9. Zero article with common nouns.

Examples

1) with noun in plural, if the indefinite article was used in singular

I can see cars there.

There are books on the table.

2) with possessive adjectives or the possessive case

My brother; Mrs Brown’s house is not far from mine

3) before address

What are you doing, boys?

4) before the noun used with cardinal numeral

Lesson 10; Room 101.

5) with the names of days, months, seasons

I’ll see you on Wednesday.

He was born in July.

6) with the names of celebrations

We have a holiday at Easter and New Year.

7) with the names of sports and games

I like basketball and football and my sister is fond of gymnastics.

8) with the nouns denoting the mealtime (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Is breakfast ready?

I usually cook dinner myself.

9) with subjects at school

History is the most interesting subject for me.

NB! The history of the French Revolution

10) before nouns denoting languages, if they are used without the word ‘language’

I want to learn Italian.

I want to know the Italian language.

11) with colours

Green suits you.

12) before nouns denoting ranks, titles, if they are used with proper names

Professor Brown is a very interesting person.

13) with abstract nouns without the attribute

While there is life, there is hope.

14) with substances

Sugar should be white.

15) with by+ means of transport: by bus, by car

She travelled by bus.

1) with names denoting the whole family:

I haven’t met the Browns since they returned from London.

2) with the names of hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, banks, theatres, cinemas, museums, galleries

The Universal Bank has come to bankruptcy.

We are proud of the National Theatre.

If you are in London, visit the Tate Gallery.

3) with the names of buildings, palaces, if they are used with the preposition of

The Tower of London is the oldest castle.

Have you ever seen the Great Wall of China?

4)) with newspapers

The Washington Post publishes many articles about foreign affairs of the government.

5) with the names of ships

We travelled on board the Oriana.

6) with names of oceans, seas, rivers, channels, bays, gulfs

The Indian Ocean

The Baltic Sea

7) with names of mountain chains (used in plural)

The Carpathians

The Alps

The Himalayas

8) with names of groups of islands (used in plural)

The British Isles

The Bahamas

9) with the names of countries and states that include the words union, republic, kingdom, state, emirates

The United Kingdom

The United States of America

The United Arab Emirates

10) with the names of regions, territories:

NB! northern England, southern Spain, western Canada

The Far East

The North of England

The South of Spain

The West of Canada

11) with the names of deserts

The Sahara Desert

12) with the names of countries in plural

The Netherlands

13) institutions and organizations

the Boy Scouts, the United Nations

14) historical events

the French Revolution, the Victorian age

15) documents and official titles

the Great Charter, the Queen

16) historical references

the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, the Stone Age

1) with the names of persons

He looked at Lanny and John.

2) with the names of continents

Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia

3) countries, cities

NB! the Hague

France, Japan, Ukraine, London, New York

4) with names of mountain peaks and single mountains

Hoverla is the highest mount in the Carpathians.

5) with names of single islands

NB! the Isle of Capri, the Isle of Man

My favourite island is Corfu.

6) with the names of lakes and waterfalls

Baikal is the deepest lake.

Victoria Falls in Africa are more than a mile wide

7) with the names of planets: Mars, Venus, Saturn, etc.

Venus is nearer to the sun than Mars.

8) with the names of streets and squares

Broadway is the main street in New York.

9) with magazines

I like to read Cosmopolitan.

10) institutions and organizations

Congress, Parliament

11) historical references

Ancient Greece, Medieval Europe