Grammar
Articles Indefinite
1st Part
The definite article: The
2nd Part
Indefinite Articles “a” and “an”
3rd Part
No article
Grammar in use
- Topic : No article
- Skills : Grammar
Use
Sometimes, we use no article before a noun.
I need scissors
He is going to work
We use no article before uncountable nouns in the singular or in the plural, when these nouns are indefinite. „Indefinite‟ means: that does not refer to something in particular.
Examples:
She drinks water.
He likes to be alone, he does not like people.
We also use no article before plural countable nouns, when they are indefinite. This is the plural of “a‟ and “an‟.
Examples:
There are cats in this room.
Cats like milk.
We can say “no article” or “the zero article”.
| Situations with no article | Example |
| Languages | Do you speak English? |
| Meals | I will see you after breakfast. |
| Certain types of diseases | She has cancer. |
| Games | He plays poker. |
| Names including a title | Has President Obama met Queen Elisabeth? |
| Some places: Most Countries States Towns Roads, streets Single mountains “Home” “Work” “School” “Church” | I would like to go to Ireland. They live in Arizona. He is traveling to Miami. You live on Main Street. I could not climb Mount Everest. We need to go home. She walks to work. You must go to school. We go to church. |
| Remember that some words can be used with an article when they are definite (one thing in particular) and without when they are indefinite (something in general). | The countries with an article before are those including a noun, such as „state‟, „kingdom‟. |
| Examples: We have to go to church. / We have to go to the church you told me about. You go to school. / You go to the school they went to. I speak English. / This is not the English I learned at school. | Example: The United States The United Kingdom |