Grammar Basics - Use of Articles

Use of Articles

1.   x   Alaska is the largest state in the United states.                                                        

Do not use “the” before countries with one word

United States consists of more than one word, exception is Great Britain

2. Abraham Lincoln was President of the United states during the Civil War

Use “the” before wars, except world wars

3.   x   Corn is the most important of all American crops

4. Rahul and I had   x   lunch at the school cafeteria

Lunch is a non-count noun

5. The Rocky Mountains stretch all the way from   x   Mexico to        Arctic

Use “the” before mountains

Mexico is a country with one word

6. Through his telescope we could see what looked like canals on   x   Mars

Do not use “the” before planets

7. Robin Hood supposedly stole from the rich

Use “the” before ethnic groups

8. An untold number of people perished while attempting to cross Death Valley

9. Lima wants to study   x   Computer Engineering at   x   Ohio State University

Do not use “the” before school, college and universities whose names begin with a proper noun

10.   x   University education was one of the requirements for the position

Do not use “a” or “an” or “the” before abstract nouns/non-count nouns

11.          Coal is the world’s most abundant fossil fuel.

12.          Energy in             tornado is enormous by any set of            standards

13. Most of the magnesium used in the United States comes from sea water.