The zero article with names and titles: 'Mr Pym'

   1)       We do not normally use articles in front of proper nouns (like John, London, etc.).

   2)       We use a surname or first name + surname after Mr, Mrs, Miss and Ms : Mr Pym, Mr John Pym. We often write, but rarely say Ms, as in Ms Joan Cartwright.

   3)       We abbreviate Doctor to Dr in writing and use a surname after it: I'm Dr Brown, but we can use Doctor on its own as a form of address (written in full): It's my liver, Doctor.

   4)       In British English Madam and Sir can be used as forms of address, e.g. by shop assistants:

Yes, madam? Sir is also a title in front of first name (+ surname): Sir John (Falstaff), (Not 'Sir

Falstaff'). Americans use Sir on its own to speak to strangers.

   5)       We can say Uncle and Auntie (but not *Cousin* or Sister') to address our relations.

   6)       Major and Professor can be used with names or on their own.

   7)       Nurse and sometimes Sister can be used as forms of address for nurses.

Write: Mark with an X those sentences that are wrong or unacceptable and briefly say why.

1 Excuse me, Mr - can you tell me the way to the station, please? X

2 Good morning, Doctor. -

3 Don't ask me. Ask Mrs Elizabeth. -

4 Can I introduce you to Mrs Elizabeth Jackson? -

5 1 have an appointment with Dr White. -

6 I've just received a letter from cousin Frank. -

7 Can I help you, Mrs? -

8 Can I help you, Madam? -

9 Sir Falstaff is a famous Shakespeare character. -

10 May I have a word with you please, Professor? -

11 I've addressed the letter to Professor John Williams. Is that right? -

12 Nurse, could I speak to you for a moment, please? -

Zero article for e.g. 'She's at school' and 'He's in hospital'

   1)       We use no article in front of nouns like school/and hospital in phrases like to school, at school, in hospital when we are referring to their normal purpose:

Jane's gone to school. Jane's at school. (to learn); John's in hospital. (he's ill)

(Not 'Jane's gone to the school. *Jane's at the school. *John's in the hospital. ')

Other nouns like this are: bed, church, class, college, prison, sea, town, university, work.

For the use of to, at and in with these nouns .

   2)       We use the or a/an with these nouns when we are not referring to their 'purpose':

Jane's gone to the school for a meeting. There's a meeting at the school.

Norton High is a very good school. I'm going to make the bed.

   3)       Nouns which are not part of this special group behave in the usual way:

My wife's at the office. (perhaps to work); They are at the mosque. (perhaps to pray)

John's in the kitchen. (perhaps to prepare a meal)

My wife's firm has an office in Edinburgh. (Not *My wife's firm has office*

Zero article or 'the' with place names

1 General rule: We use no article with proper nouns, so this includes place names, but there is some variation. We use the with the words bay, canal, channel, gulf, kingdom, ocean, republic, river, sea, strait(s), union, united: the United States of America.

2 Zero for: countries (Turkey), states (Ohio), cities (Paris), streets (Oxford Street), parks (Hyde Park), addresses (24 North Street), buildings (Westminster Abbey), geographical areas (Africa), historical references (Ancient Rome), mountains (Everest), islands (Malta).

3 The for: some countries (the USA, the USSR), some geographical areas (the Arctic, the

Balkans), some historical references (the Dark Ages), oceans and rivers (the Pacific, the River Nile), mountain ranges (the Alps, the Himalayas), deserts (the Sahara, the Gobi.

4 Zero or the: theatres (Her Majesty’s/The Globe), hotels (Brownls/the Hilton).