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Before we look in more detail at how the English article system works, it is worth checking which areas of the system you can use confidently and which you are less sure about. That will help you focus on the relevant section of the unit; you may not need to study all of the sections.
Below are two short tests of English article use, for you to assess how confident you are that you can get the answers right.
Decide in each case whether the underlined numbered space should be filled with THE, A, AN or ZERO (no article).
Test 1: New rules for Everest climbers
Expeditions on _(1)_ Mount Everest will be more closely monitored than before from _(2)_ next year, according to _(3)_ BBC. _(4)_ Nepalese officials say that for _(5)_ first time, _(6)_ government team will be located at _(7)_ base camp. They will monitor and help _(8)_ expedition teams, coordinate _(9)_ rescues and protect _(10)_ environment. _(11)_ change follows _(12)_ embarrassing incidents on _(13)_ slopes of _(14)_ world's tallest mountain, including _(15)_ fight between _(16)_ sherpas and _(17)_ mountaineers.
Purna Chandra Bhattarai, _(18)_ chief of _(19)_ tourism industry division that oversees _(20)_ mountaineering, told _(21)_ BBC: "There is _(22)_ need for _(23)_ permanent government mechanism at _(24)_ Everest base camp to regulate _(25) mountaineering activities. _(26)_Integrated Service Centre will also help _(27)_ climbers by offering them _(28)_ communication and _(29)_ safety-related services."
Mr Bhattarai says that, starting from _(30)_ next year's spring climbing season, _(31)_ team at _(32)_ base camp will represent _(33)_ government's administration on _(34)_ ground. It was getting difficult to regulate _(35)_ mountaineering activities from _(36)_ capital, Kathmandu.
Test 2: Bogeyman
_(1)_ bogeyman is _(2)_ imaginary being used by _(3)_ adults to frighten _(4)_ children into _(5)_ good behaviour. _(6)_ bogeyman has no specific appearance, and _(7)_ conceptions about him can vary drastically from _(8)_ household to household within _(9)_ same community. In many cases, he has no set appearance in _(10)_ mind of _(11)_ adult or child, but is simply _(12)_ non-specific embodiment of _(13)_ terror. _(14)_ P/parents may tell their children that if they misbehave, _(15)_bogeyman will get them. _(16) B/bogeymen may target _(17)_ specific mischief – for instance, _(18)_ bogeyman that punishes _(19)_ children who suck their thumbs – or _(20)_ general misbehaviour.
In _(21)_ many countries, _(22)_ fictitious scary man similar to _(23)_ bogeyman is portrayed as _(24)_ man with _(25)_ sack on his back who carries _(26)_ naughty children away. This is true for _(27)_ many Latin countries and _(28)_ Eastern Europe, as well as _(29)_ Haiti and some countries in _(30)_ Far East. In Spain, el hombre del saco is usually depicted as _(31)_ impossibly ugly and ski
A. Proper nouns
1. Proper nouns that fail into certain categories are very rarely accompanied by an article: people's names, cities and states, countries and continents, months and days of the week, streets, churches and religious buildings, mountains, parks.
2. Proper nouns that fall into the following categories must always be I accompanied by the definite article the: museums and art galleries, buildings, highways, seas and oceans, river, deserts, periods and events in history, bridges/ parts of the country.
3. As a general rule, use the with plural proper nouns: the United States, the Great Lakes, the Alps, the Philippines, the Chinese (people), the Saudis, the Brazilians.
4. The definite article the is often used with proper nouns that include a phrase with of: the Baseball Hall of Fame, the University of Michigan, the Citv of New York.
5. The indefinite article а/an is rarely used with proper nouns.
B. Specific Reference with Countable and Uncountable Nouns
1. Use the definite article the to show specific reference with a common noun (singular or plural, countable or uncountable). A noun that has specific reference is one that both the waiter and the reader recognize as something unique. We know exactly which one or ones are being referred to. Sometimes we know that the noun being referred to is unique because of our knowledge of the world or the topic.
The earth revolves around the sun, (We know we are talking about the sun of our solar system and that there is only one,)
She took the children to school and then took the dog for a walk, (We know she has children and we know that the dog is the one that she owns.)
2. A reference can he made specific by previous mention in a text.
My neighbor bought a dog. My daughter is looking after the dog this week. (In the second sentence, the dog has now been identified as the specific dog that my neighbor bought.)
She ordered plants and furniture from a catalog. The plants and the furniture look wonderful in her apartment.
(The second sentence refers to the specific plants and the furniture that she ordered.)
3. A reference can be made specific by an adjectival phrase or clause that comes after the noun. The phrase or clause limits it to something specific and unique.
The dogs that belong to the night guard have been trained to attack.
(We know specifically which dogs – the ones that belong to the night guard.) The furniture in the shop window is on sale this week.
(Again, we know specifically which furniture is being referred to.)
C. Nonspecific and Generic Reference with Countable and Uncountable Nouns
The choice of article with common nouns depends on several factors; whether the noun referred to is specific or nonspecific, whether the noun is countable or uncountable; and if countable, whether the noun is singular or plural in form. When both writer and reader do not identify a noun as something known, unique, or familiar, the reference is nonspecific.
1. Use a/an with a singular countable noun when the noun referred to is nonspecific.
My neighbor bought л dog.
(The writer docs not expect the reader to know anything about the dog.)
I he artist painted ли attractive landscape.
Use an before a word begi
2. Use no article (known as zero article) when a plural countable noun is nonspecific.
They went to the country' store and bought eggs and cucumbers.
Note that quantity words are often used when a reference is nonspecific.
They bought some eggs and a lot of cucumbers,
3. Use zero article when you make a generalization (a generic reference) about a plural countable noun.
Dogs are friendly animals.
(The writer is making a generalization about all dogs, not any specific dogs.)
Flowers add color to a room.
4. Use zero article when you make a generalization (a generic reference) about an uncountable noun.
Love never lasts. Gold jewelry is expensive.
Do not add the definite article to a generalization just because the noun has an adjective in front of it. The adjective does not make the noun more specific. It m narrows the noun.