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Articles: basic information (A)

(This entry is for students who speak a language that has articles: e.g. French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, Greek. If you speak a language without articles – for example Russian or Japanese – read entry (see here).)

Articles are often used in similar ways in English and other languages, but there are some differences. The most important are as follows.

Talking in general: Life is complicated.​

In English, when we are talking about people or things in general, we do not usually use the with uncountable or plural nouns.

  • Life is complicated. (not The life is complicated.)
  • My sister loves horses. (not … the horses.)

Talking about jobs, types, etc: She’s a dentist.​

In English, we normally put a/an with a singular noun that is used for classifying – saying what job somebody has, what class, group or type somebody or something belongs to, what we use something for, etc.

  • She’s a dentist. (not She’s dentist.)
  • I’m looking forward to being a grandmother.
  • I used my shoe as a hammer.

For more detailed information about articles, (see here).