All Types Of Mistakes In Using Articles With Rules, Examples

Zero Article

Common Mistakes in Using Articles in English

Why We Use Articles in English

We use articles such A, An and The to indicate indefiniteness and definiteness. In other words, articles in English are used to show that some certain noun is Indefinite (nonspecific) or definite (specific). 

Below are given some common expressions to illustrate how mistakes are made commonly while using an article.  

This article specially deals with the nouns used with zero or no article, preceded by rules to explain the reason why zero article is used. 

Rule 1. Before a proper noun, we use no /zero article. 

Example: 

Wrong: The Akbar was a great king. 

Right: Akbar was a great king. 

Rule 2. Before possessive adjective and its noun, we use no article. 

Example: 

Wrong: He is the Gandhi of our a class. 

Right: He is the Gandhi of our class. 

Rule 3. Before plural nouns, we generally do not use any article. 

Example: 

Wrong: I like the movies.

Right: I like movies. 

Rule 4. Before material and abstract nouns used alone, we use no article. 

Examples: 

Wrong: The gold is costly.

Right: Gold is costly. 

Wrong: The honesty is the best policy.

Right: Honesty is the best policy. 

Wrong: The iron is a hard metal.

Right: Iron is a hard metal. 

Rule 5. Before the names of diseases like fever, cold and cough, we generally use no article.

Example:  

Wrong: She is suffering from the fever. 

Right: She is suffering from fever. 

Rule 6. Before the meals we eat like breakfast, lunch and dinner, we use no article. 

Example: 

Wrong: I have taken the dinner.

Right: I have taken dinner. 

Rule 7. Before the term, ‘God’, we use no article. 

Example: 

Wrong: The God is merciful. 

Right: God is merciful. 

Rule 8. Before the names of languages, we use no article. 

Example: 

Wrong: They can't speak in the English. 

Right: They can't speak in English. 

Rule 9. In between the phrases like ‘by train’ or ‘by bus’, we use no article. 

Example: 

Wrong: Ramesh will travel by the train. 

Right: Ramesh will travel by train.

Rule 10. We use no article in between the phrase, ‘At home’. 

Example: 

Wrong: Sheela is not at the home. 

Right: Sheela is not at home. 

Rule 11. We use no article before the names of games and sports. 

Example: 

Wrong: She plays the cricket. 

Right: She plays cricket. 

Rule 12. We use no article in between the phrase, ‘At work’. 

Example: 

Wrong: He is at the work. 

Right: He is at work. 

Rule 13. We use ‘the’ in between the phrase, ‘in the office’. 

Example: 

Wrong: She will be in office now.

Right: She will be in the office now. 

Rule 14. We use no article before the names of seasons when used alone without the word, ‘season’. 

Example: 

Wrong: We love to go to places in the winter.

Right: We go to hot places in winter.

Rule 15. We use no article in between the phrase, ‘Around midnight’. 

Example: 

Wrong: I will reach the station around the midnight.

Right: I will reach the station around midnight. 

Rule 16. We use no article before many compound words usually consisting of a person or place. 

Examples: 

Wrong: We went to the London Zoo.

Right: We went to London Zoo.

Wrong: They are going to the Indian Airlines. 

Right: They are going to Indian Airlines.

Rule 17. We use no article before professions. 

Example: 

Wrong: The engineering is a good career. 

Right: Engineering is a good career. 

Rule 18. We use no article before each and every plus a noun. 

Examples: 

Wrong: The every student was present there. 

Right: Every student was present there. 

Rule 19. We use no article before a noun denoting a general or universal meaning. 

Example: 

Wrong: The man is mortal. 

Right: Man is mortal. 

Rule 20. We use no article before abstract nouns. 

Example: 

Wrong: The virtue is its own reward. 

Right: Virtue is its own reward.

Rule 21. We use no article in between the phrase, ‘to catch fire’. 

Example: 

Wrong: His house caught the fire yesterday. 

Right: His house caught fire yesterday. 

Rule 22. We use no article in between the phrase, ‘by car’ which denotes a means of transportation. 

Example: 

Wrong: I go to my college by the car. 

Right: I go to my college by car.

Exercise

Find out the common errors in the following examples. 

1. A man is mortal. 

2. The John is coming here. 

3. The gold is costly. 

4. I will go to my house by the train. 

5. In the summer, we will go to cool places. 

6. I love to play the badminton. 

7. The each student was present in the class. 

8. He can speak the Hindi, the Urdu and the English. 

9. I have taken the breakfast. 

10. The birds fly. 

Answer keys: 

1. Man is mortal.

2. John is coming here.

3. Gold is costly.

4. I will go to my house by train. 

5. In summer, we will go to cool places. 

6. I love to play badminton.

7. Each student was present in the class.

8. He can speak Hindi, Urdu and English. 

9. I have taken breakfast.

10. Birds fly.