Zero Article.doc

Zero Article -

Most nouns have an article (a / an or the ), or another DETERMINER in front of them. When there is no determiner in front of a noun or noun phrase, we say that it has a zero article.

1. Main uses of the zero article English has no article like a / an to place before plural or uncountable nouns for indefinite meaning. We use the zero article instead. 1a. Zero article before plural nouns: a / an + singular noun E.g. We’re expecting a visitor.

zero + plural noun We’re expecting visitors.

1b. Zero article before uncountable nouns: a / an + countable noun E.g. He picked up a stone.

zero + uncountable noun The wall’s made of stone.

1c. Zero article before names: a / an + common noun E.g. He gave her a rose.

zero + name My sister’s name is Rose.

NOTE: With names we include titles like doctor in front of names (Doctor Johnson), and family names like Mum, Dad, Grandma etc. E.g. Dad is looking after the children today. 2. Choosing between zero article and some Before plural and uncountable nouns, we can use either the zero article or unstressed some.

E.g. We’re expecting {visitors { some visitors Would you like

(i) zero (ii) some

{ black coffee? (i) zero { some black coffee? (ii) some

There is a small difference between (i) and (ii) above: (i)

“zero article” means that the noun represents a general type of “thing, person, material, abstraction”.

E.g. black coffee = “black, not white coffee”. (ii)

some means “a quantity of”, where the exact quantity is not known or not important.

2a. Sometimes, only the zero article is possible, especially after be: E.g. His father and grandfather were soldiers. NOT: His father and grandfather were some soldiers. (This form tells us what “type” of people they were.) 2b. In other examples, only some is usual: E.g. They brought me some bread. NOT: They brought me bread. (This refers to a “quantity” of bread. NOTE: In negative sentences, any usually replaces some. E.g. I haven’t bought any bacon. 3. The zero article to refer to people and things in general 3a. Zero article + PLURAL noun: E.g. I like dogs better than cats.

Children enjoy games.

3b. Zero article + UNCOUNTABLE noun: We use uncountable nouns for “substances, liquids, gases, materials”. E.g. Water contains oxygen.

Steel is much stronger than copper.

And for abstractions: E.g. Which do you like best, history or physics? All nations should work for peace. 4. Special uses of the zero article with singular countable nouns 4a. Zero can replace the before a noun describing a person’s “role” or “function”, when that person is the only one. E.g. Alex is (the) captain of the football team. As (the) chairman of the boat club, I welcome new members. John F. Kennedy was elected (the) President of the U.S.A in 1961. Elizabeth II became (the Queen of England in 1952. NOTE (i): We cannot use the zero article after be where more than one person has the same role or function, for example, in naming someone’s job. E.g. “What’s your job?” “I’m a doctor.” (There is more than one person who is a doctor, so we have to use a here.) NOTE (ii): More generally, we cannot normally use a zero article before a singular countable noun (except for names). Take care to include the article in cases like this: Have you met the new chemistry teacher? (NOT: …met new chemistry teacher.) I heard the telephone ringing. (NOT: …heard telephone ringing.) 4b. The zero article before nouns of time and season: at night by day / night before sunrise after sunset

at noon before midday after midnight

Morning came Night fell It’s (the) spring In (the) winter

But other phrases have the: in the morning

during the night

the next day

4c. The zero article for meals: E.g. What did you have for breakfast / lunch / supper? I’ve invited the Turners to dinner / for supper. But also (talking of a particular meal): E.g. We had a very nice lunch. (The) breakfast was late this morning.

4d. The zero article for some prepositional phrases of place: He is in bed / class / hospital / prison She went to

She is at church / school / home / university / sea / work He went to These are idioms referring generally to places where we go for a special reason. We use a or the when we have a particular hospital, university, etc in mind. E.g. She’s working in a hospital in Montreal. I studied history at the University of Cambridge. 4e. The zero article for by-phrases describing means of transport and means of communication: E.g. I came home by car / bus / train We keep in touch by phone / e-mail / Facebook 4f. The zero article in prepositional phrase idioms: E.g. at speed off colour

in front (of) in line (with) in turn on foot on top (of) out of step

(Look these up in a dictionary.) E.g. I’m feeling a bit off colour. (= “not very well”) 4g. The zero article in noun + preposition + noun idioms E.g. arm in arm side by side

day by day eye to eye from head to toe

face to face

hand in hand

(Look these up in a dictionary.) E.g. James and his son never see eye to eye. (= “never have the same views or opinions”)