Greetings, my dear readers.

I know that I usually start with something else, but today I have a task for you right away. I want you to look at these sentences and tell me what is the difference.

Tommy sat down on a chair while waiting for his turn. Tommy sat down on a chair while waiting for his turn.

Tommy sat on the chair nearest to the door while waiting for his turn. Tommy sat down on the chair closest to the door while he waited his turn.

You have probably already noticed that the difference is in the very articles and the meanings that they carry. And yes, my dears, today we will have an exciting journey, where there will be an important topic for you and me - articles in English. I will tell you the basic rules, give many examples, both for children and adults. And I also immediately give you links to and on the topic of articles.

What is it and what is it used for?

Let's define right away: article is something that should always come before a noun. He defines the noun, very roughly speaking, so that we can better understand what is being said.

What are they and what are they used for?

There are three of them in total: a, an and the.

And their use depends on which noun follows next. There are two types of nouns in English:

  • Countable- those that we can count. For instance:

Pen

Earring - earring

  • Uncountable The ones we can't count. For instance:

Sugar - sugar

water - water

To understand when articles are used, we also need to remember that nouns are singular (diamond - diamond) or plural (diamonds - diamonds).

And now, just to be absolutely clear, here is table with examples where you can clearly see where and with what they are used.

Brother "a"

This article also bears the not at all proud name " uncertain » ( ). This is because it is usually placed in front of objects, of which there are many throughout the world. And it is used only with nouns that can be counted, and even then if they are in the singular. That is, if there is a lot of something, and you need to mention one thing, it is necessary to use this particular article. Let's look at examples:

This morning I bought a magazine.- I bought a magazine this morning. (Not any specific magazine, but one of those that were in the store).

I had a sandwich for lunch.- I had a sandwich for lunch. (Some one sandwich).

My sister got a job. - My sister got a job. (One of the existing works around the world).

By the way, the article "a" has a small, modest brother, which appears quite rarely - before words that begin with vowels. This is "an". His goal is the same, so do not be afraid - do not get confused.

I've got an apple and an orange with me. - I have an apple and an orange with me.

Brother "the"

The article the, it also bears the name definite , is used when we know the subject to be discussed. Next to him, countable and uncountable nouns both in the singular and in the plural calmly coexist ( You can learn more about him).

In addition, very often it is used with geographical names and set expressions that you just need to learn. But it is important to remember that everywhere, including the names of places, there are exceptions that we will learn separately ( Come in to find out about it.).

Rosy doesn't feel well. She went to the doctor. Rosie doesn't feel well. She went to the doctor. (To the doctor she usually goes to).

Did Molly get the job she applied for? Did Molly get the job she applied for? (Exactly the job she applied for).

When is it not at all?

Well, OK,- you say. - When these articles are used, we understand. But we do not always use only them!

And here you will be right, because the English language prepared a small test for us and created cases where the article is not needed at all. And this phenomenon even got its name - zero article. Its use is mainly associated with exceptions to the previous rules. Or if we use in speech proper names(Tom, Mary, Ritha) or any concepts in general.

Apples grow on the trees.- Apples grow on trees. (In general, all apples as a species).

Tom bought a bike. Tom bought himself a motorcycle. (There is no article before proper nouns.)

There are also situations when nothing needs to be put before a noun. It happens after pronouns(my, our, his, this, that, etc.).

By the way, my dears, after completing the lesson with the rules, never forget to practice. I have for you that will help to consolidate new material for a long time. You can also, which will help you remember the rules for using articles for a long time. Of course, articles are not the easiest rules for children, whether it's 2nd grade or 8th grade. And adults usually suffer with them too. But with my help, I hope you can figure them out faster.

Do not forget that you can receive news from my blog much faster by simply subscribing to the newsletter. Be the first to know about all important events.

In English, words that sound the same can refer to different parts of speech and have different meanings. Articles are special particles that are used with nouns and help distinguish them from verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech. Since there is no analogue of the article in Russian, it can be perceived as a whole together with a noun.

  • I dream about it every day. “I dream about it every day. (verb)
  • I had a dream last night.“I had a dream last night. (noun)
  • The dream was kind of strange.- The dream was strange. (noun)
  • an apple- Apple
  • apple juice - apple juice
  • a documentary- essay, documentary story, program, film
  • documentary proof - documentary evidence O

General rules

Indefinite article a / an

Article a or an used with singular countable nouns. A/ an is a particle formed from a numeral one(one, only) and means that this object is one of many like it, the same as all the others.

  • a pen- (one) handle
  • a dog- (one dog
  • a child- (one child

Article a/ an used when the subject is mentioned for the first time and does not stand out from a number of others.

  • I want to buy a car.- I want to buy a car.
  • My father is an engineer.- My father is an engineer.
  • There is a man near your house.- Near your house there is a (some) man.

Choice article a or an depends on the sound with which the next word begins. A used before a consonant. An placed before a vowel. In this case, it does not matter with which letter the word is written, it is important with what sound it is pronounced.

The definite article the

Definite article the formed from demonstrative pronouns this(this, this, this) these(these), that(that, that, that) those(those). He singles out an object from the general set, saying that he " the same". Article the can be used with both singular and plural nouns.

Article the can be used with the plural and with uncountable nouns, as opposed to the indefinite article a / an, which is only used with a single number of countable items.

  • The students in my group are very smart. The students in my group are very smart.
  • The water is too hot. Put some cold one.– The water is too hot. Add a little cold.

Previously mentioned subject, specific concept

Article the used when talking about some already familiar or previously mentioned subject. In this case, the object is distinguished from the community of other similar objects.

  • We moved to a new house. The house is haunted by ghosts. We have moved to a new house. This house is haunted.
  • I"ve found an old phone. The phone was broken.- Found an old phone. The phone was broken.
  • We bought a Thai cat. We named the cat Zergling. We bought a Thai cat. We named this cat Zergling.

Article the also used when talking about a specific abstract concept, a specific subject, or a specific part, portion of uncountable items, and not about the subject as a concept as a whole.

  • He was the courage and the force of his team.“He was the courage and strength of his team.
  • Do you remember the girl I was talking about? Do you remember the girl I was talking about?
  • ​The bread got stale.- The bread is stale.
  • I've bought the wine you asked. I bought the wine you asked for.
  • You are really good at cooking! The meat is so tasty!- You cook very well! The meat is so delicious!

Unique items, concepts

Article the used when talking about one-of-a-kind objects or concepts.

However, if the sentence refers to some special condition, the definition of the moon, sun or sky, then the indefinite article can be used a/ an. This is mostly found in fiction.

  • A pearl-white moon smiles through the green trees. The pearly white moon smiles through the green trees.

Article the used with the names of newspapers, cinemas, theaters, hotels, museums and galleries, the names of musical groups, the names of ships.

  • the Rolling Stones- The Rolling Stones
  • the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra– Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
  • the Times- The Times newspaper
  • the Sheraton– hotel "Sheraton"
  • the White House- The White house

Article the used with rivers, deserts, beaches, jungles, oceans, waterways, and country names when they contain the words States(states) Kingdom(kingdom), Republic(republic).

  • the Amazon- Amazon river
  • the Sahara- Sahara Desert
  • the Pacific- Pacific Ocean
  • the Panama Canal- Panama Canal
  • the UK- United Kingdom
  • the United States- United States
  • the Czech Republic- Czech Republic

Article the used with unique geographic terms.

  • the arctic circle– Arctic Circle
  • the Antarctic– Antarctica
  • the Equator- equator
  • the Eastern Hemisphere– Eastern Hemisphere
  • the North– North
  • the West– West

Generic concepts

Article the used with generic concepts when the countable noun is not a separate object, concept, but a class of homogeneous objects or concepts.

  • The lion is the King of the Jungle. The lion is the king of the jungle.
  • The telephone was invented in the 19th century. The telephone was invented in the 19th century.

However, the noun man(man, person) in the sense of a generic name is not used with the article the. In this sense, the word woman(female) can be used with the article the, although it is more common without it.

  • Man is the cruelest animal.- Man is the most merciless animal
  • His trust in man was cruelly destroyed.“His faith in man was brutally destroyed.
  • Woman is man's helpmate.- A woman is the right hand of a man.
  • The woman is a reflection of her man. A woman is a reflection of her man.

Nationalities

Article the used with names of nationalities that end in -sh, -ch, -ese. Other names of nationalities can be used as with the article the, and without it.

  • the Portuguese– Portuguese
  • the Polish– Poles
  • the French- French people
  • (the ) Canadians– Canadians
  • (the) Ukrainians– Ukrainians
  • (the ) Americans– Americans

Article the used in the names of three countries: Ukraine (obsolete), the Netherlands, the Vatican.

  • the Netherlands– Netherlands
  • the Vatican– Vatican
  • Ukraine- Ukraine (currently found without the article - Ukraine)

Item group

Article the used when talking about a group of objects. The is placed before the names of groups of islands, groups of lakes, mountain ranges (since they indicate a group of objects). Also the used before family names when referring to all family members together.

Organizations, institutions

Article the used in the names of large organizations and institutions, including those with abbreviations in their names.

  • the Commonwealth- Commonwealth of Nations
  • the Fed- Federal Reserve System
  • the EU- European Union
  • the BBC– BBC
  • the World Wildlife Fund- World Wildlife Fund

However, if the abbreviations are acronyms(read as an independent word), then the article the not used.

  • OPEC - OPEC
  • NATO - NATO
  • unesco - unesco
  • WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature

Musical instruments, dancing

Article the used before the names of musical instruments and dances.

  • the trumpet- pipe
  • the guitar- guitar
  • the flamenco– flamenco
  • the waltz- waltz

Title, rank

Article the used before titles and ranks, if after them not worth own names.

  • the Pope- Pope
  • the King- King
  • the Prime Minister- Prime Minister
  • the President- the president
  • President Barack Obama - President Barack Obama
  • Prince William - Prince William
  • Pope Francis - Pope Francis

Time, historical eras

Article the used before words day(day), morning(morning), noon(after lunch), evening(evening) when they indicate the time of the action.

  • I take a shower in the morning.– I take a shower in the morning.
  • We will go shopping in the evening. We will go shopping in the evening.

But, the not used in the following phrases.

Article the used with the names of centuries, historical eras, as well as with historical events. However, the article the not used in phrases World War II and World War II.

  • the 21st century– 21st century
  • the Renaissance- Renaissance
  • the Middle Ages– Middle Ages
  • the Korean war– Korean War
  • the Battle of Waterloo- Battle of Waterloo
  • the Second World War- The Second World War

Superlative Comparison

Article the necessarily used with the superlative degree of comparison.

  • That was the best summer!- It was the best summer ever!
  • He's the smartest guy around. He is the smartest guy in the area.
  • This is the most expensive restaurant in the city. This is the most expensive restaurant in the city.

some, most, none

Article the used after words some(several), many(lot), none(neither of), most(most) when followed by a preposition of.

  • Some of the students in this class speak really good French. Some students in this class speak French very well.
  • Most of the cats don't like swimming.
  • None of the gentlemen helped this lady. None of the gentlemen helped this lady.

However, if after the words some, many, most followed by a noun without a preposition of, then the article the not used.

  • Most cats don't like swimming. Most cats don't like to swim.
  • Many students prepare for exams one day before them. Most students prepare for their exams one day before.

Only, last, first, wrong, right, very

Article the used before words only(the only one), last(last), first(first), wrong(not the one) right(that), very(the same) when they are used as adjectives.

  • She was the last person to leave. She was the last one to leave.
  • It is the first time I eat scallops.- This is my first time eating scallops.
  • It is the only chance we have.“This is our only chance.
  • We entered the wrong room. We entered the wrong room.
  • Follow me, I know the right way. Follow me, I know the way.
  • You are the very person I wanted.- You are the one I need.

Zero article

Zero article(zero article) is absence indefinite ( a / an) or defined ( the) article before a noun. In English, there are certain rules when articles come before a noun not used.

Possessive, demonstrative pronouns

Articles not used when the word is preceded by possessive and demonstrative pronouns, since words indicating belonging to some thing replace articles. For instance, my(my), your(your), his(his), her(her), its(of this) this(this), that(that).

  • look at her pretty smile. Look at her sweet smile.
  • He broke his best record. He broke his best record.
  • It's my last chance.- this is my last chance.
  • Let's watch this movie. Let's watch this movie.
  • I have already read these articles. I have already read these articles.

Generic concept

Article not used with nouns in plural or uncountable nouns, if they are talking about something in general, not implying a specific subject. countable noun man as a generic concept also does not require an article.

  • Cats are great hunters.- Cats are great hunters.
  • Women like when men make compliments. Women love it when men compliment them.
  • Charles likes chocolate. Charles loves chocolate.
  • I listen to music every day.- I listen to music every day.
  • Life is short.- life is short. (life as a general concept)
  • He lived a good life.- He lived a good life. (talking about real life)

Colors, drinks, dishes

Articles not used with the names of flowers, drinks and dishes.

  • Green is my favorite color.– Green is my favorite color.
  • How about a shot of tequila? How about a shot of tequila?
  • Give me a glass of milk.- Give me a glass of milk.
  • I don't want spaghetti.- I don't want spaghetti.

Languages

Articles not used with names of foreign languages.

  • Sorry, I don't speak German . Sorry, I don't speak German.
  • How do you say it in English?– How do you say it in English?

However, the definite article the set if the name of the language is followed by the word language(language).

  • The Spanish language is spoken by many people in the world. Spanish is spoken by many people all over the world.
  • The Russian language is hard, right?– The Russian language is difficult, isn’t it?

Diseases

Articles not used with disease names

  • Kate has got asthma. Kate has asthma.
  • Now it is possible to cure cancer.“It is now possible to cure cancer.

However, articles can be used in the following diseases

  • (the ) flu- flu
  • (the )measles– measles
  • (the ) mumps- mumps
  • (a) cold- cold

Sports

Articles not used with the names of sports and physical activity.

  • I love skiing and I do it every year.– I love skiing and I do it every year
  • Sarah does dancing every week Sarah goes to the dance every week.
  • Baseball is boring to me. Baseball is boring for me. (general concept)
  • I liked the baseball played by both teams. I liked the baseball game played by both teams. (specific game)

Location

Articles not used before words bed(bed), school(school), town(town), table(table), sea(sea), hospital(hospital), college(college), court(court), prison(prison), university(university), work(work as a place), which are used with prepositions and indicate their function or purpose, and not a specific subject.

  • I go to bed now.- I'm going to bed now.
  • He was taken to hospital.“They took him to the hospital.
  • My children go to school.- My children go to school (learn).
  • Jack is at work now. Jack is at work now.
  • He has already left town. He has already left the city.
  • I'm at table now, I will call you later.- I'm at the table, I'll call you later (I'm eating now).
  • Matt decided to go to sea. Matt decided to become a sailor.

However, the articles are used with given words when talking about a specific subject.

  • The bed in my room is pretty old. The bed in my room is rather old.
  • A new school will be opened soon.- A new school will open soon.
  • Put it on the table, please.- Put it on the table, please.
  • The water in the sea is warm.- The sea water is warm.
  • I went to the hospital to visit Jane. I went to the hospital to visit Jane.

Proper names

Article not used with proper names, books, plays, names of firms, universities, except when the article is included in the name itself. Even if the article is present in the original, for example: J.R.R. Tolkien's " The Lord of the Rings”, it is still often omitted in everyday speech.

  • Prince William is going to marry this girl. Prince William is going to marry this girl.
  • He has never read Romeo and Juliet. He has never read Romeo and Juliet
  • Martin works at Apple. Martin works at Apple. (Company name).
  • I would like to go to Oxford.“I want to go to Oxford.
  • Ivan The Terrible loves The Beatles. Ivan the Terrible loves the Beatles. (the article is included in the title and the name of the group).
  • The University of Toronto is really famous. The University of Toronto is very famous.

Article also not put when using the word as an address.

  • Believe me friend.“Trust me, friend. (referring to a friend)
  • I have a friend called Bob. I have a friend whose name is Bob. (one of my many fools)
  • Where are you from, dude?- Where are you from, dude?
  • He's a really crazy dude.“He's a real crazy dude.

Article also not used with words home(House), mother(mother), mom(Mother), father(father), dad(dad) when referring to the speaker's home or parents.

  • Where's mom? Where is (my, our) mother?
  • Dad bought a new car last week. Dad bought a new car last week.
  • I'm going home now.- I'm going home now.

place names

Articles not used with the names of streets, squares, cities, states, countries, continents, individual lakes, islands and mountain peaks.

  • Michael lives near Trafalgar Square . Michael lives near Trafalgar Square.
  • Next week Pierre will go back to Paris. Pierre will return to Paris next week.
  • It will be nice to spend our holidays in Europe. It will be great to spend our holidays in Europe.
  • I have climbed Mount Fuji once.“I climbed Mount Fuji once.

newspaper headlines

In order to save space, the article is often descends in the headlines of newspapers, magazines, etc.

  • Woman killed on festival. “A woman is killed at a festival.
  • New terrorist attack! - New attack!
  • President to visit France. The President will visit France.

Steady turnover

Articles not used in revolutions, which indicate the mode of movement.

  • He travels bybus.– He travels by bus. (bus as a general concept of a vehicle)
  • The bus has driven away.- The bus has left. (we are talking about a specific bus)

Articles not used in prepositional phrases and verbal expressions

  • by chance - by chance
  • by day - in the afternoon
  • by heart - by heart
  • by mistake - erroneously
  • day after day - day after day
  • day by day - from day to day
  • in conclusion - in conclusion
  • in debt - in debt
  • in fact - really
  • in mind - mentally
  • in trouble - in trouble
  • on board - on board
  • on deck - on deck
  • on sale - on sale
  • to declare war - declare war
  • to drop anchor - anchor
  • to keep house - keep house
  • to lose sight of - lose sight of
  • to make haste - hurry
  • to make use of - use
  • to take care - take care
  • to take part - participate
  • to take place - occur, have a month then

One of the first topics to be learned or explained to an English learner is the topic of articles. In English, the indefinite article (a\an) and the definite article (the) are used only in relation to the category of a noun. Therefore, before you start talking about the article, you need to learn the topics “Uncountable nouns in English” and “Singular and plural nouns in English”. After studying these topics, it will be easy for you to explain the rules for using the article, and it will be easy for the student to learn the main points of using the definite article (the). So, the choice of the article depends on such factors:

  • the noun is used in singular. number or plural number;
  • countable or uncountable noun;
  • whether it was mentioned in the speaker's previous speech or not.

So, let's deal with all the rules for using the definite article the

The subject of the conversation is known

If the subject has already been discussed in previous phrases, then automatically we have identified, so to speak, designated it. In this case, when we mention it again, we must put an article in front of the noun, for example: David bought a new car. The car is very expensive but fast.

Something unique

The article must be put when it comes to something rare and unique, for example: the sun (the sun), the moon (the), etc. This rule can also include wonders of the world or unique places and attractions: the Parthenon, the Eiffel Tower, the White House.

with geographic features

In English speech, many geographical names must be preceded by a definite article:

  • the names of all rivers, oceans, seas, group lakes (the Nile, the Red sea, the Pacific ocean, the Great lakes etc.);
  • the name of mountain ranges and not individual islands, but their groups (the Caucasus, the Bahamas, etc.);
  • deserts (the Sahara);
  • countries that have the words “united / united” in their names): the United Kingdom, the USA, etc.

with cultural objects

You must use the definite article with names:

  • most museums (the National Museum);
  • many galleries (the Tate Gallery);
  • all hotels (the National Hotel);
  • cinemas (the Star);
  • theaters (the National Drama Theatre);
  • newspapers (the Times).

Other uses of the article:

  • with the names of musical instruments (the piano);
  • when referring to the whole family by last name (the Browns, the Smiths) or the whole people / nation (the British);
  • when specifying the time of day (in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening);
  • when designating some historical event or period (the Middle Ages);
  • if we specify the title of a person (the President);
  • when using the superlative degree of an adjective or adverb (the most beautiful, the cleverest etc.)

The article is not used:

  • with personal names;
  • with the names of countries, cities, streets, parks, continents, bridges, squares, individual islands and lakes (Russia, Asia, Time street, `Mann island, Baikal lake);
  • with the names of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner - breakfast, lunch, dinner);
  • with the names of sports or sports games (basketball, rugby, swimming);
  • with the names of the months of the year (June, August, January);
  • with demonstrative pronouns: this, these, that, those;
  • when using transport names (by train, by bus, by plane etc.);
  • with the names of colors (red, black, white) and drinks (coffee, tea, Coke).

To effectively master the rules for using the indefinite article in English, you should choose a thematic block of grammatical exercises for the lesson, as well as compose speech models for oral speech practice.

Articles are an important part of the English language. But unfortunately, this topic is not always clear to Russian-speaking students. Because there is no such phenomenon in their native speech. the rules for using articles must be studied by a person who wants to competently use various means of the English language. And in some situations, small and seemingly insignificant articles even help to correctly understand the interlocutors.

What are articles and what are they

An article is one that is inextricably linked with a noun. It does not have its own meaning (translation into Russian), but conveys only a grammatical meaning.

In English, the article does not indicate the gender and case of nouns. It conveys in some cases the only thing or but basically carries only the category of certainty-uncertainty. Based on this, there can be three situations with the article: its absence, indefinite and definite. Each of these three situations has its own specifics and its own rules.

The definite article was once formed from that. Therefore, in Russian one can often find the translation of “this”, “these”, etc. Formally, this is not entirely true, because the service parts of speech do not have a translation, but in the case of the article, especially certain, this is often allowed. It's all about the special stylistic function that he can play in a sentence, pointing in a special way to objects and people.

The use of the article the will be the topic of this article. We will consider various situations, give examples. There will be quite a lot of cases of use, but do not be alarmed if you cannot understand everything at once and even more so remember. As you immerse yourself more and more in the English language through constant practice, you will understand this logic and soon you will be able to easily determine which article is needed in each case.

Definite article before nouns

The classic case is when it is necessary to use the article the before the name of an object (person, animal), - the latter.

1. The called noun is the only one of its kind.

For instance: the sun - the sun, the world - the world.

2. The noun is unique in this situation.

Do you like the pie? − Did you like the pie?

3. This subject (person, animal) has already been mentioned in this conversation and therefore the interlocutors understand what (whom) they are talking about.

I've got a cat. Her name is Lucy, she's very cute. May I take the cat with me? − I have a cat. Her name is Lucy, she is very sweet. Can I take my cat with me?

4. Such an article is also put before proper names when it is necessary to designate a whole family. For instance: the Smiths.

Definite article before other parts of speech

Of course, the article the and any others are used only with nouns. Articles are not needed before other parts of speech. But it often happens that between the article and the noun associated with it there is a numeral or adjective. We will consider such cases.

1. The definite article is always placed before ordinal numbers: the century twentieth - the twentieth century.

2. The article the is also invariably placed before adjectives: the brightest star is the brightest star.

3. It is necessary to use the definite article when referring to a group of people united by a common feature: the young.

Definite article with geographical names and concepts

With those concepts that somehow relate to geography, the article the is used especially often.

1. Cardinal directions: the East (East).

2. Names of individual countries: the Russian Federation.

3. Oceans, seas, rivers, waterfalls: the Indian Ocean.

4. Groups of islands, lakes, mountains: the Bahamas.

5. Deserts and plains: the Great Plains.

There are also many exceptions to the use of the article (or lack of it) with geographical names, so the most reliable option is simple memorization. And if you have any doubts, you should always look into the grammar guide and clarify the question in a specific case.

The definite article in special cases

There are also a number of words that can act as a definition before a noun. These words are given in the table below.

previous

past, past, last

the only one

next

next

forthcoming

correct, right

central

exactly the same one

wrong, wrong

the same

upper, superior

You should always use the English article the with them. For instance:

This is the very book I need! This is exactly the book I need!

The last time I saw him was Friday - The last time I saw him was Friday.

The definite article is also required before the words:

Definite article to enhance meaning

Separately, situations are distinguished when the article the carries a stylistic function. In these cases, it can be used before proper names, which under normal conditions remain without an article. This is best seen with an example. Compare two sentences: the first with the usual use of a proper name, and the second with a stylistic amplification of meaning.

This is Jack, always cheerful and generous! - This is Jack, always cheerful and generous!

This is the Jack I love most − cheerful and generous! - This is the same Jack that I love the most - cheerful and generous!

As it is easy to see, there is something common in all cases of using the definite article: it is usually placed before words that carry a specific, specific, narrow, unique meaning. Keep this in mind when you doubt the choice of a service word, and the reference book is not at hand.

The article in English is a service part of speech, it stands before a noun, adverb or adjective and helps to better understand the context of the statement. The Russian language is not characterized by articles: we characterize the discussed subjects in oral and written speech in other ways: through intonation, pronouns, particles, suffixes, etc.

Historically, the British, Americans, Germans, French, Spaniards and some other peoples who speak the languages ​​of the Romance and Germanic groups consider it important to clarify each noun in terms of meaning, emphasizing their variety with the help of special short words, which will be discussed in today's article.

The definite article "the" (Definite article)

The article "the" in English is definite because it gives the word the meaning of concreteness, in some cases it emphasizes the uniqueness of an object, object or phenomenon.

It is easy to see that the article "the", without distorting the meaning of the statement, can be replaced by demonstrative pronouns "that, this, these, those".

Cases of using the definite article the

It's a very complicated task to find out the truth while everyone is trying to make up a new lie. - It is very difficult to find the truth where everyone is trying to compose a new fable.

This example clearly reflects the functional specifics of the definite article “the”: the truth is the only and unique in the situation of the speaker, it is one, there cannot be another, so we say “the truth”.

The sun was shining brightly for the whole morning, so it was impossible to stay asleep. This morning the sun shone so brightly that it was impossible to sleep any longer.

The sun is unique, there is no second such on earth, therefore "the sun". The same applies to our planet: "the Earth" Earth. There is another definite article in the sentence that defines the word "morning": the speaker means a specific morning of the day.

“Not last night, sir, I know she didn’t.”

“Why do you know so positively?”

“Because the box was empty...” -


"Not last night, sir, I know she couldn't do it."

“Why are you so confident about this?”

"Because the box was empty..."

He placed himself as close as he could to the information booth. - It is located as close as possible to the information stand.

At the moment described, the hero could lean on the only information stand, and the corresponding article before the word emphasizes this idea.

I have a plan. The plan is too easy to realize, that's why few people will choose it and it will be just ours. - I have a plan. This plan is very easy to implement, so few people will choose it, which means it will only be ours.

In the first sentence, the listener learned about the presence "no one" plan for the first time. In the second sentence, the same plan again met. In Russian, demonstrative pronouns “this, these, this, that, that, those”, etc. perform the same role as the article "the" in English.

They lived in a very small flat. The flat was located in a new house near the library. - They lived in a small apartment. This apartment was in a new building near the library.

The first person she noticed on board was her cousin who knew nothing about her trip. - The first person she noticed on board was a cousin who knew nothing about her journey.

These students are going to study Japanese as the second foreign language. - These students are going to learn Japanese as a second foreign language.

I know exactly that the most difficult thing for my child is to concentrate: he has always been too active. - I know for sure that the most difficult thing for my child is to concentrate on something: he is too active.

The coldest month we've ever had is this November. - This November is the coldest month in our memory.

This way of having negotiations is the worst: if you speak so quickly, nobody will understand what you mean. - This is the worst way to negotiate: if you continue to talk like that, no one will understand what you are talking about.

  • the group - group;
  • the crowd - crowd;
  • the company - company;
  • the staff - staff;
  • the public - the public, etc.

Lions, tigers and lynxes belong to the cat family. - Lions, tigers and lynxes belong to the cat family.

The Chinese tourist group is coming to our museum tomorrow. - A group of Chinese tourists will come to our museum tomorrow.

The generalization can also apply to surnames in the meaning of "family":

The Addams is the creepiest family of the previous century. - The Addams Family is the most frightening of the last century.

The Smith usually spent summer in the village. The Smiths usually spend their summers in the countryside.

  • one of - one of;
  • each of - each of;
  • some of - some of;
  • many of - many;
  • most of - the majority;
  • all - everything;
  • both of - both.

Each of the scientists supposed that it's going to be the last week spent in the expedition. - Every scientist thought that the last week of the expedition had come.

Even all the words you know cannot express the range of emotions you feel. - Even all the words you know will not be able to express the range of emotions experienced.

Some of the people were only waiting for the end while others were happily sinking in their own memories. - They happily drowned in their own memories, when others were just waiting for the outcome.

Both of the twins prefer oil paintings to other kinds of art. - Both twins prefer oil painting to other art forms.

  • the cinema - cinema;
  • the radio - radio;
  • the theater - theater;
  • the weather - weather;
  • the equator - the equator;
  • the world - the world;
  • the ground - earth;
  • the jungle - jungle;
  • the seaside - coast;
  • the sky - the sky;
  • the piano - piano;
  • the park - park;
  • the tango - tango;
  • the waltz - waltz.

While going to the cinema , we heard a terrifying noise from the park . - On the way to the cinema, we heard a terrible noise coming from the park.

Beautiful birds were disappearing deep in the sky. - Beautiful birds disappeared deep into the sky.

I want to watch the last film from the very beginning. - I want to watch the last movie from the beginning.

The only reason for Jane to come there is her favorite musical band's performance. - The only reason Jane would go there is for her favorite band to perform.

Indefinite article a/an - Indefinite article

There are two indefinite articles in English: "a" and "an". They are equivalent and perform the same function: they indicate that the subject is only one, one of many, or occurs in the text for the first time.

Article "a" used before a consonant "an"- before a vowel.

The indefinite article in most cases can be replaced by the word one one.

Give me one pen, please. - Give me one pen, please.

Cases of using the indefinite article a - an

We are staying in a large wooden house. The house is located far from noisy cities. - We settled down in the big wooden house. The house is located far from noisy cities.

In the first sentence, through the indefinite article, the house is only introduced into the narrative.

She was trying to choose a big orange. The orange suddenly fell down, and I found it as a great opportunity to get acquainted. She tried to choose a bigger orange. He suddenly fell, and I considered this a great opportunity to get to know each other.

It's such a lovely melody! - What a wonderful melody!

The reptile seems to be quite a strange creature. - This reptile seems to be a rather strange creature.

It's a rather chilly climate in Alaska. Quite a frosty climate prevails in Alaska.

She saw there rather a beautiful building. - There she met a rather beautiful building.

My mother has a little milk in the fridge: we can cook pancakes. - Mom has enough milk in the fridge: we can fry pancakes.

There are a few cars near our house: I can "t park here. - Our house has quite a few cars: I can't park here.

There are a lot of toys in the room. - There are a lot of toys in this room.

There is a lot of sugar in the kitchen. - There is a lot of sugar in the kitchen.

Uncountable items in English are almost the same as their Russian equivalents: salt, water, milk, sand, tea, coffee, chocolate, jam, etc.

It's raining cats and dogs, but we have no food in the fridge: let's go and buy a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, a bar of chocolate and a kilo of fruit. - It's raining so much that you can't kick a dog out of the house, but we have absolutely nothing to eat: let's go and buy a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, a bar of chocolate and a kilogram of fruit.

It's a quarter to eight. - It's 7.45 now.

It seems I've caught a cold while skating today. - I think I caught a cold at the rink today.

We go to the theater twice a year. We go to the theater twice a year.

To have a good health you should go in for sports three times a week at least. - To be healthy, you need to exercise at least three times a week.

A / the Snake is a reptile. - The snake is a reptile.

Man is a mammal. - Man is a mammal.

The / a spider is an insect. - A spider is an insect.

Zero article - Zero article

The article does not need to be put in cases where we are talking about indefinite plural nouns, or about people, naming them. However, there are a number of additions and exceptions when using the zero article in English.