181 You use articles to show whether you are talking about a specific example or an idea in general. Articles (the, a, an – or no article) 1 General ideas and things When talking/writing about general ideas and things, you use: a/an with a singular countable noun. Is there a bookshop around here? (= any kind of bookshop) A cat can be great fun to have as a pet. (= any cat) no article with a plural countable noun. I’m interested in computers. (= all computers) Cats can be great fun to have as pets. (= all cats) no article with an uncountable noun. I’m really into music. (= any kind of music) Coffee is not very healthy for you. (= coffee in general) 2 Specific, definite things When talking/writing about specific, definite things, you use the definite article the. The bookshop is in Broad Street. (= there is only one bookshop in town) The cat has caught a mouse again and left it on the doorstep. (= we know which cat, and we know which doorstep) This is the computer I want. (= a specific computer) The latest album of the band isn’t very good. (= this particular album, all the others are great) Hurry! The coffee will get cold. (= the cup of coffee that I’ve prepared for you) You can only use the definite article the: if your readers/listeners already know what you are talking/writing about. Once upon a time, there was a king. The king spent most of his time alone. if you define what you’re talking/writing about later (in the sentence). The computer I want to buy is really fast and very light. if there is only one example of what you are talking/writing about. The sun was already shining when I woke this morning. 3 Rules and exceptions You generally do not use an article with: names of people, shops or geographical places like countries, towns, roads or lakes. Ms Smith, on Wall Street, in Washington, at Lake Windermere nouns for places if you talk about the purpose these places are used for. She had to be taken to hospital. (= to be treated as a patient) In three years’ time, I’ll go to university. (= to study there as a student) means of transportation. I usually go to school by bike./You can go to England by plane, train or boat./Why don’t you go on foot, it’s healthier. Note: Whether geographical features need an article or not often doesn’t follow simple rules. states and countries: in Great Britain, but in the United Kingdom, in the United States mountains/mountain ranges: on Mont Blanc, but on the Matterhorn, in the Alps countable nouns: one cat, two cats, … uncountable nouns: music, money, fun, … Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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