The Word Nerd on Articles

by Connie Kent

We have indefinite and definite articles. Generally, we use an indefinite article (a, an) to refer to any old whatever it is (a dog, a pillow, an octopus).  We use the definite article (the or that) to refer to a specific whatever. For example, “The dog bit me” (the one right over there); the pillow (the one I use every night); that octopus (the one you can hardly see because it blends in with its background).

Idiomatic Use

But some uses don’t follow the general rules. These exceptions are idiomatic; that is, there’s no explanation. That’s just how we speak. You may not even be aware of these irregularities.

None. We don’t use articles at all before some nouns. For example, names of sports, such as football. For example, “He played football in high school,” unless we’re referring to a specific game, such as the football game last night. No articles before proper nouns, such as the names of businesses (such as Amazon). And we don’t use articles before names of courses, such as chemistry or economics or English – again, unless we refer to a particular class. For example, I don’t like English. But I do like the English class taught by Ms. Kent.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. You go to bed, to school, to bed, to sleep. But you go to the library. If you’re American, you go to the hospital. (If you’re British or Canadian, you go to hospital – no article). Back in the U.S., you go to the police station, to the hardware store, or to the grocery store. If you intend to point to a particular grocery store, however, it’s the Albertson’s on North Phoenix Road (as opposed to the one off West Main).

Some curiosities. One tells a lie, but the truth.

We might travel to Canada or Mexico, but we go to the Netherlands, or to the Philippines.

We might climb Mt. McLoughlin (or, for the less ambitious, Roxy Ann Peak). But we climb the Matterhorn, the Eiger.