Uzbek and Russian have no articles, so a/an/the are among the most common sources of mistakes for learners in Uzbekistan. An article stands before a noun and tells the listener two things: whether the noun is countable and singular, and which thing we mean — one the listener already knows or a new one. To choose correctly, first identify the type of noun (countable or uncountable), then analyse the situation. Articles appear in every grammar section of the exam, and article errors lower the grammatical accuracy score in Writing.
§1. Countable and uncountable nouns
Countable nouns can be counted one by one: a book — two books, an apple — five apples. A singular countable noun cannot stand alone: ✗ I have book → ✓ I have a book.
Uncountable nouns are substances, abstract ideas and mass nouns: water, money, information, advice, news, furniture, luggage, homework, bread, weather, knowledge, progress. They have no plural, do not take a/an, and take a singular verb: The news is good.Your advice was useful.
Some nouns that are countable in Uzbek are uncountable in English: advice, information, furniture, homework. To count them, use a unit: a piece of advice, a piece of information, a glass of water, a loaf of bread, a bottle of milk.
many / a few / few + plural countable · much / a little / little + uncountable
a/an comes from the old word one, so it is used only with a singular countable noun:
First mention, new information: I saw a cat in the garden.
Jobs and membership of a group: She is a doctor.He is a student.
“One, some, any”: Can I have an apple?A dog needs exercise.
Exclamations: What a nice day!Such a good idea!
“Per” in rates and frequency: twice a week, 60 km an hour.
an — before a vowel sound (not a vowel letter!): an hour, an umbrella, an MP3
a — before a consonant sound: a university /juː/, a European, a one-way ticket
Worked example
My father is ___ engineer, and my mother is ___ university teacher.
Both gaps come before a job, which needs a/an.
engineer begins with the vowel sound /e/ → an.
university begins with a vowel letter but the sound /juː/ → a.
Answer: an engineer, a university teacher.
§3. The definite article the
the comes from that: the listener knows which one we mean.
Mentioned before: I saw a cat. The cat was black.
Unique: the sun, the moon, the world, the sky, the Internet.
Identified by a phrase or clause: the book on the table, the man who called you.
Clear from the situation: Close the door, please. (the door of this room)
Superlatives and ordinals: the best, the tallest, the first, the last, the only.
Rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges, deserts: the Amu Darya, the Pacific, the Alps, the Sahara.
Plural country names and names with Republic/Kingdom/States: the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic.
Musical instruments: play the piano; some hotels, theatres and newspapers: the Hilton, the Times.
Groups of people: the rich, the British.
the = “that one, the one we both know”
§4. The zero article
Plural and uncountable nouns used in a general sense: Cats like milk.Money isn’t everything.Books are expensive.
Most countries, cities, streets, lakes, single mountains and continents: Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Navoi Street, Lake Baikal, Everest, Asia.
Meals, sports, school subjects, languages: have breakfast, play football, study maths, speak English.
Fixed phrases: go to school/bed/work/university, by bus/car/train, at home, at night, in hospital (BrE).
Note: when you go to a building not for its main purpose, use the: My mother went to the school to see the teacher. (not to study). General versus specific: Water is essential for life (water in general) — The water in this bottle is cold (specific water).
Worked example
___ Nile is ___ longest river in ___ Africa.
Nile is a river, and rivers take the → The Nile.
longest is a superlative → the longest.
Africa is a continent → no article.
Answer: The Nile is the longest river in Africa.
§5. Possessives (’s and of)
Use ’s for people and animals:
Singular: my brother’s car, the cat’s bowl.
Plurals ending in -s take only an apostrophe: the students’ books, my parents’ house.
Irregular plurals: the children’s room, women’s rights.
For things, of is more common: the door of the house, the end of the film. With time and distance use ’s: today’s news, a week’s holiday.
The possessive replaces the article: the car of my brother → my brother’s car (✗ the my brother’s car).
§6. A routine for choosing the article
Is the noun countable? If not, a/an is impossible.
Is it singular? If so, it cannot stand alone: it needs a/an, the or my/this/that.
Does the listener know which one (mentioned before, unique, defined, superlative)? Yes → the.
Is the meaning general (plural or uncountable)? → no article.
For proper nouns, remember the group: rivers, oceans, mountain ranges → the; countries, cities, lakes → no article.
Worked example
I bought ___ new phone. ___ phone has ___ excellent camera.
The phone is mentioned for the first time and is singular countable → a new phone.
In the second sentence it is the same phone, now known → The phone.
The camera is new information; excellent begins with a vowel sound → an.