📚 A / An, The & Zero Article – Uses & Examples

🅰️ Use A/An

  • First mention: I have a new bag. An apple is in my bag.
  • Jobs & Descriptions: My dad is a driver. Yerevan is a big city.
  • Singular countables require an article:
    ❌ I don’t have phone.
    ✅ I don’t have a phone.
    ❌ This house has garden.
    ✅ This house has a garden.

🔴 Use The

  • Second mention: I saw a cat. The cat was very small.
  • Specific items: Where is the book? It’s on the table. Please close the window.
  • Only one exists: The sun is bright today.
  • Common places: I’m going to the shop. She is at the hospital.
  • Superlatives: This is the smallest room in the house.
  • Musical instruments: My brother plays the piano. I play the guitar.

⭕ Zero Article (No Article)

  • General/plural/uncountable: I like tea. Cats sleep a lot.
  • Meals: I have breakfast at 8. We eat lunch at school.
  • Years, months, days: Monday is my busy day. I travel in June.
  • TV (service): I watch cartoons on TV. (appliance: Turn off the TV.)
  • Languages & Subjects: I speak English. I study maths.
  • Next/Last + time: My class is next Monday. I was there last week.
Exercises:

A / An, The & Zero Article – Uses & Examples

Choose a/an, the or no article to complete the following sentences.
1
I want to buy new phone next week.
2
sun is shining today.
3
She needs umbrella because it’s raining.
4
Do you have pencil I can borrow?
5
dogs are friendly animals.
6
We went to cinema last night.
7
Can you pass me salt, please?
8
He plays piano beautifully.
9
I saw interesting movie yesterday.
10
They had lunch at home today.

A / An, The & Zero Article – Uses & Examples

Choose a/an, the or no article to complete the sentences below.
1
Yesterday I saw ___ elephant at the zoo.
A.
B.
C.
D.
2
Could you hand me ___ salt, please?
A.
B.
C.
D.
3
They live in ___ small town in Spain.
A.
B.
C.
D.
4
There’s ___ book on the table.
A.
B.
C.
D.
5
We need to buy ___ milk.
A.
B.
C.
D.
6
He wants to become ___ engineer when he grows up.
A.
B.
C.
D.
7
Do you have ___ idea how to solve this problem?
A.
B.
C.
D.
8
___ students must register online before classes start.
A.
B.
C.
D.
9
I left my keys on ___ kitchen counter.
A.
B.
C.
D.
10
She works as ___ doctor at the hospital.
A.
B.
C.
D.

A / An, The & Zero Article – Uses & Examples

Complete the following sentences with a/an, the or no article.
1
Tomorrow I’m buying guitar I saw online.
2
She’s excellent cook and always surprises us.
3
Do you need pen from my bag?
4
We spent the afternoon in park near our house.
5
I don’t eat meat on Fridays.
6
He chose cheapest ticket available.
7
Last night we watched interesting film on TV.
8
Please close window before you leave.
9
She speaks Spanish fluently and French a little.
10
honesty is best policy.