ZERO ARTICLE 1

ZERO ARTICLE

Some terms to understand the topic

Singular noun and plural noun

Uncontable noun

With these we can count

with this we can not count

Examle

One snowflake, two snowflakes

Example

Snow

When should we use no article?

We use no article when you introduce a plural, uncountable noun for the first time

Example

I bought furniture yesterday

Then

The furniture is white: the furniture is referring to my first sentence

We use no article for general statements

Examples

Dogs eat more than cats

Furniture is expensive

happiness is important

Other uses

We use no article:

1. With mountains

2. When we talk about compass

3. With most proper nouns

Example

1. I climbed moun Fuji

2. It´s in southern Spain

3. I visited Tokio in Japan

I was born in August

Joe loves Sylvia

However we do not use with singular nouns

Example

I bought a chair

How to use no article in a sentence?

Different structures

Subject+verb+object

Subject+verb+adjective+object

Examples

Sylvia bought (x) chairs

Sylvia bough (x) green chairs

(x) Dogs have (x) tails

(x) Small dogs have (x) small tails

Compare a/ an, the and zero article

Example

Summer likes (x) movies

We´ve used no article because this is a general statement

Summer saw a movie

We´ve used a here because is the new information it´s the first time we are telling you that summer saw a movie

Summer liked the movie

Here We are using the because is the second time we are telling you about this particular movie

General Rule

Does your audience have an awareness of the noun?

NO

YES

What is the noun type?

Singular

Plural or Uncountable

A / AN

NO ARTICLE

What is the noun type?

Uncountable

Plural or Singular

THE