Indefinite article

Definite article

Zero article

one of many: Shes a

headteacher.

Exceptions
Shes the headteacher of
Park School.

when sth is unique: the

Australian Prime Minister,
the Pope, the sun, the
moon, the human brain
sth mentioned for the
sth mentioned for the
first time: Theres a book second time: Theres a
on the table.
book on the table. The
book is purple.
amounts and
measures: a few, a lot, a
couple of, a kilo of, a
large amount of, a large
number of, once a week,
60 kilometres an hour
times of day: in the
afternoon, in the
morning, in the evening
with superlatives: the
best
with ordinal numbers:
the first time

at night, at lunchtime

generalisations: People
say its good to chew
gum. / I like reading
books.

Rats will eat anything.

A rat will eat anything.
The rat will eat anything.

with last and next: The

next Olympics will be held
in London.; the last day of
our holiday

dates, decades,
centuries: the 17th of
January, the 1950s, the
19th century

last/next + week, days of

the week: last week, next
Monday
institutions (when
referred to their purpose):
hospital, school, church,
prison, university: My
grandfathers in hospital.
in most OF- phrases: the
top of the mountain, the
production of oxygen
years, months, days: in
2011, in May, on Monday

when referred to as
buildings: Our flat is
opposite the hospital.

seasons: in winter, in
spring
countries, continents,
cities, islands

It was a very cold winter,

the winter of 1947
- plural state names:
the Bahamas, the
Philippines, the
Netherlands, the USA, the
UAE
- names containing the
word kingdom or
republic: the UK, the
Czech Republic
- other: the Hague, the
Bronx, the Ukraine, the

some phrases, for

example: in terms of

regions: Western Europe

streets, roads, parks,
bridges, shops
theatres, cinemas,
hotels, museums,
galleries: The Ritz, The
Odeon, The National
Gallery
mountains and lakes:
Mount Everest, Lake
Michigan
mountain ranges,
rivers, seas, canals,
deserts: the Pacific
Ocean, the Mediterranean
Sea, the Alps, the Panama
Canal, the Sahara
names of ships and
newspapers: the Titanic,
The Daily Mirror
by + means of
transport: I go to work
by car.

Sudan, the Yemen

- groups of island and
island called The Isle of...
when used as a noun: the
south of Italy
there are many
exceptions
those containing
possessive s

nationality adjectives:
French people, Chinese
history
fixed phrases: at the
beginning, at the end, in
the world, go to the
cinema, the same, the
other day

fixed phrases: at home,

at work, go to bed, have
lunch*

when used as a noun to

refer to a group of
people: the French
OF- phrases: the history
of China
We have lunch at 1
oclock. BUT We had a
lovely lunch at the hotel. /
The lunch we had at the
hotel wasnt very good.