Idioms
a bit of |
in a hurry |
make a start |
have a drink |
on the coast |
in the pink |
off the record |
do a turn |
go to the wall |
play the blues |
through the nose |
in [] debt |
on [] loan |
out of [] action |
A (Indefinite Article)
New thing |
I've seen an accident. |
With "there is" |
There is a beer in the fridge. |
After "have/have got" |
I have a pen. |
Naming things |
It's a hippo. |
Occupations |
I'm a teacher. |
To replace "one" |
I want a pen and two papers. |
To replace "every" |
Forty times an hour. |
ZERO ARTICLE
Generalisations |
I usually have [] sandwiches. |
Belonging to institutions |
She is still in [] hospital. He went to [] sea (as a sailor). |
Meals |
She came to [] lunch. |
Time expressions |
Next [] week, last [] year, on [] Sunday. |
Work, home, bed. |
She is in [] bed, at [] home, at [] work. |
Proper nouns |
Names, villages, towns, cities, parks, streets, woods, forests. |
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THE (Definite Article)
Known thing |
The children next door are ill. |
Already-mentioned thing |
We got a cake. The cake was brown. |
Only in existance |
the Moon, the Sun |
With defining relative clauses |
Shoot the kid who derailed the train. |
Superlatives |
the best, the worst |
Comparatives |
I want the same as usual. |
Certain adjectives |
the first, the last, the next |
Entertainment |
I went to the cinema, the pub, the shops |
Transport |
I went to the airport, the bus stop, the station |
Musical instruments |
I play the piano, the violin, the guitar |
Proper nouns |
Rivers, mountain rangers, oceans and seas, deserts, groups of islands, hotels, cinemas, political bodies. |
Country names that are plural or include political terms |
the Philippines, the United Kingdom. |
Newspapers |
The Guardian. |
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