it into action
1 the, the, –
2 an, –
3 The, the, –
4 The, –
5 -, an
6 The, the
7 the, a
8 The, -, the
9 -, -, the, the
10 -, the, the


References
Latham-Koenig, C., Oxenden, C. English File, Upper-intermediate, OUP, 2018
Bywater, F.V., A Proficiency Course in English, Longman

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