ARTICLES

The indefinite article A/ AN is used: The definite article THE is used:

With singular countable nouns when we talk about things in general: An aeroplane is faster than a train.

Before singular and plural nouns, both countable and uncountable, when we are talking about something specific: The boy who has just left is my cousin. (Not any boy. The specific boy, the one who has just left.)

We use A/ AN when we mention something for the first time. When we mention it again, we use THE: I saw a beautiful vase in an antique shop a few days a go. When I went back to the shop yesterday, the vase wasnt there anymore! We use both A/ AN or THE before a single countable noun to represent a class of people, animals or things: A/ The dolphin is more intelligent than a/ the shark. But: Dolphins are more intelligent than sharks. A/ AN is also used: A/ AN is not used:

Often after the verbs TO BE and TO HAVE: He is a photographer. He has got a camera. With the expressions of quantity A COUPLE OF, A FEW, A LITTLE, A PAIR OF: I bought a pair of leather gloves yesterday. In exclamations with WHAT + a countable noun: What a nice girl!
THE is also used with:

With uncountable or plural nouns. We can use SOME instead: Would you like some tea? ~ Yes, please! And Id like some biscuits. In exclamations with WHAT + an uncountable or plural noun: What nasty weather! What lovely children you have got!

THE is not used with:

Nouns which are unique: We want to visit the capital of Italy to see the Coliseum. Also: the sun, the earth, the moon, the sky, the world Names of countries which include the words KINGDOM, REPUBLIC, STATE or UNION (the UK, the Republic of Lithuania), or are plural (the Netherlands). Names of regions: the Far East, the West. But: Southern California. Names of rivers (the Thames), seas (the Black Sea), oceans (the Pacific), deserts (the Sahara), groups of islands (the Bahamas), mountain ranges (the Alps). Names of cinemas (the Odeon), theatres (the Rex), museums (the British Museum), galleries (the National Gallery), hotels (the Sheraton Hotel), newspapers (the Times), ships (the Queen Mary). Names of families/ nationalities in plural: the Smiths, the English. But: English people. Titles without proper names: the Queen, the President. Musical instruments: Can you play the guitar? Adjectives used as plural nouns: This office helps the unemployed to find work. The superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs: Hes the most successful businessman in town.

Proper noun: Her name is Paula Gibson. Singular names of countries: England. Names of cities (London), streets (Bond Street), parks (Hyde Park). But: the Hague, the Fifth Avenue. Names of continents (Europe), lakes (Lake Michigan), separate islands (Cyprus) and mountains (Mount Everest). Names of airports (Heathrow Airport), stations (Paddington Station), magazines (Cosmopolitan). Names of meals: Lunch is ready. We ate fish for dinner. Names of subjects, languages, sports, activities, colours, substances: Physics is a difficult subject to learn. She speaks Russian. He plays tennis well. She likes blue. This bag is made of leather. Titles followed by a proper name: Queen Elizabeth, President Bush. The possessive case or possessive adjectives: This is Katies favourite book. This isnt your coat. Cardinal numbers: five books, room 12. The words HOME, MOTHER/ FATHER when we talk about our own home/ parents: Father isnt at home. The words BED, CHURCH, HOSPITAL,

Ordinal numbers: He was the first sportsman to finish the marathon. The words CINEMA, THEATRE, RADIO, PRESS, COUNTRY(SIDE), SEASIDE, BEACH, COAST, etc.: We go to the countryside every summer.

PRISON, SCHOOL, COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY, when they are used for the reason they exist: John was sent to prison. But: His mother went to the prison to visit him last week. After the preposition BY: by fax, by bus.

Other phrases with THE: on the left, on the Other phrases without THE: at noon, at night, at right, in the middle, in the centre, at the top, sunset; on holiday, on business; on foot at the bottom; on the floor, on the wall, on the ceiling; in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening QUANTIFIERS
These quantifiers are used with both plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns. SOME is usually used in positive sentences: There are some good pubs in this street. Id like some coffee. We also use SOME in questions that are requests or offers, i.e. when we expect the answer yes: Can I have some apples? Would you like some more cake? ANY is usually used in negative sentences: There arent any cinemas here. We dont have any bread left. We also use ANY in questions, when the answer can be either yes or no: Are there any shops near your house? Have you put any sugar in my tea? NO means the same as NOT ANY: There are no cinemas where I live. Notice that the verb is positive. The rules are the same for the compounds SOMEBODY, SOMEONE, SOMETHING, SOMEWHERE; ANYBODY, ANYONE, ANYTHING, ANYWHERE; NOBODY, NO ONE, NOTHING, NOWHERE: Somebody wants to see you. Would you like to go somewhere tonight? I dont want to see anybody! Is anything wrong? Nothing bad will happen to us. LOTS OF A LOT OF/ MANY, MUCH, We use A LOT OF/ LOTS OF in positive sentences with both uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns: There is a lot of/ lots of snow outside. Ive got a lot of/ lots of books about art. But: Many of the books Ive read are about art. MUCH and MANY are used in negative sentences and questions. MUCH requires an uncountable noun: They havent got much money at the moment. How much is this dress? MANY requires a plural countable noun: He didnt invite many people to the party. Are there many tourists at this time of year? TOO MUCH and TOO MANY express a negative idea; they mean more than the right amount: I cant work here theres too much noise. Weve got too many things in this room its impossible to move.

ANY, NO SOME,

LITTLE (A) (A) FEW, ENOUGH NEITHER EITHER, BOTH, NONE EVERY, ALL,

We use (A) FEW with plural countable nouns. A FEW expresses a positive idea; it means some but not many: Ive got a few friends, so Im not lonely. FEW expresses a negative idea; it means nearly no: Hes sad and lonely because hes got few friend. We use (A) LITTLE with uncountable nouns. A LITTLE expresses a positive idea; it means some but not much: He had a little money, so he bought a TV. LITTLE expresses a negative idea; it means nearly no: She had little money, so she had to sell her car. ENOUGH is used before nouns but after adjectives and adverbs: There werent enough chairs for everybody to sit. He is old enough to live on his own. He came early enough to see the match. BOTH, EITHER and NEITHER are used to talk about 2 things or people. BOTH has a positive meaning and takes a verb in the plural. It is used before main verbs but after auxiliary or modal verbs: Jack and Kate both study English. / Jack and Kate are both students of English. You may also say: Both of them study English./ Both of them are students of English. EITHER has a positive meaning, but it takes a verb in the singular: Would you like tea or coffee?~ Either is good. I dont mind. NEITHER has a negative meaning and it takes a verb in the singular: First I worked in a shop and later in a bank. Neither job was very interesting.

ALL and EVERY have a positive meaning. ALL takes a verb in the plural. It is used before main verbs but after auxiliary or modal verbs: John, Mary and Kevin study English. = They all study English./ They are all students of English. You may also say: All of them study English./ All of them are students of English. EVERY takes a verb in the singular: Every student in the class is eager to improve their English. The rules are the same for the compounds EVERYBODY, EVERYONE, EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE: Everybody needs friends. Notice the difference between the expressions EVERY DAY/ MORNING/ SUMMER and ALL DAY/ MORNING/ SUMMER: How often do you buy newspapers? Every morning. How long do you usually read newspapers? All morning. NONE has a negative meaning and takes a positive verb in the singular or plural: Kate, Rose and Sue havent got a car. = None of them has/ have got a car.

Quantifiers with countable and uncountable nouns Some adjectives and adjectival phrases can only go with uncountable nouns (salt, rice, money, advice), and some can only go with countable nouns (friends, bags, people). The words in the middle column can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. With Uncountable Nouns How much? a little a bit (of) a great deal of a large amount of a large quantity of With Both How much? or How many? no/none not any some (any) a lot of plenty of lots of With Countable Nouns How many? a few a number (of) several a large number of a great number of a majority of

Graded Quantifiers

They are like comparatives and hold a relative position on a scale of increase or decrease. INCREASE (0% to 100%) With plural countable nouns: many more most DECREASE (100% to 0%) With plural countable nouns: Few fewer fewest Examples: There are many people in Poland, more in India, but the most people live in China. Much time and money is spent on education, more on health services but the most is spent on national defense. Few rivers in Europe arent polluted. Fewer people die young now than in the nineteenth century. The country with the fewest people per square kilometre must be Australia. Scientists have little hope of finding a complete cure for cancer before 2010. She had less time to study than I did but had better results. Give that dog the least opportunity and it will bite you. With uncountable nouns: Little less least With uncountable nouns: Much more most