The zero article

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What is it?

When we don't use a/an or the before a noun, this is referred to as the zero article. In these examples we've used the character Ø to represent the Zero Article.

When do we use it?

(or when don't we use a/an or the)

• when the noun is preceeded by another determiner - such as his or this.
  • this key won't fit in the lock.
  • my mother is coming to visit next week
  • some Ø cats like cheese

  look for examples using that, these, those, your, her, some, any, most, many and its on the Hong Kong VLC concordancer.

• uncountable nouns. We don't use an article with uncountable nouns:-
  • you need Ø cheese and Ø milk to make a souffle.
• noun groups. We don't use an article with the second item in related noun groups:-
• help yourself to a knife and Ø fork.
• all-inclusive groups that include 'everything'. Often nouns in this group refer to people:-
  • Ø vegetarians don't eat meat.
  • Ø people in Canada watch TV a lot (but the people who built this house...)


• we can use a plural noun or an uncountable noun without an article with verbs such as 'like' or 'enjoy' when we are talking in a general sense about this class of thing :-
  • She likes Ø parties.
  • I'm very fond of Ø curry
  • We're both interested in Ø history.
  • He enjoys Ø traveling.
  • Ø Elephants never forget.