Quiz -Articles

USE


1. Before singular and plural nouns: the dog/ the dogs


2. Before nouns considered as unique: the weather/ the earth/ the sun


3. To refer to an object or person: open the window


4. With singular nouns that represent a class: the dog is man's best friend


5. With collective nouns and adjectives functioning as nouns: the aristocracy/ the poor


6. Geographic nouns: we use it with rivers, seas, mountains, plural names of countries and groups of islands: The Thames/The Red Sea/ The United States


7. Food: if the food is specified, we use it: the dinner in honor of the new ...
but the normal thing is to omit it.


8. Superlative and comparative: the greatest show on earth/ the harder you work, the more you earn


9. Ordinal numbers: he is the first boy to go to Oxford
"The" article is pronounced with dates and titles, but it is not written: Queen Elizabeth II (The Second)/ January 5th (the fifth)


10. With some proper nouns which omit one element: The Tate (Gallery)/ The Hilton (Hotel)


11. With newspapers: The Times/ The Guardian,
but magazines usually omit it: Time/ Life


12. Before those adjectives expressing nationality used as a collective noun: The German are very industrious


13. Art, music,..: we use it with the names of artists, musicians, ... to refer to their work: The Picasso recently acquired/ The Brahms was magnificent

OMISSION


1. Abstract nouns: love/ death/ life/ literature/ art ...,
butwe can use the definite article if the abstract noun is modified: the death of Mr Jones


2. We don't use it before "man" and "woman" used in a generic sense: man is finite, God infinite


3. Nouns with a generic sense: hats are in fashion this year


4. We do not use it with verbs functioning as nouns: speaking in public is difficult for some people


5. Countries, cities: she went to Spain for her holidays, even if the noun is modified: Northern Ireland/ United Kingdom


6. Proper names: we do not use it even if it is modified: Young William
but we use it if the modification comes after the noun: Ivan the Terrible

titles do not use it: good morning, Miss Smith

but we can use it for a married couple: the Smiths have arrived

titles which refer to a profession do not use it: hello, Dr Brown. Sometimes we use it with a proper name to emphasize: that was the Mr Smith


7. The time: it is three o'clock


8. Food: we do not normally use it: lunch is served/ breakfast is on the table


9. Parts of the body and clothes (in English we prefer the possessive adjective): put on your coat/ take your shoes off


10. Names like: home, school, hospital, university, church, market, prison, bed, work, sea, ... do not use article: let's go home/ he does not like school
butwhen the noun refers to the building itself, we use article: she went to the church to see him
some nouns like: theatre, office, cinema, museum, station, always use it: he goes to the cinema every Saturday


11. Seasons and expressions of time: we omit it before seasons: spring is the best time of the year
but we use the article for specific situations: I am going to Paris in the summer

nouns like: morning, afternoon, evening, night, day, dawn, ... do not use it when used in a general sense or with certain prepositions: if you get up at dawn you can see the sun rise

when the days of the week or nouns like: day, night, week, month, year, ... are preceded by 'next' or 'last', we do not use the article: I am taking my driving test next Monday


12. Familiar relationships: we do not use it before nouns like: father, mother, uncle, aunt...: Father has bought a new car


13. Streets, buildings, parks...: we do not use it before nouns formed by a proper plus a common noun: Trafalgar Square/ Hyde Park


14. Illnesses: most of them are not preceded by the article, but we can find them in some cases: Ann has (the) mumps/ Peter has (the) measles


15. Transports: some phrases use 'by' without the article: to travel by bus/ car/ train/ plane ...


16. Colours we do not use it when those adjectives function as nouns: blue is her favourite colour
but we use it when the colour is modified: the blue she chose to paint ...