UNIT 17: ARTICLES

There are many different rules about the use of articles in

English. Here are some of the points which cause difficulty
for advanced learners of English.
No article is used before uncountable and plural nouns
when used in a general sense.
I like music.
She's interested in animals and wants to be a vet.
When there is a following phrase or clause specifying
exactly what is being talked about, the definite article is
required before uncountable and plural nouns.
I like the music they play at the jazz club in town.
Are the animals in the rainforest safe in their environment?
a or an is used the first time a singular countable noun is
mentioned, but after this the is used since the reader or
listener is clear about what is being referred to.
A bird was trapped in the room and Anna called for her
brother to help her free the poor creature.
Singular countable nouns must always have an article or
some other determiner (like each, my, this) except for a few
fixed expressions like by car, in hospital, etc.
The is not used with the names of most countries. It is,
however, used with plural names or names of countries
which contain a common noun.
The Philippines (plural), The United Kingdom (kingdom =
common noun), The United States (plural and state =
common noun)
(Note that these nouns behave like singular nouns with
verbs: The United States is a huge country.)
The is used with playing instruments but no article is used
with playing games.
Mary's hobby is playing the guitar and mine is playing
chess.
The can often be used before car, train, bus, plane, ferry
or boat when talking about the use of different types of
transport in general, even when the mode of transport has
not previously been referred to. A is also used.
Are you going to take the train / a train or the bus / a bus
to London tomorrow?

 Parts of the body are usually preceded by a possessive

pronoun rather than an article when they are talked about
in the context of their relation to a specific body or bodies.
When parts of the body are talked about in general, the is
normally used.
Sally has sprained her ankle.
The liver is the largest organ in the body.
The word own must be preceded by a possessive pronoun
rather than the or a.
When did you first get your own car?
When we talk about the units in which commodities are
generally bought or sold, we often use by + the. When we
talk about price, we usually use a / an.
Her parents used to buy coal by the ton.
Those chocolates are nearly $100 a kilo.
If we miss out a before few and little, the meaning is
changed to mean not many I not much.
She had a few friends. (some)
She had few friends. (less than you would expect)
We use a/an when describing someone or something in a
way that applies to others.
Kim is an interesting character. (There are other interesting
characters in the world.)