Having delved into the rules of English grammar, one can get an answer that the article is usually understood as an official part of speech that can only be used with nouns.
In this language, there are three types of articles:defined (known as the), indefinite (represented by two forms of a / an at once) and zero, implying a complete and well-founded absence of this part of speech.
The use of articles in English canto depend on several factors accompanying it. Firstly, from the type of the noun, secondly, from the context, and thirdly, we should not forget about the numerous exceptions inherent in this language.
General rules for the use of articles in English
This topic, I must say, is quite extensive and difficult to memorize, but in order not to be mistaken with the choice of the article from the very beginning, I would recommend to do the following:
- Determine whether the given noun, on which the desired article depends, the subject as a whole, without isolating it from a series of similar ones, or does it indicate a specific subject.
For example:
I bought a very interesting book yesterday.- I bought a very interesting book yesterday. (This proposal means that the purchase consisted of a book, not a notebook, not a magazine, not a newspaper, but exactly a book).
The book I bought yesterday is interesting indeed.- The book I bought yesterday is really interesting. (Here the word “book” is concretized and we, as readers, know exactly what kind of edition this proposal is about).
- Determine whether the noun is classified or uncountable.
For example: a book (book), a trip (trip, trip), a mate (buddy) - countable;
furniture (furniture), friendship (friendship), health (health), love (love) - uncountable.
- Recognize the singular or plural form of the noun;
For example: a book is a book (a word in the singular), books - books (in the plural).
Use of articles in English. Indefinite article
One variant of the indefinite article "a" or "an" is used if:
- the subject or person, which will be discussed later, is mentioned in this context for the first time;
- with countable nouns used inthe singular form, after a special turnover there is (in any temporary form). It is this phrase that is capable of introducing a previously unknown object into the text;
- before the predicative noun, thereby assigning the noun to a certain class of similar ones. For example: Kiev is a cosmopolitan city. - Kiev is an international city;
- after the words what (in exclamation sentences),such, quite, rather. But do not forget that in this case the noun must be in the singular and be countable. For example: My neighbor is quite a child. - My neighbor is still a child;
- sometimes it retains its original translation of "one";
- in the meaning of "everyone", "any".
- in the phrases go for a walk - go for a walk, be in a hurry - hurry, for a long time - for a long time, have a look - look.
3. Use of articles in English. Definite article
"The" is used in the following situations:
- if both the speaker and the listener know which subject, person or concept is being discussed;
- describes all the members of one family. For example: the Ivanovs - Ivanovs;
- with titles or representatives of ethnic groups. For example: the Governor is the governor, the Ukrainians are Ukrainians;
- with countries whose names initially include the plural. For example: the USA - the USA, the OAE - the United Arab Emirates;
- with groups of mountains, mountain systems, islands, lakes. For example: the Carpathians - the Carpathians, the Great Lakes - the Great Lakes;
- с уникальными в своем роде понятиями, причем эта Uniqueness can manifest itself both in general (for example, the Moon - the Moon satellite), and within, say, a certain office or educational institution (for example: the Rector - the rector, the Chief Manager - the main manager);
- with the names of the desert, seas, rivers, oceans andchannels. For example: the Danube - the Danube River, the Atlantic Ocean - the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean - the Mediterranean Sea, the Panama canal - the Panama Canal;
- with famous buildings, ship names and zoos. For example: the Titanic - "Titanic", the Houses of Parliament - the Houses of Parliament, the San Diego Zoo - the zoo of the city of San Diego;
- at the mention of wars, the names of newspapers and historical documents. For example: the Crimean War - the Crimean War, the Times - the Times, the Constitution - the Constitution.
Use of articles in English. Null article
As a rule, the article in front of the nouns of a given language should be used. Cases in which it falls, are quite rare and must be carefully justified.
So, in the English language the article is missing in the following cases:
- before names. For example, Sophia Rotaru - Sophia Rotaru;
- in combination title + name. For example, Queen Elizabeth - Queen Elizabeth;
- in front of the names of beaches, cities, states, countries and continents. For example: Kiev - Kiev, Ohio - the US state of Ohio, Mexico - Mexico, South and North America — continents of South and North America;
- with separately located mountains, islands, lakes. For example, Everest is Mount Everest;
- at the mention of the planets and constellations. For example: Venus - the planet Venus, Mars - the planet Mars;
- with streets, boulevards and parks. For example, Wall Street, Madison Avenue, Hyde Park;
- with tongues and diseases. For example, Chinese is Chinese;
- with the names of magazines and school subjects. For example: History - history, Math - mathematics.
Как вы сами могли убедиться, правильное the use of articles in English does not depend on the abilities of a person to languages. This is just the rule that can not be understood and understood, will have to cram by heart. And only by devoting a sufficient amount of time to this process, one can finally learn how to correctly use all three articles of the English language: definite, indefinite and zero.
