Some simple rules for the use of articles

1 Basics

What are articles? Singular countable nouns

a an the zero article a an the
Where do they come in a sentence or phrase? a house an ugly house the house
- Before a noun: a dog the house an apple Uncountable nouns
- Before a noun phase: a large dog the old manor house a + unit quantity the
a or an? a glass of water the water
umbrella, university, European city, unique opportunity, unhappy man

2 general usage

the first mention of a singular countable noun a Something which is unique

one example of many superlative adjectives

singular countable noun mentioned before ordinal numbers
when it is clear which one it is noun-of-noun phrases
general statements with plural countable nouns quantity expressions
or uncountable nouns

3 special usage: time and place

Time article Place article

dates (spoken) : the 10 of February
yesterday, today, tomorrow
morning, afternoon, evening
beginning, middle, end of...
next, last (Monday, June, year) etc
years: 1989, 2004
decades: the sixties, the 1930s
months: January, November
seasons: summer, winter
festivals: Christmas, Lunar New Year
the planets: Mars, Venus etc
- Earth, world
the continents: Africa, Asia
countries: (1) England, China, France
countries: (2) USA, PRC, UK
cities: London, Hong Kong
oceans and seas:
mountain ranges: Himalayas, Andes
single mountains: Everest, Fuji
rivers: Nile, Mississippi, Amazon
lakes:
north, south, east, west
northern, southern, eastern, western
school, hospital, university, college, church,
prison as a physical building
school, hospital, university, college, church,
prison as an institution
Answers

a or an?
an umbrella, a university, a European city, a unique opportunity, an unhappy man

2 general usage

the first mention of a singular countable noun a Something which is unique the
one example of many a superlative adjectives the
singular countable noun mentioned before the ordinal numbers the
when it is clear which one it is the noun-of-noun phrases the
general statements with plural countable nouns - quantity expressions a
or uncountable nouns

3 special usage: time and place

Time article Place article

dates (spoken) : the 10 of February the planets: Mars, Venus etc -
yesterday, today, tomorrow - Earth, world the
morning, afternoon, evening the continents: Africa, Asia -
beginning, middle, end of... the countries: (1) England, China, France -
next, last (Monday, June, year) etc - countries: (2) USA, PRC, UK the
years: 1989, 2004 - cities: London, Hong Kong -
decades: the sixties, the 1930s the oceans and seas: the
months: January, November - mountain ranges: Himalayas, Andes the
seasons: summer, winter the single mountains: Everest, Fuji -
festivals: Christmas, Lunar New Year - rivers: Nile, Mississippi, Amazon the
lakes: -
north, south, east, west the
northern, southern, eastern, western -
school, hospital, university, college, church, the
prison as a physical building
school, hospital, university, college, church,
prison as an institution