Articles help.

1. Articles
a/an, the or zero article (O)

2. Summary
• a/an shows that we are talking about one person
or thing: This is a book.
• a/an says what something is: She’s an engineer.
• The usually indicates that we know which thing is
being talked about: The Queen’s name is
Elizabeth II.
• Nouns used without articles often have a special
meaning (abstract nouns or things in general).

3. a or an?
Consonants and vowel sounds
1) ___ book
2) ___ coat
3) ___ orange
4) ___ umbrella
5) ___ university
6) ___ house
7) ___ hotel
8) ___ European country

4. Countable and uncountable nouns
• a/an is only used before singular countable
nouns
• zero article (O) is used for uncountable nouns.
It is often used to describe what something is
made of.

5. Put a/an or nothing (O)
1. Jakes’ father makes _(O)_ films
2. I need __ new bicycle.
3. I never drink ___ milk.
4. Jane is ___ old friend.
5. Their house is made of ___ wood.
6. I often listen to ___ music.
7. That child wants ___ new shoes.
8. My room has got ___ really big window.

6. We often use a/an to talk about something for
the first time; and the when we talk about the
person or thing again.
A man walked up to a policeman. The man took
out a map and asked the policeman for help.

7. Talking about something / somebody
both speaker and listener know about.
THE
• Could you close the door?
(You know which door.)
• He looked at the moon.
(There’s only one.)
• She came on the 8.15 train.
(You know which train – I’m
telling you.)
• How much is the red coat?
(You know which one – I’m
telling you.)
A/AN
• Could you open a window?
(I don’t mind which one.)
• Let’s go and see a film. (I
don’t mind which one.)
• He looked at a tree. (There
may be more than one, and
the one he’s looking at is
not specified.)
• I’ve just bought a new coat.
(Not specific.)

8. Superlatives and ordinal numbers –
which article?
• Mount Everest is ____ tallest mountain.
• Yesterday was ____ hottest day of the year.
• We are ____ fastest runners in the group.
• What time is ____ first train tomorrow?
• Who was ____ last person to leave the
classroom?

9. Add a/an or the
• This is a true story. Last year I went into 1 ___
big sports shop because I wanted 2 ___ sports
bag. 3 ___ assistant came up to me, and I told
him what I wanted. 4 ___ assistant brought me
three different bags. I chose 5 ___ smallest one
and paid for it. 6 ___ assistant put 7 ___ bag in 8
___ large plastic bag. He did so, but he looked
very unhappy as I walked out of 9 ___ shop.

10. We use a/an when we say what
something is, or what job somebody
does:
• I’m a pilot.
• Canada is a big country.
• My sister is an electrician.

11. Talking in general – the or nothing (O)
GENERAL
(O) People are funny.
I like (O) music.
(O) Sugar is fattening.
She’s interested in (O)
dogs and (O) horses.
PARTICULAR
The people in that house
are funny.
The music is too loud.
Could you pass the sugar?
Why are the dogs
barking?

12. Names without the
• People:
(O) Mary works for (O) Dr Andrews.
• Languages:
Sorry, I don’t speak (O) French.
• Most place names:
He’s from (O) Spain.
(O) Africa (O) Cuba (O) England (O) Dublin
(O) Australia (O) Lake Geneva (O) Piccadilly Circus

13. Names with the
• Deserts, rivers, seas, oceans (NOT LAKES)
the Sahara the Thames the Rhine
the Mediterranean the Atlantic
• Plural names
the Netherlands the United States/the USA
• Expressions with Republic/Kingdom etc.
the Czech Republic the UK
• Large areas of the world:
the West the Middle East the Far East

14. Organisations
• the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
(O) NATO
• the United Nations
the UN
the Security Council
the permanent members
the G8

15. Buildings with the
• Most names of buildings:
the Hilton Hotel the Eiffel Tower
the British Museum the Great Pyramids
• EXCEPTIONS: place-name + airport, station, cathedral,
university, palace, castle, school etc.
(O) Buckingham Palace (O) Oxford University
(O) Didcot Junior School
• name + possessive
(O) St Paul’s Cathedral (O) McDonald’s