
Computing Science
02. Article - unnecessary (a, the)
Description: unnecessary article (definite ‘the’, indefinite ‘a’, ‘an’)
As a general rule, in English we use the definite article ‘the’, or indefinite article ‘a’, ‘an’, before a noun (a naming word: people, places, animals, things, ideas etc.), e.g. a box, the computer, an apple, the poem, the ideas.
The definite article is used when referring to something particular: Please fetch the box (meaning this particular box). We were told to write the essay (meaning a very particular essay). The king has died (meaning one particular king).
When we are referring to something in general, we use the indefinite article: Please fetch a box (meaning any box). We were told to write an essay (meaning there is a choice of essay). A king has died (meaning you don’t know exactly which one).
We leave out the definite or indefinite article completely when writing about a concept, e.g. quality time, happy marriages or internet technology. However, you would put the article in if you were referring to somebody’s particular quality time or happy marriage or the internet itself. Then you would say: ‘The quality time he enjoyed with his children was happier for him than for them’; or, ‘The happy marriages of the three sisters made their parents proud’; or, ‘Internet technology has made the internet accessible to all.’
So: ‘The computer is on.’ (a very particular computer)
‘I need a new computer. (I need a computer, but not a particular one)
‘Computers are wonderful.’ (the whole concept of computers is wonderful)
‘I’d like the last apple.’ (a very particular apple)
‘I’d like an apple.’ (I’d like an apple, but no particular one)
‘Apples are good for you.’ (Apples, in general, are good for you)
Only occasionally does it not matter whether you put an article in or not. For example, it is as correct to say ‘buses on this route come in threes’ as ‘the buses on this route come in threes’. This is because the sentence expresses both the general notion that buses on this route come along in threes, and the quite specific information that the buses on this route really do come along in threes.
When deciding whether or not a definite or indefinite article is needed, ask yourself:
Task | Task Type | Difficulty |
---|---|---|
Task 1 | Free text | Easier |
Task 2 | Free text | Moderate |
Task 3 | Free text | Moderate |
Task 4 | Free text | More Challenging |
Task 5 | Free text | More Challenging |
Task 6 | Free text | More Challenging |
Task 7 | Free text | More Challenging |