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I have read some grammar points about definite/indefinite articles, but I still have problems recognizing the right choice in questions requiring them. I know sometimes I can omit articles but I don't know exactly when.(Maybe this is the most confusing point for me!)

For example:

It would be difficult to imagine---life without---telephone. Answer:(zero article/the) Why not?(zero article/zero article) Why "the" is needed here?

---government is now insisting that --- math is taught with traditional methods. Answer:(The/zero article) Why not?(zero article/zero article) Why "the" is needed here?

---company needs to make sure that it is earning --- profit. Answer:(A/a) Why not(zero article/a)? Isn't company a general thing? Or maybe any special company?(using "the") We don't have any context here to understand what it really means. Same things here: I don't mind---airport;it's---flying that I hate.(the/the) or (the/zero article) During---spring semester,---chemistry will not be offered.(the/zero article) or (zero article/zero article)

---Microscope was invented by him.(the/zero article) Can someone please provide information or resources to get better answers?

Hanna
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  • Hi, Hana, and welcome to EL&U. We receive this question often; please don't be offended if I offer you a link as an answer. If your question is not answered in the link, please edit your question to reflect your continuing confusion with an example. Articles are hard to master! Again, welcome. – anongoodnurse Jun 14 '14 at 18:59
  • I've read that link but I still can't understand when we can omit articles... – Hanna Jun 15 '14 at 08:33
  • Hi, Hana. Thanks for reading the link. Omit articles when putting a number before the noun doesn't make sense for that meaning. For example, does 2 lives without the telephone make sense? (No.) Two maths? 5 flyings? (No. No.) They are uncountable in your examples. Here is a site with a video about articles/uncountable nouns. It's not easy to learn; you need to keep reading and practicing. If you still have trouble, you can ask at ELL or we can start a chat room together. – anongoodnurse Jun 15 '14 at 09:12
  • @medica : So if the noun is countable,article is needed?(But life is countable I see...) – Hanna Jun 15 '14 at 09:29
  • life (as in "life is full of surprises") is uncountable. But life (as in 15 lives were lost at sea) is. It can be either. But yes, you are right. If a noun is countable, it needs an article. A chair, this apple, some people, the officer. – anongoodnurse Jun 15 '14 at 09:51
  • @medica : Thanks! it is really helpful. But if the countable noun is plural we sometimes use "the".Is it optional?like "the pandas" or "pandas"? I know if we have an adjective before plural noun we don't need any article. – Hanna Jun 16 '14 at 08:57
  • It depends on your sentence. "Pandas are beautiful" (all pandas), but "The pandas are sleeping" (a specific panda). – anongoodnurse Jun 16 '14 at 09:05
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    He liked to talk to people. He liked to talk to some people. He liked to talk to the people he met.

    That's three examples of using definite and indefinite articles with the same noun. Context and meaning matter more than whether something is a noun or is 'countable.'

     – user8356 May 15 '19 at 18:51

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