The Article We do not use an article before:

1. the plural form of a countable noun when it is used in a general sense:

e.g. I buy magazines about computers. I like music.

2. an uncountable noun when it is used in a general sense:

e.g. She hates dishonesty. Many people are afraid of death.

3. the name of a language: e.g. She speak fluent German.

4. an adjective, unless the adjective is followed by a noun:

e.g. Her husband is tall. (She is married to a tall man.)

5. an airport or train station: e.g. Gatwick Airport / Charing Cross Station

6. a university: e.g. London University

7. a shop or bank named after people: e.g. Barclays Bank / McDonald’s

8. a church or cathedral: e.g. St. Martin’s Church / St. Paul’s Cathedral

9. a meal: e.g. have lunch / dinner

10. a disease or illness: e.g. Cancer causes a lot of suffering.

11. a street or road: e.g. Oxford Street / Fifth Avenue

12. a mountain or continent: e.g. Mount Everest; Europe / Asia

13. a country, country, state, etc.: e.g. Holland / Brixton / Texas

14. a lake: Lake Geneva / Lake Ontario

15. a school, college, church, prison when we are not focusing on the particular one:

e.g. He was sent to prison.

5. a hospital, university, etc. when we think of the purpose of the institution, not the building: e.g. He is in hospital.

6. a way of traveling: e.g. go by car / bus / train

The Zero Article is used in some set expressions:

At first/last	For nothing	Out of rule
At first sight	In detail	(be) out of breath
At present	In case	On business
At night/noon/midnight	In cash	On fire
At peace/war	In charge of	On foot
At work	In common	(be) on sale/for sale
By accident	In connection with	Be in debt
By chance	In vain	Be on strike
By mistake	Keep(be) in touch	Be in bed
Fall(be) in love	Keep house	Be in contact with
From beginning to end	Out of doors	Put in order
From North to South	(go) out of mind	Take to heart

Use of articles with names of persons

NO ARTICLE

1. with names of persons: Mary is nice.

2. with nouns denoting military ranks & titles as “ academician, professor, doctor, count, lord” followed by names of persons: Doctor Ben

3. nouns expressing relationships followed by names of persons: Aunt Maria is in hospital now.

4. names of persons modified by the adjectives “old, young, poor, dear, honest, lazy, little”: Little Kitty was sitting on the sofa.

A/AN

1. when a representative of the family is taken: She will never be a Jackson.

2. with names of persons used as common nouns: You are a real Othello.

3. in the structure “ a certain + names of persons”: A certain Mr. Johnson is waiting for you.

THE

1. with the names of the whole family: The Blacks are sitting at the table.

2. names of persons modified by a particularizing attribute: You are not the Andrew Madison I married.

3. with common nouns denoting profession followed by names of persons: The painter Vasnetsov left many fine pictures.

4. names of persons modified by other adjectives except “old, young, poor, dear, honest, lazy, little”: The astonished Tom couldn’t say a word.