Articles + Count. Uncount.

A/an, the, no article – grammar chart
Use a/an
First mention
We use a/an when we mention something for the first time.
• I saw an old woman with a dog in the park.
Jobs and descriptions

We use a/an to talk about people’s jobs or to say what kind of person or thing
something/somebody is.
• Paula is a teacher.
• Paris is an interesting city.
• When I was a teenager, I enjoyed sleeping.
Note that you cannot use singular countable nouns alone

(without a, the, my etc.)
• I don’t have a driving license (NOT I don’t have driving license)

• This hotel doesn’t have a spa. (NOT This hotel doesn’t have spa.)
Use the
Second mention
We use the when we mention something for the second time.
• A man and a woman sat in front of me. The man was British, but I
think the woman wasn’t.
Specific things
We use the to talk about specific things or people; when it’s clear which things
or people we are talking about.
• ‘Where are the kids?’ ‘They’re in the garden.’ (=We know which kids and
which garden.)
• Can you open the door? (=We know which door.)
There is only one
We use the when there’s only one of something.
• This company is very profitable. The manager must be really good.

• I’d like to live in this country, but not in the capital.
• The moon looks beautiful today.
Common places in town
With places in a town where we commonly go (the park, the cinema, the
doctor, etc.)
• I’m going to the bank.

• I found Peter at the station.
• I’m at the library.
Superlatives
We use the before superlative adjectives.
• This is the best restaurant in town.
Musical instruments
We use the before names of musical instruments.
• Margaret plays the guitar and I play the flute.
Use no article
General meaning
We do not use an article before plural or uncountable nouns to talk about

something in general.
• I don’t drink milk.

• Women drive more cautiously than men.
Compare:
• I love music. (=Music in general.)

• I loved the music at the party. (=Specific music.)
• Children are often difficult. (=Children in general.)
• They are a nice family. The children are very funny. (=The children in
that family.)
Meals
We do not use an article before names of meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
• Dinner is served at 8.
• I always have breakfast with my children.
Years, months and days
We do not use an article before names of years, months and days of the
week.
• Friday is my favourite day of the week.

• I think 2020 will be an excellent year.
TV
We do not use an article with TV (when used as a broadcasting service, NOT

as an appliance)
• I saw it on TV.
• I don’t watch TV.
But: Turn off the TV. I’ve bought a new TV.
Names of languages and school subjects
We do not use an article before names of languages and school subjects.
• He doesn’t speak English.

• I study biology.
Next, last
We do not use an article before next and last + time expression (when they
mean before or after now).
• The meeting is next Thursday.

• I saw him last week.
Compare:
• Last year we spent one week in London (Last year= the year before
now).
• We really loved London. The last day we were really sad. (The last day=
the last day of that trip. NOT the day before now)
Countable nouns
Countable nouns are nouns that we can count: car, house, book, etc.
We can say one car, two cars, three cars, etc.
Singular and plural
Countable nouns have singular and plural forms: a car/cars, a

house/houses, a book/books, etc.
A/an + singular countable noun
We CANNOT use a singular countable noun without a determiner

like a/an or the.
• I have a car. (NOT I have car.)

• When I was a child. (NOT When I was child.)
Uncountable nouns
Uncountable nouns are nouns that we cannot count: money, milk, rain,
etc. We cannot say one money, two moneys, etc.
Only singular
Uncountable nouns do not have a plural form, they only have a singular
form: money/moneys, milk/milks, rain/rains, etc.
Not a/an
We cannot use a/an + uncountable noun. A/an means ‘one’, and we

cannot count uncountable nouns.
• I need money. (NOT a money.)

• We need to buy sugar. (NOT a sugar.)
Types of words that are uncountable
Some types of words that are typically uncountable are:
• Food, drinks and liquids: cheese, bread, pasta, coffee, milk,

petrol, fuel, etc.
• Materials: iron, wood, metal, paper, plastic, etc.
• Abstract ideas and feelings: information, advice, strength, time,
love, excitement, etc.
• Illnesses: diabetes, alzheimer, cancer, etc.
• Languages: English, French, Spanish, etc.
Uncountable in English but not in other languages
Some nouns are uncountable in English, but they are countable in other
languages. Some of them are: advice, news (it ends in -s, but it’s a
singular word), furniture, luggage, baggage, bread, cheese, toast, etc.
Countable and uncountable

Some nouns can be countable and uncountable because they can refer
to a unit or to ‘mass’ or ‘material’. Compare:
• Yesterday I had two coffees. (= two cups of coffee)

• I love coffee. (= the liquid that we drink)
• I found one hair in my soup. (one single hair)
• She has beautiful hair. (= the mass of hair on her head)
A/an, some, any
A/an
We use a/an + singular countable noun.
• I have a new car.

• She has a brother and a sister.
We cannot use a/an before a plural noun or an uncountable noun.
• I need to buy sugar. (NOT a sugar.)

• We saw very beautiful places. (NOT a very beautiful places.)
Some/any
We use some and any before countable plural nouns or singular

uncountable nouns.
• He gave me some coins.

• He didn’t give me any coins.
• He gave me some money.
Some
We use some in positive sentences.
• We cooked some cookies.
Any
We use any in negative sentences and questions.
• She didn’t send me any messages.

• Have you got any brothers or sisters?
But we use some in questions when we are asking for something or we

are offering something.
• Can I have some tea? (=I’m asking for some tea.)

• Would you like some tea? (=I’m offering you some tea.)

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A/an, the, no article – grammar chart

We use a/an when we mention something for the first time.

• I saw an old woman with a dog in the park.

Jobs and descriptions

Note that you cannot use singular countable nouns alone

• I don’t have a driving license (NOT I don’t have driving license)

We use the when we mention something for the second time.

There is only one

We use the when there’s only one of something.

• This company is very profitable. The manager must be really good.

Common places in town

• I’m going to the bank.

We use the before superlative adjectives.

• This is the best restaurant in town.

We use the before names of musical instruments.

• Margaret plays the guitar and I play the flute.

We do not use an article before plural or uncountable nouns to talk about

• I don’t drink milk.

• I love music. (=Music in general.)

We do not use an article before names of meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Years, months and days

• Friday is my favourite day of the week.

We do not use an article with TV (when used as a broadcasting service, NOT

But: Turn off the TV. I’ve bought a new TV.

Names of languages and school subjects

We do not use an article before names of languages and school subjects.

• He doesn’t speak English.

• The meeting is next Thursday.

Singular and plural

Countable nouns have singular and plural forms: a car/cars, a

A/an + singular countable noun

We CANNOT use a singular countable noun without a determiner

• I have a car. (NOT I have car.)

We cannot use a/an + uncountable noun. A/an means ‘one’, and we

• I need money. (NOT a money.)

Types of words that are uncountable

Some types of words that are typically uncountable are:

• Food, drinks and liquids: cheese, bread, pasta, coffee, milk,

Uncountable in English but not in other languages

Countable and uncountable

• Yesterday I had two coffees. (= two cups of coffee)

We use a/an + singular countable noun.

• I have a new car.

We cannot use a/an before a plural noun or an uncountable noun.

• I need to buy sugar. (NOT a sugar.)

We use some and any before countable plural nouns or singular

• He gave me some coins.

We use some in positive sentences.

• We cooked some cookies.

We use any in negative sentences and questions.

• She didn’t send me any messages.

But we use some in questions when we are asking for something or we

• Can I have some tea? (=I’m asking for some tea.)

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