Articles in English are a short rule. Use of articles in English

You already know what the article is and the simplest ones. Next are waiting for you exercises on the topic "Article in English (for beginners)."

I. The article A (an). Exercises

The exercise 1. Put the articlea ( an )

This is… boy. That is… girl.
This is… cat. It is my… cat.
Is this your ... dog? No, I have no ... dog. I have… cat.
Is that his… car? No, it isn't his ... car. It is his father’s ... car.
She has… sister. Her sister’s… husband is… dentist.
They have got two ... children.
Their daughter’s… name is… Nancy.
Nancy is… kind girl. She is ... 15.
He has many ... friends.
Her… brother is… very clever.

The exercise 2. Put the articlea ( an ) before the noun where appropriate.

This… cat is very… nice.
That… dog is very… big.
My ... dog has three ... puppies.
I can see… animal in the picture.
This… monkey is… funny.
Give me ... pencil, please.
I will draw ... dolphin.
Would you like to draw ... animals?
… Lions are very… strong.
This… family has no… pet.

The exercise 3. Put the articlea ( an ) before the noun where appropriate.

This is… cup. This is ... my mother's cup.
This is… apple pie. These are… apple pies.
There is… shop in the street. There is no… kiosk in the street.
It's ... nice yellow jacket. This… jacket is Kate’s.
I have got… child. My ... child is clever.
That… man is… pilot. Those… men are… pilots, too.
My hamster eats… apples,… carrots and… potatoes.
I like… sweets and… cakes.

II. The article the. Exercises

The exercise 4. Put the articlethe before the noun where appropriate.

... sun is a star.
... sky is gray today.
… Earth is a planet.
... weather was fine yesterday.
There are… apples on… table.
You can’t see ... moon in ... sky tonight.
It is very dark in… room.
I went to the shop and bought ... bananas. I like ... bananas.
I always help about… house.
… Girls are at home. Where are ... boys?

The exercise 5. Put the articlethe before the noun where appropriate.

I live on… fifth floor.
Who is… cleverest student in class?
… Monkeys are… funniest animals.
What is… longest river in Russia?
Where is… kitten?
… Girls are in… first form.
... most difficult language is ... German.
… Father’s car is in…. garage.
I like ... winter.
What is… best season?

The exercise 6. Put the articles a (an), the before the noun where appropriate.

1. Pete has… small family. He has… father and… mother. He has no… brother, but he has… sister. His sister is… good girl.

2. I have… many Russian books, but I have no… English books.

3. There is… writing desk in… room. ... writing desk is large. There is… lamp on… writing desk.

4. My uncle has… large family. They are six in his… family. ... family is big.

5. My father is… engineer. He works in ... big factory.… Factory is near his… house.

6. We have… good library. We keep books in ... big bookcase... ... bookcase has three ... shelves.

Typically the article a is placed before a noun that is circumstance of place if he has definition.

COMPARE The book is on the table. VS The book is on a big round table.

The exercise 7. Put the articles a (an), the before the noun where appropriate.

Ann has got two children:… boy and… girl. ... boy's name is Steve. ... girl's name is Susan.
I have got… pets:… dog and… cat. ... dog is black and ... cat is white.
What… clever dog! … Dog can understand my questions.
What… lazy cat! ... cat sleeps all day.
We bought… vase yesterday. ... vase was very large.
I like ... sun. ... sun gives us light and warmth.
I like to see…. stars. … Stars are always beautiful.
… Forth poem was… shortest.
… Garden has no… flowers.
I can see ... birds in the trees. ... birds are crows.

The indefinite article is used when you are mentioning something for the first time or when you want to say: "any one", "any", "one of".

Using the indefinite article a (an)

Article a (an) is used only before countable singular nouns - i.e. in front of those where you can mentally say one.

Countable nouns are those that can be counted. For example, books, trees, dogs, etc.

The indefinite article is not used in the plural.

1. At the first mention

I've seen a new film. The film is called Slumdog Millionaire. - I saw the new film. It's called Slumdog Millionaire.

This is a classic example: the article is used at first mention a, when repeated - the article the.

2. General situation (some one, some, any)

It is about something in general, not something specific.

Example

I'd like to buy a dress. - I want to buy a dress.
We are not talking about a specific dress, but about some kind of dress.

And if you said:
I'd like to buy the dress - this would mean that you do not mean some unknown dress, but a specific dress, this.

3. We are talking about a representative selected from a number of similar

Example

Ludwig van Beethoven was a great composer. - Ludwig van Beethoven was a great composer.

Those. one of the great composers. If we put here instead of the article a article the, this would mean that Beethoven - the only one the great composer in the world. But this is not the case. There are many great composers, and Beethoven is only one of them.

Difference between article a and an

Article a is used before words that start with a consonant, and the article an- with a vowel.

Examples of

A book - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An apple - the word begins with a vowel sound.

It seems that everything is simple and clear? Yes, but there are also more difficult situations. Pay attention - from a consonant (vowel) sound, not letters.

Examples of

A house - the word starts with a consonant sound.
An hour - the word begins with a vowel sound.
A university - the word begins with a consonant sound.
An umbrella - the word starts with a vowel sound.

How so, you ask? Why before the word university worth the article a? After all, this is a vowel sound! Remember, this isn't about writing, it's about pronunciation. Look at the transcription of the word university: it starts with. And this is a consonant sound! By the way, in Russian th is a consonant sound.

Examples of

The words in the table below start with a consonant, so before them always put the article a.

The words in the table below start with a vowel, so before them always put the article an.

Note

The choice of article a or an affects the first sound of the word that immediately follows the article. Please note - the first word will not always be a noun!

Example

An umbrella - the vowel in umbrella
A black umbrella - consonant in black
An hour - vowel in hour
A whole hour - consonant in whole

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Indefinite article a / an in English (the indefinite article) has two forms:

a[ə] - used before consonants. That is, if a word begins with a consonant, use a:

a b ook, a t able, a m an, a g irl, a c omputer, a t omato, a yacht [ jɒt], a unit [ ˈJ uːnɪt]

an[ən] - used before vowel sounds. That is, if the word begins with a vowel sound, the an:

an a pple, an e ngineer, an i dea, an o range, an a nswer, an hour [ˈ aʊə (r)]

Please note that the choice of the form of the indefinite article is determined not by the spelling, but by the pronunciation.

For example, the word hour (hour) starts with a vowel sound, so we use the article an (an hour), although the consonant is written first h... Or, for example, the word yacht (yacht) spelled with a vowel y, but the consonant sound [j] is pronounced, so we choose a (a yacht)... Using different forms of the same article helps to make speech euphonious, light, natural. Try to pronounce a apple or an book and you will feel how difficult and uncomfortable it is.

Remember:

Indefinite article a / an used only with singular:

a pen(a pen), a story(history), a chair(chair), a child(child), a flower(flower)

If the noun is used in plural form, then the indefinite article is absent. The absence of an article in front of a noun is commonly referred to as the "zero article."

pens(pens), stories(stories), chairs(chairs), children(children), flowers(flowers)

When the indefinite article a / an is used

Below you will find a description of the main uses of the indefinite article. a / an in English.

№1

Indefinite article a / an used when we first mention an object or person. In this case, we assume that our interlocutor does not know what or whom we are talking about.

Yesterday I bought a handbag... - Yesterday I bought a purse.
Until that moment, I hadn't said at all that I was going to buy a bag. That is, I mention this for the first time (my interlocutor does not know anything about this bag), hence the indefinite article a / an.

If you continue to talk about this bag, then the noun handbag (bag) will already be used with the definite article the, since this time the interlocutor knows which particular bag we are talking about:

Yesterday I bought a handbag. The handbag is very beautiful. - Yesterday I bought a purse. The bag is very pretty.

Although most often a personal pronoun is used instead of a noun, it sounds more natural and avoids repetitions:

Yesterday I bought a handbag. It is very beautiful. - Yesterday I bought a purse. She is very beautiful.

№2

Indefinite article a / an is used when we are not talking about a given (specific) object or person, but simply about any, about some, about one of a group of the same objects or people. In other words, when we talk about an object or person in general, without having in mind a specific a skirt, work, pen or dog:

I want to buy a skirt... - I want to buy a skirt. (some kind of skirt, which one I don't know yet; I only know that I want a skirt, not a dress)
He refused to look for a job... - He refused to look for work. (some work)
Give me a pen, please. - Give me a pen, please. (any, any)
It is a dog... - This is a dog. (some kind of dog, any dog)

When we are not talking about a certain object or person, but about any, then further, if we need to re-designate it, we do not use personal pronouns or a definite article the... And again we use the indefinite article a / an or pronoun one.

She wants a car but he says they don’t need one... “She wants a car, but he says they don’t need it.
or
She wants a car but he says they don’t need a car... “She wants a car, but he says they don't need a car.
She wants to have a car (not a motorcycle, not a bicycle, but some kind of car, so a car), but he says they don't need a car (they don't need any machine at all, not a specific one). Since in the second part of the sentence we are again talking about any / indefinite machine, we again use a car.

№3

Indefinite article a / an we also use to describe or give any information about what has already been mentioned. In this case, an adjective is often used before the noun. Note that although the article comes before an adjective, it refers to a noun:

It is a beautiful place... - This is a beautiful place. (describe what this place is)
He is a clever boy... - He's a smart boy. (characterize what kind of boy he is)
Do you live in a big house? - Do you live in a big house? (we ask in which house)

When we talk about a person's profession or work, we also use the indefinite article a / an:

She is a teacher... - She is a teacher.
I am a doctor... - I am a doctor.

№4

Historically indefinite article a / an descended from the numeral one (one)... Hence the possibility in some cases to replace the article a / an numeral one... Such a replacement is possible when the article a / an essentially means "one". For example, this meaning of the indefinite article is observed in numerals a hundred, a thousand, a million and in the word a dozen (dozen) when used alone or before a noun:

This toy costs a thousand roubles. = This toy costs one thousan d roubles. - This toy costs one thousand rubles (one thousand rubles).
Give me a dozen, please. = Give me one dozen, please. - Give me a dozen please (one dozen).

It is with the origin from the numeral one (one) and the value of the singularity of the indefinite article is associated, which is especially manifested when expressing measures of time, distance, weight or quantity:

This chocolate bar costs a dollar... - This bar of chocolate is worth a dollar. (= one dollar, we can replace a dollar on one dollar)
I'll call you in an hour... - I'll call you in an hour. (= after one hour, we can replace an hour on one hour)
Can i have a kilo of tomatoes, please? - Can I have a kilogram of tomatoes, please? (= one kilogram, we can replace a kilo on one kilo)

Please note that the numeral one instead of the article a / an should be used only if you want to emphasize that we are talking about exactly one object or person, that is, when you want to be very precise:

I have got one sister... - I have one sister. (not two sisters, not three, but only one)
I have got a sister... - I have a sister. (in this case, I am simply reporting that I have a sister)

The meaning of the singularity of the indefinite article can be seen in some stable phrases that convey a single action:

have a look- take a look
have a snack- have a snack
have a try- try, try
have a rest- relax
have a good time- have a good time
give a chance- give a chance
give a hint- hint
give a lift- give a lift
make a mistake- to be wrong
play a trick- play a trick

№5

Indefinite article a / an also used when it is necessary to indicate the quantity per unit of measurement. For example, when we talk about the price of oranges per kilogram, the salary per month, the number of classes per week, or the speed of the car per hour. The noun denoting this very one unit of measurement, and will be used with the indefinite article.

The oranges were 80 roubles a kilo... - Oranges cost 80 rubles per kilogram.
She works 8 hours a day... - She works 8 hours a day.
I go to aerobics twice a week... - I go to aerobics twice a week.

№6

Indefinite article a / an can also be used with some uncountable abstract nouns (for example, humor - humor, hatred - hatred, anger - anger, magic - magic) in the case when they have an adjective with them. Usually, this use of the indefinite article is characteristic of the book style and expresses the author's desire to emphasize the individual, special nature of this or that abstract concept.

Note that in the above case, the use of the indefinite article is optional. If you do not want to highlight in a certain way the special nature of any emotion, character traits, etc., the article a / an you can not use it.

On a note

To learn how to use the indefinite article a / an more or less automatically, try to form a rule in your head: use the indefinite article with countable singular nouns when there is no other reason for using the definite article the or some other qualifier (possessive or indefinite pronoun).

Use of articles in English: the definite article the, the indefinite article a (an), the zero article.

Using the articles in English is a daunting task for beginners to learn this one of the most spoken languages in the world. There are three types of articles in English, and although there are clear rules to explain their use, choosing the correct article can be difficult at times.

There are three articles in English:

definite articlethe : Did you enjoy the party?- Did you like the party?

two indefinite articles in English:

Article a- use if the next word begins with a consonant: I'm reading a book about England- I am reading a book about England

Article an- if the word after it begins with a vowel: I read an interesting story - I read an interesting story

“zero article”(Zero article in English) is the absence of articles:Does she like meat or fish?- Does she like meat or fish?

Articles in English can appear directly before a noun:

She is an artist - she is an artist

In addition, articles in English can be separated from a noun using an adverb or an adjective:

the newly renovated church - recently renovated church

a beautiful young woman

Rules for the use of articles in English

The use of the indefinite articles in English "a" and "an" :

1. Indefinite articles in English "a" or "an" are used with nouns only in the singular in the following cases:

1.1. If an object or person is mentioned for the first time, as well as if an adjective is in front of a noun in the function of defining a descriptive nature:

Can I make a suggestion? - May I guess?

Suddenly there was a loud bang- suddenly there was a loud bang

1.2. With nouns in the construction “there is” (there was):

There was a noise outdoors - there was some noise outside

1.3. With nouns combined with the adjective “such”:

such a day, such a car etc.

1.4. In exclamation sentences with the intensifying pronoun “what”, indefinite articles are used in English:

What a day! “What a nice journey!”

1.5. With nouns preceded by the word "half":

half an hour, half a day etc.

1.6. Words that begin with the letter “u”, provided that it is pronounced / ju: / (for example, “united”, “useful”), are always used with the article “a” (not “an”):

English is an universal language

English is a universal language

1.7. The words “one and ones” and all phrases beginning with these words (such as one-sided, once-over) are always used with the article “a”:

a one-parent family, a one-way trip etc.

1.8. If abbreviations start with letters: F, H, L, M, N, R, S or X, and the pronunciation of these letters begins with a vowel sound (for example, F is pronounced like / ef /), then in such cases the indefinite article is always used “An” (not “a”):

an MBA degree, an FBI agent etc.

1.9. As part of some stable combinations, the indefinite article is used in English:

a lot of, twice a day, as a result, it's a pity.

1.10. With professions:

a pilot, an engineer.

Use of the definite article in English "the"

2. The definite article the in English is used with both singular and plural; with both countable and uncountable nouns in the following cases:

2.1. If we are talking about a specific person or object in a specific situation: Can you walk the dog? Can you put the book on the table? Both interlocutors know which dog and which book they are talking about. In other words, the definite article the is the equivalent of "that one over there." Imagine returning from a store and saying to your friend, "I bought the phone." With these words, you will mislead your friend, because in fact you said: "I bought (la) that phone," and your friend has no idea what kind of phone you are talking about. Therefore, when mentioning an object or person for the first time, it would be correct to say: I bought a phone yesterday.

2.2. If an item or phenomenon has a description:

“This is the phone that I was telling you about yesterday”.

2.3. If an item or person was previously mentioned in the context:

This is a house. The house is very old.

2.4. If a noun in English expresses a one-of-a-kind object, the definite article the is used:

the sun, the world, the sky, the universe, or the only object in a certain space: the door, the window, etc.

2.5. Combined with superlative adjectives:

the best friend, the longest trip etc.

2.6. Combined with ordinal numbers in English:

the first day, the second chance etc.

2.7. When used with the adjective “same”:

the same day, the same time etc.

2.8. With nouns denoting the names of lakes, waterfalls, straits, mountain ranges, island groups, cardinal points, rivers, seas, oceans:

the Thames, the Atlantic Ocean, the Alps, the Bermudas, the English Channel, the Gulf Stream, the Suez Canal, the Niagara Falls etc.

2.9. With the names of countries consisting of several words, including the following: federation, republic, union, state, kingdom. For example:

the German Federal Republic, the USA, the UK etc.

2.10. Desert names also use the definite article the in English:

the sahara desert

2.11. As an exception, the definite article the in English is used with the following geographical names: the Netherlands (translated into Russian - No Man's Lands, to show that they still belong to someone, use the definite article in English):

the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Vatican, the Congo, the Lebanon, the Hague and with some others

2.12. With nouns denoting the names of hotels, theaters, museums, ships:

the Hilton, the Covent Garden, the Titanic, the Bolshoy Theater etc.

2.13. With nouns denoting the names of English-language newspapers:

the Financial Times, the Daily Mail etc.

2.14. In the composition of stable combinations, the definite article is used:

to play the piano / the violin / the guitar / the cello etc., to tell the truth, to go to the cinema / theater, to listen to the radio, the other way

2.15. With surnames, if the surname is in the plural and denotes the whole family:

the Smiths, the Browns etc.

Use of the “zero article” (omission of articles in English)

3. Articles in English are omitted in the following cases:

3.1. Before proper names, as well as before nouns denoting titles and titles:

Professor N., General B., Queen Y.

3.2. Before nouns for days of the week in English:

Monday, Sunday….

3.3. With nouns in combination with prepositions in English “from… .to, from…. till ”:

from beginning to end, from north to south, from nothing till everything, from head to foot etc.

3.4. With nouns followed by a number or number:

page 45, room 8, tram 7

3.5. With nouns after the verbs “to appoint”, “to elect”:

to appoint director, to elect deputy.

3.6. Articles in English are not used with nouns denoting the following geographical concepts:

3.6.1. names of continents, as well as countries and cities, consisting of one proper name:

Europe, Asia, Australia, France, Italy, Spain etc.

3.6.2. the names of individual islands (if they are not groups of islands), mountains (if it is not a mountain range), as well as the names of lakes (if their name contains the word “Lake”):

Malta, Elbrus, Lake Ontario etc.

3.6.3. names of streets and squares:

Red Square, Trafalgar Square, Street, Regent Street etc.

3.7. In the headlines of newspapers and magazine articles:

Tasty farewell to winter, Color of Dream

3.8. In some stable combinations, articles in English are not used:

on foot, by heart, by car, at home etc.

3.9. When using such nouns in a general sense:

Time is money. Life isn "t easy. Love and friendship ...

When defining these nouns in a concrete sense, the definite article in English is used:

Don’t you know anything about the life of this people? Where is the money I’ve laid on the shelf?

People have a lot of controversy when it comes to the most popular word in the English language. Some are sure that this is some kind of famous event, for example, "Christmas". Others are convinced that it is about God (God). But both are wrong in the end. Have you already guessed what this is about? Of course, about the. By the way, "a" is used a little less than it. As you already understood, today we will focus on them. What is it, why are they needed, and, most importantly, when is the article a and the put in English? Let's figure it out together. So let's get started.

The article

The word article itself is that part of speech that is always placed before a noun. In English, there are three of them: a, an and the. In fact, it all depends on the noun to which they are attached. That is why we are figuring out how to put articles in English. There are a number of rules here, following which you will always use this part of speech correctly. In fact, this topic is, on the one hand, the most beloved, on the other, the most confusing among people who start learning a foreign language. Many are confused by the question when the articles a and the are put in English. However, thanks to our article, you will be able to better understand what is at stake and will no longer doubt the choice of this part of speech.

First, let's take a look at how to use articles in English. We have already mentioned that they are used together with nouns. But when should you use which one? The fact is that nouns in English can be of only two types:

Countable;
Uncountable.

In the first case, we are talking about such items that you and I can count. These are newspapers, days, children and so on. The second option refers to more global and stable concepts. Such as water, air, oxygen. Agree, we will not count them individually. When the article a, an, the is put in English depends on which noun is in front of us. We'll go into more detail on this below.

Not unimportant in the case of the article is the number of the noun. As in Russian, it can be singular and plural. And this affects when the article a, the and an is put. "How?" - you ask. The fact is that with nouns in the plural of a countable form, the or the zero article is always used, we will talk about it later. The same is the case with the uncountable type of this part of speech. When are articles a and an used? Also, together with "the" they are placed before the countable noun, in the singular. A bit confusing, isn't it? For you, we have compiled a small table so that it becomes clear when the articles a and the are put in English.

Thus, we hope, due to the visual form, it will be easier for you to understand when the article the is put in English, and when a. And we are moving on.

The definite article the

Now we would like to tell you in what cases the article the is used. But first of all, it is worth recalling that this article is definite. This means that we are talking about something specific, definite. Another variant of the definition when the article the is put in English is the translation of the phrase into Russian. If in this case it is possible to put a demonstrative pronoun instead of it, then it is definitely needed in this text. We have already mentioned where the article the is placed. Before nouns, both countable and uncountable, in any number. Below we will tell you in detail about when we put the article the, and when not. So let's get started.

When a noun is preceded by the article the in English:

In the case when the word has already been used in the context. This fact allows this article to be used unmistakably. For example: I got correspondence this morning. The newspaper was useful. Which means: I received the correspondence this morning. The newspaper was helpful.
This article is also placed before nouns that are known in the singular gender. For example: the sun, the God, and so on.
When geographical names are used in the text, the article "the" is used, as, for example, in the following cases: the Atlantic Ocean, The Comoro Islands.
In the case when it comes to the names of cinemas, hotels, firms and others, the definite article is used. For example, The Hilton hotel, the Louvre.
Also, this article is used with adjectives of the highest degree of comparison. That is, we are talking about expressions such as: the best, the most beautiful.
And also when mentioning musical instruments and the names of famous dance styles. For example, the ballet, the piano.

The article the is not used:

In the case when plural nouns are used and we are talking about something in common. For example: Flowers bloomed in the spring. In this case, we are talking about all flowers, we are not specifying, which means that the article the is not put.
It is not used before names, as well as before proper names. For example: Anne came home.
Before the names of cities, countries, rivers, lakes, parks and islands. New-York, Spain, Russia.
The article is not used with the names of various sports, activities, colors, days, months and drinks. For example: May, green, Sunday.
In the event that the text contains the pronouns those, that and this, we do not put the the. And also before possessive pronouns. This house is beautiful.
There are certain situations when you can put or not put this article in front of certain words. It all depends on the specific meaning. For example: I go to school - I go to school. My mother went to the school for a meeting. That is, in the case when we are talking about visiting a specific school for a specific purpose, the use of the article is possible.
Another option with an exception is the name of the diseases. You can use the at your discretion.

We have examined where the article the is put, and where the "a" is put - we will find out below.

Article "a"

Here we will talk about when the article "a" is put in English. First of all, it should be noted that we are talking about two options. That is, in fact, we will talk about when the article a and an are put in English. If you are wondering what this is related to, read on. This happens because some nouns begin with vowels, and, accordingly, it is impossible to use the article a, and we put an. Very similar to the situation in the Russian language - o / v. Now let's talk in more detail about when the article "a" is put in English.

It is believed that this article can be translated as "some". That is, if you do not know when to put the article a, just try to attach this translation to a noun. If the meaning of the phrase is unchanged, then this is the case when the article a / an is put.
When a subject is mentioned for the first time, "a" is put. We have already considered the option when the item was declared several times - we put the.
As a substitute for the word "per". For example: 5 hours per week can be replaced with 5 hours a week.

We have already considered when the article "a" is put in English. Now it's time to talk about the times when it is best to avoid.

We have already said that this article is not placed before plural nouns, as well as before uncountable ones.
You should never use it with pronouns. You choose the use of one or the other.
There are also fixed expressions in which the use of articles is just worth learning. We will talk about them below. There are also exceptions when "a" is not used despite the rules.

Now you and I know exactly where the articles the and a are placed. We will be able to calmly communicate with foreigners, as well as ourselves to tell others when the article "a" is put in English, and when "an" is used. But this is far from all the information on a given topic. Below we will talk about how articles are put in English, as well as about those very fixed expressions that are just worth learning. Well, let's get started.

A little about is and are

To begin with, when a preposition is used, "the" is not used in English. Another thing is the article "a". It is used with the verb is. This happens in cases where any professions are mentioned: She is a doctor. In addition, "a" is always used after expressions with "this is", "that is", "it is". For example: This is a table.

Thus, we have learned a little more about when the article "a" is put in English. The article is not used with the verb are.

Combinations to Learn

How the articles are put in English, we figured it out a bit. However, as we stated earlier, there are a number of specific exceptions. We will talk about them further.

Despite the rules about when to use an article in English, there are some specific variations worth remembering.

You need to use the article a or an:

With diseases: a headache (headache);
With professions: a doctor (doctor);
With the verb to have: to have a look;
In stable terms: as a rule, as a result, as a matter of fact, a lot of, a few, it is a pity, to tell a lie, to go for a walk.

List of fixed expressions with the article the:

By the way (by the way);
On the one hand (on the one hand);
In the past (in the past);
To the right / left.
with time indication: in the morning, in the end, etc.
With certain words: station, shop, cinema, pub, library, city, village.

We have considered all the options and exceptions when to put the articles "a" or "the" in English. And finally, we would like to talk about the history of their appearance.

An excursion into history

In fact, no one can say for sure when the articles appeared in English. The fact is that at some period of formation, people simply began to replace the pronoun with the article. However, modern linguists have not been able to understand the origin and reasons.

We would like to note the fact that even in the 20th century the article was not recognized by everyone as an independent part of speech. And it was difficult for foreigners to understand it at all. Just think, even the Germans were not always immediately guided by it. And this is given the fact that the German language is famous for its convoluted article system.

Now you not only know when to put articles in English, but you are familiar with their history. We hope this will inspire you to continue your acquaintance with this language. And we wish you success in the theory and practice of the knowledge gained.