Articles

You may think articles in English are impossible because there are
so many rules and so many exceptions.  However,  if you understand the basic idea, you can greatly reduce the number of errors you make.

GENERAL REFERENCE:

We usually use no article when we are making general statements:

        a.  Children like candy.  (Most children like most candy.)

LIMITED REFERENCE: 

It is more complicated if the reference is limited.  There are two kinds of limited reference, specific and non-specific.  Specific reference means the reader or listener already
knows which person, thing, etc. you are referring to.  Use "the" with specific reference, whether the word is singular or plural:

        b.  I asked the mechanic to check the oil and the tires.

The mechanic already knows what I mean:  the oil in my car and the tires on my car.  This is clear because of the situation.  He will not ask me "Which oil," or "Which tires."  Other things can make
reference specific:

        c.  The sun is hot in the desert.

            (It is common knowledge that there is one sun for our        
             planet.)

        d.   The book on the table is mine.

              (Other words, "on the table," make the reference
              specific.)

        e.  I saw a good movie last night.  I told my friend
             he should see the movie too.

             (The reference is specific if the noun has already been
mentioned once.)

    If the reference is limited but non-specific, the situation is
    more difficult:

        f.  I talked to Ø friends about a course in Ø education.

    The reference is limited because I didn't talk to all my friends
    about all courses in all education fields; the reference is
    non-specific because the reader doesn't know which friends,
    or which course I am referring to.  For limited non-specific
    reference use no article (Ø) if the noun is count-plural
    (friends) or non-count (education); use a if the noun is
    count-singular (a course).

General................................................................  Ø
Limited specific....................................................   the
Limited non-specific non-count..............................   Ø
Limited non-specific count singular........................    a
Limited non-specific count plural...........................    Ø

Links:

Detailed explanation and exercises: advanced exercises
Exercises on articles:  determiners/default.cfml
More exercises:  http://www.englishpage.com/grammar/Articles/Exercises/



04/06/2011