What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns. English has two articles: the and a/an. The is called definite article; a/an is called indefinite article. I/ Define article: “the” Use “the” Not use “the” - With nouns we have mentioned previously. Ex: There are only one elephant in the zoo. The elephant is quite big. - When mentioning something or someone and the person you are talking to knows about this thing or person Ex: The message shocked me.(we knows about this message) - With nouns followed by a descriptive phrase, which makes them definite . Ex: The CD that she phayed was by my favourite band - A unique thing exists Ex: the Earth, the world, the sea, the sun, the moon - With individual items which represent a class . Ex: + The dog is a faithful animal. + The smaller shopkeeper is finding business increasingly difficult. - With superlatives, ordinals,” the same”, “the only ” Ex: the best time, the only way, the first time, the second time… - With an adjective which used as a noun represented classes of people . Ex: + The one-eyed man is the King of the blind. + There will be a special school for the deaf and mute here next year. - With idioms : BY THE. Ex: + Beer is sold by the bottle. + Eggs are sold by the dozen. - With plural proper nouns which denote husband and wife or all family. Ex: + The Smiths always go fishing at weekends. + Do you know the Browns ? - GO TO + the + (place) => someone go to this place on purpose -With “house”: I left the house at 9p.m - With national groups . Ex: the Chinese, the Americans, the Dutch, the - With a plural noun if you are talking about things or people in general . Ex: It’s nice to have friends. - With an uncountable noun if you are talking about something in general . Ex: He’s an expert on food and drink. - After possessive adjectives or nouns in possessive case Ex: + My friend (not my the friend) + The girl’s mother = the mother of the girl - Meals Ex: They invited some friends to dinner. ( BUT They invited their friends to the wedding dinner - With titles : President Bush, King Louis XIV of France. - Sports and games : volleyball, hockey, chess, golf… - Academic subjects : chemistry, maths, economics… - With cardinal number : one, two - With seasons, years or months, days of the week you are specifying a particular one, in the phrase “at night” : 1993 (year), September, Monday, Tuesday… - With types of music : rock, classical… - Not usually with television Ex: He saw it on television ( BUT he heard it on the radio) - Do not use “the” after “by” to talk about the kind of transport used for a journey . Ex: I went by car/ bike/ bus/ train/ plane/ coach/ boat/ ship/ ferry/ taxi/ air/ tube/ sea. ( BUT I went in the car/ my car or I went on the bus/ train/ boat/ ship/ ferry/ plane/ tube) - GO TO + (place)=> do not use “the” ifyouare talking ablout being someone who receives what is provided in the building -With “home”: at home, come home, go home British… - Use “the” for musical instruments . Ex: I can play the piano. - With names including NOUN + OF + NOUN Ex: + The Gulf of Mexico + The United States of America - Both, all, half, double + THE + Noun Ex: All the men in this town are very lazy. - With some geographical names. In particular : • Names of rivers, oceans, a group of lakes and seas: the Nile, the Pacific, the Thames, the Great Lakes… • Ranges of Mountains: the Andes, the Rockies • Points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole, the South Pole • Geographical areas: the West, the Middles East, the Arctic • Deserts, forests, gulfs and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula • Island chains: the Aleutians, the Canary Islands • Names of countries which have many states (plural countries) : The United States, the Philippines, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China • Names of wars ( exept for World War ) : the Civil War • Names of lakes and bays (singular): Lake Erie, Halong Bay… • Mountains (plural) : Mount Everest, Mount Fuij • Names of planets : Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto • Names of countries have one word : Vietnam, China… • Names of continents: Asia, Europe • Names of islands: Easter Island, Key West • Names of streets: Main St. • Names of cities, towns or states: Seoul, Miami, California . What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns. English has two articles: the and a/an two articles: the and a/an. The is called definite article; a/an is called indefinite article. I/ Define article: “the” Use “the” Not use “the” - With nouns