Zero Article

Most nouns have an article (a / an or the ), or another DETERMINER in front of

them.
When there is no determiner in front of a noun or noun phrase, we say that it has a
zero article.

1. Main uses of the zero article

English has no article like a / an to place before plural or uncountable nouns for indefinite
meaning. We use the zero article instead.
1a. Zero article before plural nouns:
a / an + singular noun
E.g. Were expecting a visitor.

zero + plural noun

Were expecting visitors.

1b. Zero article before uncountable nouns:

a / an + countable noun
E.g. He picked up a stone.

zero + uncountable noun

The walls made of stone.

1c. Zero article before names:

a / an + common noun
E.g. He gave her a rose.

zero + name
My sisters name is Rose.

NOTE: With names we include titles like doctor in front of names (Doctor Johnson), and
family names like Mum, Dad, Grandma etc.
E.g. Dad is looking after the children today.
2. Choosing between zero article and some
Before plural and uncountable nouns, we can use either the zero article or unstressed some.

E.g. Were expecting {visitors

{ some visitors
Would you like

(i) zero
(ii) some

{ black coffee?
(i) zero
{ some black coffee? (ii) some

There is a small difference between (i) and (ii) above:

(i)

zero article means that the noun represents a general type of thing, person,
material, abstraction.

E.g. black coffee = black, not white coffee.

(ii)

some means a quantity of, where the exact quantity is not known or not
important.

2a. Sometimes, only the zero article is possible, especially after be:
E.g. His father and grandfather were soldiers.
NOT: His father and grandfather were some soldiers.
(This form tells us what type of people they were.)
2b. In other examples, only some is usual:
E.g. They brought me some bread.
NOT: They brought me bread.
(This refers to a quantity of bread.
NOTE: In negative sentences, any usually replaces some.
E.g. I havent bought any bacon.
3. The zero article to refer to people and things in general
3a. Zero article + PLURAL noun:
E.g. I like dogs better than cats.

Children enjoy games.

3b. Zero article + UNCOUNTABLE noun:

We use uncountable nouns for substances, liquids, gases, materials.
E.g. Water contains oxygen.

Steel is much stronger than copper.

And for abstractions:

E.g. Which do you like best, history or physics?
All nations should work for peace.
4. Special uses of the zero article with singular countable nouns
4a. Zero can replace the before a noun describing a persons role or function, when that
person is the only one.
E.g. Alex is (the) captain of the football team.
As (the) chairman of the boat club, I welcome new members.
John F. Kennedy was elected (the) President of the U.S.A in 1961.
Elizabeth II became (the Queen of England in 1952.
NOTE (i): We cannot use the zero article after be where more than one person has the same
role or function, for example, in naming someones job.
E.g. Whats your job? Im a doctor.
(There is more than one person who is a doctor, so we have to use a here.)
NOTE (ii): More generally, we cannot normally use a zero article before a singular countable
noun (except for names). Take care to include the article in cases like this:
Have you met the new chemistry teacher? (NOT: met new chemistry teacher.)
I heard the telephone ringing. (NOT: heard telephone ringing.)
4b. The zero article before nouns of time and season:
at night
by day / night
before sunrise
after sunset

at noon
before midday
after midnight

Morning came
Night fell
Its (the) spring
In (the) winter

But other phrases have the:

in the morning

during the night

the next day

4c. The zero article for meals:

E.g. What did you have for breakfast / lunch / supper?
Ive invited the Turners to dinner / for supper.
But also (talking of a particular meal):
E.g. We had a very nice lunch.
(The) breakfast was late this morning.

4d. The zero article for some prepositional phrases of place:

He is in
bed / class / hospital / prison
She went to

She is at
church / school / home / university / sea / work
He went to
These are idioms referring generally to places where we go for a special reason. We use a or
the when we have a particular hospital, university, etc in mind.
E.g. Shes working in a hospital in Montreal.
I studied history at the University of Cambridge.
4e. The zero article for by-phrases describing means of transport and means of
communication:
E.g. I came home by car / bus / train
We keep in touch by phone / e-mail / Facebook
4f. The zero article in prepositional phrase idioms:
E.g. at speed
off colour

in front (of) in line (with)

in turn
on foot
on top (of)
out of step

(Look these up in a dictionary.)

E.g. Im feeling a bit off colour. (= not very well)
4g. The zero article in noun + preposition + noun idioms
E.g. arm in arm
side by side

day by day eye to eye

from head to toe

face to face

hand in hand

(Look these up in a dictionary.)

E.g. James and his son never see eye to eye. (= never have the same views or opinions)