THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE: an / a


is used in the following ways:


ð  before unspecified  singular countable nouns


She works in an office.



ð  with the names of professions


She´s an executive  and he´s a manager.



ð  in expressions of measurement


We charge $500 an hour.


It sells at $ 1.75 a litre.



ð  before a noun to mean all things of the same type (usually in definitions)


A loss leader is an article that a store sells at a low price to tempt customers to buy other
goods.



ð  to talk about something in general


A good bank shouldn´t charge you more than five per cent interest.


A government should look after its citizens.






THE DEFINITE ARTICLE: THE


is used in the following ways:

ð  when it is clear from the context what particular thing or place is meant


I´ll meet you in the reception area.


ð  before a noun that we have mentioned before


They had a villa in Cannes and a chalet in Innsbruck but they sold the villa.


ð  before adjectives to specify a category of people or things

the rich, the poor, the French, the unemployed


ð  when the object is part of our particular world or area of interest


I´ve got to go to the bank. (I´m reffering to my usual bank.)


ð  before things that are unique


Don´t stay in the sun. (There is only one sun.)


ZERO ARTICLE: 0


is used in the following ways:

ð  before uncountable nouns used in general statements


Money is the root of all 0 evil.


ð  usually there is no article before the names of places and people (proper names)


0 Poland, 0 Japan, 0 Dr Spock, 0 President Bush






PLACE NAMES


§  in general, zero article is used for the names of places, especially ZERO ARTICLE is used for:

o   Continents: Europe, Asia

o   Countries / States: France, Poland, Finland, Bavaria, Ohio

o   Islands: Easter Island, Christmas Island, Crete, Madeira

o   Mountains: Everest, Mont Blanc, North Hill (BUT the Jungfrau, the Materhorn)

o   Lakes: Lake Geneva, Lake Michigan

o   Cities: Denver, London, Lyons (BUT the Hague)

o   Parks: Central Park, Hyde Park

o   Roads / Streets: Fifth Avenue, Church Street (BUT the M6, the A1 )

o   Squares: Time Square, Trafalgar Square

o   Palaces: Buckingham Palace, Lambeth Palace

o   Cathedrals: Milan Cathedral, Saint Vitus's Cathedral

o   Universities: Cambridge University, Masaryk University

o   Stations: Victoria Station, Waterloo Station

o   Airports: Orly, Heathrow


§  BUT all the following use THE

o   Plurals: the Alps, the Himalayas, the Bahamas, the Netherlands

o   Adjectives + place: The Red Sea, the Middle East, the West End

o   Phrases with of: the House of Parliament, the Isle of Man, the University of York, the Palace
of Westminster, the South of France, the University of Cambridge (BUT Cambridge University)

o   Political constitutions: the Irish Republic, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom

o   Oceans, seas, rivers and canals, : the Pacific Ocean, the Mediterranean,  the Nile, the Vltava,
the Suez Canal

o   Theatres, cinemas and galleries: The Globe (theatre), the Plaza (cinema), the Tate (Gallery)
(BUT:  St Martin´s theatre)

o   Hotels: the Marriott, the Hilton

o   Famous buildings: the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, the White House