Explanations

Basic uses of articles are assumed known.

Definite article • Classes
This is one way to refer to classes, and is perhaps more formal than using a
plural:
The tiger is threatened with extinction.
• National groups
Groups as a whole:
The French eat in restaurants more than the English.
Single examples are not formed in the same way:
A Frenchman/woman, an Englishman/woman.
• Other groups
If these are clearly plural:
the Social Democrats, The Rolling Stones
Note the difference:
Pink Floyd, Queen (no article)
• Unique objects
the moon, the sun
Note that there are other suns and moons in the universe.
This planet has a small moon.
• Titles
These tend to be 'unique'.
The director of studies
If the title is post-modified (has a description coming after the noun), the is
more likely, but not essential. Compare:
She became President in 1998.
She became (the) President of the United States in 1998.
• Other titles
The may be part of the title, and so is capitalised.
Newspapers: The Independent, The Sunday Times
• Musical instruments
Jane plays the flute.
The guitar is my favourite instrument.
It is, of course, still possible to use a where it would naturally be used.
There was a small brown flute in the window of the shop.

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• Emphatic use
This is heavily stressed and emphasises the following noun.
This hotel is the place to stay.
See also Grammar 14.
• Geographical names
The following use the:
Rivers: the Thames
Mountain ranges: the Alps
Oceans: the Mediterranean
Unique features: the Channel, the Arctic
Compass points/areas: the East, the Middle East
Countries: collective or plural: The United Kingdom, The Netherlands
This does not apply to:
Mountain peaks: Everest (but The Matterhorn)
Continents: Asia
Countries: France
The definite article is sometimes used before Lebanon and Gambia:
The Lebanon The Gambia
• Place names
Post-modification, especially with ... o f . . . plays a role in place names.
Compare:
Leeds University/The University of Leeds
London Bridge/The Tower of London -»
If the first part of a place-name is another name, then normal rules about
zero article apply.
Brown's Restaurant
The Garden House Hotel
The same applies in geographical names:
Canvey Island
The Isle of Man
• Most and the most
Most hotels in England are very expensive, (making a generalisation)
This is the most expensive hotel in town, (talking about a specific hotel)
• Importance of context
The definite article refers to already mentioned items, and so its use depends
on context.
The Smiths had a son and a daughter. The son was in the Army and the
daughter was training to be a doctor.
On the Saturday, there was a terrible storm.
Here, the Saturday refers to a day in an area of time already mentioned.
On the Saturday of that week ...

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

Indefinite article • Jobs

Compare: Tony is a builder. Tony was the builder of that house.
• In measuring
Three times a week. Fifty kilometres an hour.
£3.50 a kilo. £15,000 a year.
Formally, per can replace a/an.
• Unknown people
Use of a/an emphasises that a person is unknown.
A Mr Jones called while you were out.
Zero article • Names
Compare:
Matthew Smith is one of my favourite artists, (a person)
A Matthew Smith hangs in their bedroom, (a painting)
• Some unique organisations do not use the.
Parliament, but The (House of) Commons
• Streets
Most streets do not use an article.
Green Road Godwin Street
Exceptions are:
^ The High Street The Strand
and street names without preceding adjectives. Compare:
Holly Drive The Drive
Translation Study these sentences. Would you use an article in your language?
problems I know how to use a computer.
A pound and a half of cheese.
I was holding it in my hand.
It's a film about homeless people.
Terry has flu. I've got a headache.

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 GRAMMAR 17 ARTICLES

The activities include revision material.

In each space put a/an or the, or leave the space blank.

It has been announced that for (1) third consecutive month there
has been (2) rise in (3) number of
(4) people unemployed, rather than (5) fall that
had been predicted. (6) rise was blamed on (7)
continuing uncertainty over (8) government economic policy,
and couldn't come at (9) worse time for (10)
Prime Minister, who is facing (11) growing criticism over
(12) way (13) present crisis is being handled.
(14) MPs are increasingly voicing (15) fears that
despite (16) recent devaluation of (17) pound and
cuts in (18) interest rates, (19) government still
expects (20) recovery of the economy to take three or even four
years. To make (21) matters worse, (22) „. number of
small businesses going into (23) liquidation is still at
(24) record level, and (25) housing market is
showing no signs of recovery. Some backbenchers expect (26)
general election before (27) end of (28) winter
unless there is (29) rapid change of (30) fortune.

2 Underline the most suitable option. A dash (-) means that no article is included.

a) Helen doesn't like the/- cream cakes sold in a/the local bakery.
b) The/- handball is fast becoming a/the popular sport worldwide.
c) We could see that the/— Alps were covered in the/- snow.
d) It's a/- long time since I met a/- lovely person like you!
e) Diana has a/- degree in the/- engineering from the/- University of London.
f) At the/- present moment, the/- man seems to have the/an uncertain future.
g) The/- problem for the/- today's students is how to survive financially,
h) The/- French enjoy spending holidays in the/- countryside.
i) Please do not turn on a/the water-heater in a/the bathroom,
j) Sue bought a/the Picasso I was telling you about the/- last week.

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

Correct the errors in these sentences.

a) It's not a first-class accommodation unless it has a private bathroom.

b) On this record twins play piano duet.

c) The halfway through meal we realised what waiter had said.

d) If the Mrs Hillier phones, say I'm away on trip.

e) There is a wonderful scenery in eastern part of Turkey.

f) Cocker spaniel is one of most popular pet dogs.

g) There is going to be fog and a cold weather all the next week.

h) I spent very interesting holiday at the Lake Coniston in England.

i) We are against war in general, so of course we are against war like this
between superpower and developing country.

j) The burglaries are definitely on increase.

In each space put a/an or the, or leave the space blank.

a) I'm going to stand for Parliament at next election.

b) When I left station, I had to stand in queue for
taxi for long time.
c) We took trip around London and saw Tower
Bridge.
d) happiness of the majority depends on hard
work for everyone.
e) most main roads in this part of country follow
line of roads built by Romans.
f) Have you got latest record by Gipsy Kings?
g) If I had time, I would like to take up archery.
h) We spent pleasant evening having drinks at
Robin Hood.
i) Nile flows right through city.
j) summer I spent in USA was one of best in my life.

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 GRAMMAR 17 ARTICLES

5 In each space put a/an or the, or leave the space blank.

a) She was first woman to cross Atlantic in

canoe.
b) Go down High Street and turn right into Mill
Road.
c) Please let me carry shopping. It's least I can do.
d) I don't like milk in coffee.
e) At end of busy day, sleep is
best tonic.
f) James Joyce I knew wasn't novelist and wasn't
Irish either.
g) We'll go for walk if sun comes out.
h) This is last time I do you favour for a while.
i) I'm staying in Hilton so you can leave me
message.

6 There are ten extra appearances of the in the following text. Underline them.

The word processor and the calculator are without a shadow of doubt here to
stay, and in the many respects our lives are the much richer for them. But the
teachers and other academics are claiming that we are now starting to feel the
first significant wave of their effects on a generation of the users. It seems
nobody under the age of 20 can spell or add up any more. Even several
professors at leading universities have commented on the detrimental effect the
digital revolution has had on the most intelligent young minds in the country.
The problem, evidently, lies with the automatic spellcheck now widely available
on the word processing software. Professor John Silver of the Sydney University,
Australia, said: 'Why should we bother to learn how to spell correctly, or for
that matter to learn even the most basic of the mathematical sums, when at the
press of a button we have our problem answered for us. The implications are
enormous. Will the adults of the future look to the computer to make the
decisions for them, to tell them who to marry or what the house to buy? Are we
heading for a future individual incapable of the independent human thought?'

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

7 In each space put a/an or the, or leave the space blank.

a) Please watch cabin attendant as she demonstrates
use of oxygen mask.
b) Paul spent half of his life in Far East.
c) You have to use at least pint and
half of milk.
d) Dick has sore throat and is taking medicine.
e) We arranged accommodation on outskirts of
city.
f) There is very difficult crossword in ' Times'.
g) Could you give me information I asked for in
letter I sent you?
h) I bought jewellery for my sister but it wasn't
kind she likes,
i) I always wanted to be astronaut but ambition
wore off.
j) And last of all, don't forget to put cat out for
night.

o Underline the most suitable option. A dash (-) means that no article is needed.

a) Brenda is the/- ideal for a/the job. She has a/- wealth of the/- experience.
b) The/- safety at the/- work is a/- major concern for us.
c) The/- poorest people in the/- country live in this city.
d) Have you seen a/the new 'Hamlet' at the/- National Theatre?
e) There is a/- beautiful countryside within an/- easy reach of a/the hotel.
f) I have a/- terrible cold and am staying in the/- bed today.
g) I earn £3 an/the hour as a/- supermarket cashier on the/- Saturdays,
h) The/- charge for an/- excess luggage is £10 a/the kilo.
i) The/- most of the/- life is a/- matter of getting on with the/- others,
j) This country is officially called The/- United Kingdom of The/- Great Britain
and The/- Northern Ireland.

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