an, zero article a theArticles

A / AN

This article is used to indicate an unspecified thing or person. It is only used before singular, countable nouns. You use A before • consonants and words starting with Y: a dog – a hotel – a window – a yacht – a young man • words starting with U or E, when the sound is /iu:/: a unit – a European country You use AN before • vowels: an arm – an umbrella – an elephant - an illness • unsounded H* : an hour – an honourable man – an heir – an honest citizen A/AN is also used in some phrases when you talk about • jobs: I’m an architect – Are you an engineer? – He isn’t a teacher. • some health problems: I have a headache – a cold – a cough – a temperature • expressing wonder: What a lovely dress! – what an incredibile holiday! • frequency: once a week – twice a year – three times a month

ZERO ARTICLE

• You use no article before uncountables and plural nouns when you are talking about a category in general. • You also use no article with abstract nouns (subjects, types of art, sport and activities) in general.

THE

• This article is used for definite things, when you are talking about a specific situation or something you have already mentioned. • You pronounce it [Di:] before vowels. • You can use it with both countable and uncountable nouns.

Compare the following examples I really like dogs. (that kind of animal) The dogs are in the garden. (I know which dogs)

Water is 70% of a human body. (the substance in general)

Can you pass the water, please? (the bottle of water on the table)

SPECIAL CASES When you talk about a specific type of thing in general but this is indicated by an adjective. 20th-century art is very interesting. When a noun is followed by of or a relative clause making it a specific thing or person. The art of the 20th century is very interesting.

lakes: Lake Michingan single mountains: Mount Everest islands: Sardinia countries (general): Great Britain – Holland – South Korea languages: French bridges, castles and churches: Tower Bridge planets: Mars – Venus – Neptune play sports: play football – play tennis titles + names: Queen Elizabeth places where you do specific activities: at / to school – church – work – in / to hospital – bed adjectives + nouns in general: young people numbered things: Room 12 – Chapter 4 Other nouns: Parliament and Congress, Man (in general, human being) – television – space – World War II

rivers, seas, oceans: The Seine - The Mediterranean mountain ranges: the Alps groups of islands: the Hebrides plural countries or with words like Union, Republic, Kingdom: the UK – the Netherlands peoples: the French museums, cinemas, theatres, hotels: The Odeon the Sun – the Moon – the Earth play instruments: play the piano – play the violin titles in general: the queen – the president places in town: at / to the station – airport – butcher’s the cinema adjectives meaning categories of people: the young with ordinal numbers: the first chapter other nouns: The English Parliament – the environment – the sky – the sea – the air – the cinema – the radio – the theatre – the Addams – the Second World War

Underline the correct words in each sentence. 1 My daughters go to a / the gym once a / the week. 2 The washing machine is a / an / the useful appliance. 3 This is the story of an / a / the young man who marries a / an / the witch. 4 Have you seen a / the new neighbour yet?

Yes, she’s a / the very nice lady.

5

6

7

8

My sister is a / the doctor: she works in a / the hospital where she was born. When you have a / the headache and a / the temperature, you usually have a / the flu. Can you clean a / the living room? You left a / the terrible mess in there. What a / the great coincidence: we were born on a / the same day!

13 Read the following titles of plays and films and underline the articles that are pronounced [Di:]. Then listen to the recording to check your answers.

1 2 3 4

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ ‘The Heiress’ ’The Young Victoria’

5 6 7 8

‘The Usual Suspects’ ‘The Elephant Man’ ‘The Addams Family’ ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

3 Write THE or X (= nothing) in the spaces. 1 ____ cars in that garage belong to ____ girls who live next door. 2 Do you like ____ French movies? 3 Move ____ books off ____ chair and sit down. 4 ____ whale is the biggest sea mammal living on ____ earth. 5 For tonight’s party we need ____ beer, ____ coke, and ____water. 6 Where’s ____wine I bought yesterday? 7 My favourite food is ____Parmesan cheese. 8 Men and ____women have similar abilities and needs. 9 Do you play ____rugby? 10 He has a large bowl of milk and cornflakes for ____ breakfast.

11 12

13 14

15

16 17 18

I’ve got to go to ____university tomorrow. I prefer ____ cinema to ____ theatre, but I usually watch ____ films on ____ TV. Are you reading ____ newspaper? I like to stay at ____ cheap hotels but I stayed at ____ Sheraton when I travelled to ___ China. ____ plane crashed above ___ Rocky Mountains. Man’s greatest discovery is ____ chocolate. I really hate ____ horror films. ____ literature of ____ 20 th century is more interesting than ____ Victorian literature.

First Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first using the word in brackets. You must use between 2 and 5 words. 1 Have you met Mr and Mrs Simpson? (the Simpsons) Have you met _________________? 2 Jack’s really fond of English History. (England) Jack really loves _________________. 3 The French are really proud of their language. (people) _________________ of their language. 4 I like the kitten in picture 3. (the) I like the kitten in _________________. 5 Tigers are in danger of extinction. (is) _________________ endangered species. 6 The young are often accused of exaggerating their _________________ often accused of troubles (people) exaggerating their troubles. 7 My grandfather was killed during World War I. (the) My grandfather was killed _________________. 8 She gave me some useful advice. (suggestion) She gave me _________________.