THE ARTICLES A and THE

A/ The indefinite article A:

1 A (An) is used with countable nouns to indicate one. A can be used to talk about one particular person or thing that the listener does not know. Ex: Can I have a cup of tea? // Mrs. Brown has got a daughter and two sons. My brothers going out with a French girl.(The listener doesnt know the girl) 2 A is not used before a plural noun or uncountable nouns. Ex: We had eggs for breakfast.// Are you drinking milk? 3 A is used before a noun of occupation. Ex: He is a teacher and his wife is an architect.

B/ The definite article the is used :

1

When a word is used a second time or it is a known ( mentioned) object. Ex: He has just bought a new car. The car is very expensive. Ive just washed the car. (= our car , this car) / Wheres the dog ? ( = our dog, the dog we all know) Close the door, please. // Can you turn off the light, please? (= the light in this room) We got to the airport just in time for our flight. (= the airport in this city) John isnt very well. He has gone to the doctor. (= his doctor) 2 When only one object exists. ( Mot ngi hay vat duy nhat) Ex : The earth , the moon , the river Thames. A car stop and the driver got out. ( A car has only one driver + ch c mt ti x duy nht trong xe) The prime minister is very popular. ( The country has only one PM ) 3 When playing musical instrument. Ex: Can you play the piano? // I like listening to the guitar. 4 The + superlative / only / first / last + Noun The + gerund + of + Noun ( The Gerund + noun ) Ex : He is the most intelligent student in our class. He is also the tallest one. He is the last candidate to be interviewed. The preserving of natural resources is a global problem. The protecting wild life is the preserving of natural resources 5 The + Adj / nationality words ( used as a plural noun ) Ex: The English are very friendly. The old and children need taking care of. 6 The + noun + phrase ( Ta dung the khi co cum t hoac menh e bo ngha pha sau) Ex: We came to the edge of a lake. ( Thng dung The khi co of phrase sau danh t ) Ours is the house on the river. // We live in the house next to your office. We live in a house by the market. ( Tuy nhien neu cum t khong cung cap u thong tin v co nhieu nha gan ch, ta ch co the dung a) 7 The + name of rivers, canals, seas ( not with lakes) Ex: on the (River) Avon / the Missouri ( River) / building the Panama Canal / the Red Sea / the Atlantic Ocean / The North Sea / the Pacific (ocean) 8 The + noun + Adj. phrase Ex: Ours is the house on the corner // The room of a house was blown off in the storm. We live in a / the house overlooking the park. ( Ta dng the khi ch c mt cn nh ca mnh nhn ra cng vin ; cn dng a khi c nhiu nh nhn ra cng vin)

C/ No article:
Before the name of countries, cities, towns or villages. Ex: I live in Paris but she lives in London. Except for: The USA , the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates , the Philippines, the Sudan, the Ivory Coast, The United Kingdom. 2 Before abstract nouns (danh t tru tng ) (life, beauty, love...), languages ( English, French,...), subjects ( history, mathematics .....) Ex : Life isnt always easy. English isnt difficult for us to learn. Note: The + Noun + of-phrase : Ex: The safety of passengers should be a priority. 3 Before the words like school , home, work, church, bed, hospital... in certain expressions. Ex: We went to church. // Shes at home while her mother is in hospital. He goes to work at 6:00 every morning. But: Mais mother is in ChoRay hospital so I am going to the hospital to see her mother. 1

5 etc.. Ex: They live in Downing Street. They visited St Jamess Park which is very near Buckingham Palace. Beside Lake Ontario ( Except: the High Street , the Botanical Garden : co tnh t trc ) Notes: We use the before the name of these places: hotels , restaurants , theatres , museum Ex: The Rex Hotel is in Nguyen Hue Street in HCM City. D/ To express the general things or a whole class of things. (Noi chung chung hay tong the cua vat the) 1. A + singular count noun Ex: A banana is good for health. ( The speakers is talking about any banana, all banana, banana in general) 2. The used before a singular countable noun means a general thing. Ex : The child shouldnt drink beer. // The computer will play an increasingly large role in all our lives. 3. No article before a plural noun or uncountable noun means something in general. Ex : Children shouldnt drink beer. Bananas are good for you. ( = A banana is good for you = The banana is good for you) Fruit is good for her. (Wrong: The apples are my favorite)

Before the names of meals. ( breakfast, lunch, dinner) Ex: What did you have for breakfast ? // I have lunch at 12. Notes: We had lunch in a restaurant. That was a very nice lunch. ( a + adj + lunch / dinner ) Before the names of the streets , road , squares , park , lake, airport , university

E/ Some expressions with nouns:

Nouns Bed Without article stay in bed (nm ngh ti ging), lie in bed [ nm di tm ph gig] , go to bed (to sleep), put a child to bed, get out of bed be in / at church, go to church (to a service) ( / en nha th lam le) - (church / mosque (nha th Hi giao) / temple) be in class (= in a lesson) (ang hc ) With article lie on the bed [ nm tren ging / tren tm ph], sit by the bed [ ngi cnh ging]/ next to the bed visit the church, the Church of England, the Catholic Church / go to the church (en nha th e ) stand at the front of the class, leave the class ( lp hc) go to the school (as a visitor), work at the school Go to the college (i en trng ai hoc e lam g o) Is there a university in this town? * the University of York normal in US English : be at the university, go to the university ( My co the dung the) works : thng dung ghep vi t khac + sing./pl. V Ex: engineering works ( ni che tao, san xuat) sewage works : nha may s ly chat thai the works (pl.):+ moi th . He bought the works at the chip shop. + nha may: Ex: Raw materials were carried to the works by barge. (nha may san xuat) tell the court what happened ( ke vi quan toa )

Church

Class School

be in/at school (as a pupil), start / quit school go to school, start/leave school, ready for school College be at/in college (as a student) ( l sinh vin) , go to college, leave college, drop out of college [ i hc i hc / ngh hc i hc] Universit be at university (as a student) y go to university (xem them cot ben ) Ex: York University Both their children are at university. He's hoping to go to university next year. Work go to work (=go to the office /go to the (unc. N) factory), stop work, your place of work, out of work, looking for work be in work ( have a job) : co viec lam be at work : co mat tai cho lam

Court (toa an)

appear in court, go to court, take someone to court ( ra toa / a air a toa)

Home

Hospital

stay at home (n): tai nha cua chnh mnh home (adv): go/come/drive/ walk home leave home: ri gia nh / work from home : lam viec xa gia nh / away from home in hospital (as a patient) : nam vien , take sb to hospital : a ai nhap vien go into hospital, leave hospital be in jail (as a prisoner), go to jail, come out of jail ( tu / i tu / ra tu ) be in prison (as a prisoner), go to prison, come out of prison be at sea (sailing), go to sea (as a sailor), go/travel by sea meet in town, go to town

the home of a famous film star, a/the home for old people Compare: stay in the house ( = house: ni c tru, ch , nha)

in the hospital (as a visitor): en benh vien tham.... work at the hospital : lam viec benh vien go to the jail (as a visitor) go to the prison (as a visitor) the fish in the sea, sail on the sea, under the sea, by/near the sea. Compare: at the seaside visit the town, in the town centre Compare: in the village, in the city The end

Jail / prison ( Nha tu) Sea Town