ARTICLES

The
The definite article is most commonly used:
1. when the person or thing referred to is unique
Id like to speak to the manager, please.
The sun came out and soon we were dry.
The president is giving a speech tonight.
the London Marathon, the Olympic Games,
the weather, the future (when we refer to them in a general way)
2. when something is mentioned again
Ive read three novels and two plays by Camus. What did you
think of the plays?
Note: Fictional writing (novels, short stories) will often mention something
for the first time with the to build up suspense, expectation etc.
For example, a story might begin: The woman opened the gate and
looked thoughtfully at the house.
3. when both listener and speaker know what is being referred to
Hurry up! The film starts in ten minutes.
4. when talking about a specific aspect or part of something, where the
noun is followed by of
the history of architecture
in the middle of his speech
5. to speak about a generic class of things
The mobile phone is thought to pose a serious threat to health.
The tiger is in danger of becoming extinct.
6. with names of people/families in plural and nationality nouns
The French eat in restaurants more than the English.
the Browns
7. with other groups
the social democrats
The Rolling Stones
Note the difference: Pink Floyd, Queen
8. with geographical names
oceans (the Atlantic)
seas (the Black Sea)
rivers (the Thames)
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gulfs (the Persian Gulf)

deserts (the Gobi Desert)
mountain ranges (the Alps)
island groups (The British Isles)

9. with unique geographical features

the Channel
the Arctic
10. with compass points/ geographical areas
the East
the Middle East
the Balkans
11. with countries collective or plural
The United Kingdom
The Netherlands
(sometimes used before The Lebanon and The Gambia)
12. with place names
The University of Leeds (but Leeds University)
The Tower of London (but London Bridge)
13. with

cinemas (the Ritz)

theatres (the Odeon)
ships (the Titanic)
hotels (the Hilton)
institutions (the RSPCA)
documents (the Constitution)
public bodies (the Government)
historical events (the Second World War)

Note: Restaurants, pubs, hotels, shops, banks which have the name of
their founder and ends in s or s do not take the (Harrods).
14. with newspapers
The Times
The Guardian
15. musical instruments
He plays the piano well.
16. with adjectives used as nouns to describe groups of people
the rich
17. with the superlative degrees of adjectives
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 the richest
A/ An
The indefinite article is used only with singular countable nouns:
1. mentioned for the first time or when it doesnt matter which one
Id like a sandwich.
You need a rest.
2. with jobs etc.
Shes an architect.
Is your sister a football fan?
3. in measuring
three times a week, fifty kilometres an hour, 90p a pound, a
thousand
4. with illnesses
a headache
The zero article
1. We use no article (zero article) when talking about uncountable, plural
and abstract nouns used in their general sense
We had awful weather on holiday.
Happiness isnt the only thing in life.
Oil is produced in Alaska.
2. with names of
continents and countries(Africa, Greece)
cities, towns, villages (Athens)
streets (Oxford Street)
Note the exception: The High Street, The Strand, The Drive
parks (Hyde Park)
mountains (Mount Everest)
lakes (Lake Titicaca)
islands (Cyprus)
buildings (Westminster Abbey)
3. with names of meals
Dinner is served (Note: The dinner we had was excellent. Its a
specific dinner).
4. with magazines
Do your read Time magazine?

5. with bed, school, church, hospital, prison, market, sea, court when we
refer to them for the reason they exist:
Tom goes to school every weekday. BUT: His mother went to the
school to get his marks.