A, the or no article?

  • B1 · Intermediate
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min
  • articles

a for one of many, the for the one that we both know, and no article for things in general: I found an ad online. The ad said "low rent." Apartments in Boston are expensive. Plus set phrases like go to work by bus. From a newcomer's blog about her first apartment to showing an apartment to your teacher.

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What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Reading: my first apartmentReading comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find a → theGrammar exercise
  6. 6a, the or no article?Grammar rule
  7. 7Set phrase or the?Grammar exercise
  8. 8Choose the articleGrammar exercise
  9. 9Moving inGrammar exercise
  10. 10Questions for your teacherGrammar exercise
  11. 11Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  12. 12Show me the apartmentSpeaking practice
  13. 13About youGrammar exercise
  14. 14Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: which is correct?Grammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: tips from a coworkerGrammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: in general, or particular?Grammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: my first homeDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. How did you find your home: online, through friends, or some other way?
  2. Have you ever looked at an apartment and said no right away? Why?
  3. Do you prefer to live in a busy city center or in a quiet neighborhood?

Grammar rule

a, the or no article?

a / antheno article
singular countable nouns (a job, an ad)one of many; the listener doesn't know which one yet: I ordered a pizza last night.we both know which one: The pizza came an hour late.✗ A singular countable noun needs a word before it: a, the, my, this…
plural and uncountable nouns (cars, music)✗particular ones: The cars on my street are all old.things in general: Cars are expensive. I love music.

How do we both know which one?

  • we mentioned it before: a pizza → the pizza
  • there is only one in the situation: the landlord, the top floor, the kitchen (of the apartment that we are talking about), the sun
  • the words after it tell us: the café across the street, the man next door
  • it is the place that everyone in the area uses: go to the post office, shop at the grocery store

Set phrases with no article

go to work, at work · go to bed, in bed · go home, at home · go to school, in school · go to college · by bus, by car, by train, by subway · have breakfast, lunch, dinner · at night

Watch out: by bus, but take the train, on the bus and in my car. go home, not go to home. American English says go to college and in school, but in the hospital. For things in general, use no article: not The dogs are great pets, but Dogs are great pets.

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