The zero article (1)

Basic uses of the zero article (ø):'Life is short'

We often use no article at all (zero) in English where some other languages use the:

1 In front of plural countable nouns used in general statements, e.g. for:

- people: ø Women need better pay. - places: ø Museums are closed on Mondays.

- animals: ø Cats don't like cold weather. - plants: ø Trees don't grow in the Antarctic.

- food: ø Beans are good for you. - products: ø Watches aren't expensive.

(Not *The beans are good for you. * etc.)

2 In front of uncountable nouns (always singular) used in general statements, e.g. for:

- food : I like ø butter. - substances: ø Oil is produced in Alaska.

- colours: ø Red is my favourite colour. - activities: ø Swimming is good for you.

- abstract: ø Life is short. - languages: ø English is a world language.

(Not 'The life is short. * etc.)

3 In front of most proper nouns (names speit with a capital letter) :

Fritz Weber lives in Berlin. This was made by Jackson and Son.

By comparison, we use the when the reference is specific, not in general statements:

1 In front of plural countable nouns: The beans I like best are kidney beans.

2 In front of uncountable nouns: I used all the butter that was in the butler dish.'

3 In front of proper nouns: The Fritz Weber I know lives in Vienna.

Write: Supply the or '-'.

1 A lot of people are giving up ...... - ...... meat.

2 ................m eat we had for lunch last Sunday was very tough.

3 As someone said,................life is just one damned thing after another.

4 I don't know much about ................life of ................Napoleon.

5 ................ running is supposed to be good for you.

6 I ought to be fit with all ................ running I do, but I don't feel fit.

7 Which is your favourite colour? - ................ Red.

8 1 think ................ red one will suit you best. ................ Red is more your colour.

9 We learnt ................ English at school, but ................ English we learnt was useless.

10 ................ London is a safe city today, but ................ London of the 18th century was pretty rough.

11 ................watches have become very cheap and very attractive.

12 Most of ................ watches you see today work on ................ quartz.

13 ................ indoor plants require a lot of effort and attention.

14 ................ Bach gives me a great deal of pleasure.

15 ................ Bach recording you bought for my birthday is first class.

16 What has been the longest period of ................peace in ................history?

17 If you study ................History, you've got to read a lot.

18 ................fasting during ................Ramadan is more difficult in the summer months.

19 ................ journeys to unknown places require a lot of preparation.

20 ................lives of ................poets and ................musicians have often been unbearably difficult.

21 I'm not interested in the price of ................ silver or the price of ................g old.

22 ................ time is ................money.

23 I can never regret ................ time I've spent enjoying myself.

24 I often listen to ................ musk and I like ................ jazz best.