B2 Upper-intermediate Articles, quantifiers, word order, linking, reporting
Advanced article use
Lesson goal. After this lesson you can handle the difficult article cases: abstract nouns, generic nouns, proper names and fixed phrases.
When to use it
- Talking about a concept in general: Life is hard. I love music.
- Talking about a specific case: The life of a farmer is hard.
- Referring to a whole group: the poor, the young, the elderly.
- Proper names: the Mekong, the Philippines but Viet Nam, London.
Form
| Case | Article | Example |
|---|---|---|
| abstract nouns in general | no | Life is hard. · Happiness matters. |
| plural nouns in general | no | Books are expensive. |
| the same noun, but specific | the | The books on my desk are new. |
| names of languages, school subjects | no | I study history. · English is useful. |
| rivers, seas, mountain ranges, plural country names | the | the Mekong · the Philippines |
| the + adjective = a group of people | the | the poor · the young |
Step by step
- Ask: are you talking about the whole class or particular ones?
- The whole class, in general → no article.
- Specific and limited (of…, in…, already known) → use the.
- Learn the fixed phrases and proper names separately.
Contrasting pairs to memorise
| No article | With the | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| in hospital | in the hospital | be a patient ↔ be inside the building |
| at school | at the school | be a student ↔ be at the school |
| in prison | in the prison | serve a sentence ↔ visit |
| Life is hard. | The life of a farmer | in general ↔ specific |
Examples
Life is hard, but it is also beautiful.
The life of a farmer is not easy.
I love music, especially the music of Trinh Cong Son.
The Mekong flows through six countries.
My brother is studying engineering at university.
The young often use social media more than the old.
Common mistakes
The life is difficult for everyone. → Life is difficult for everyone.
Abstract nouns in general take no article. Many other languages use one, which is why this error is so common.
I study the history at university. → I study history at university.
Subject names take no article.
He is in the prison for robbery. → He is in prison for robbery.
For serving a sentence use in prison; with the it means being inside the building for another reason.
Memory tip
Before writing the, ask: “Which one?” If you can answer — the book on the desk, the music of Trinh — use the. If you cannot because you mean the whole class, leave it out.
Summary
- General → no article; specific → the.
- Languages, subjects, meals and transport take no article.
- Rivers, seas, mountain ranges, plural country names and the + adjective take the.
Practise this lesson
Do exercises with an explanation for every question, take mini tests and track your progress on GrammUp.