The articles are not used:
1. Before proper, material and abstract nouns used in a general sense:
Sugar is bed for your teeth,Honesty is the biggest virtue
Paris is the capital of France. (NOT The Paris is …)
But we say, the United States, the United Arab Emirates etc.
2. In certain phrases consisting of a transitive verb and its object: Give ear, set sail, take heart, send word, catch fire, take offence, leave office, leave home, leave office etc.
He took offence at my words. (BUT NOT He took the offence at my words.)
She left home in the morning. (BUT NOT She left the home in the morning.)
3. Before the names of continents, countries, capes, cities, towns, days, months, arts, languages, sciences, some diseases etc.
January, April, Chemistry, English,Hindi ,Japan, Beijing, Delhi,Monday, Friday, Asia etc.
January is a cold month.
Hindi is mother language of India.
4. Before common nouns when they go in pairs:
Both husband and wife received serious injuries.
5. Before plural countable nouns used in general sense:
Girls are like chocolates.
Camels are useful animals.
Warm clothes are necessary in cold climates.
6. Before the nouns following kind of:
What kind of flower is it? (NOT What kind of a flower is it?)
7. Before names of meals used in general sense:
what time do you usually have dinner?
He was at dinner.
Breakfast was served at night. (BUT NOT The breakfast was served at night.)
Some special points
Compare the pairs of sentences given below:
I have a black and white car. (Only one car)
I have a black and a white car. (Two cars)
The secretary and accountant is present. (Here the nouns secretary and accountant refer to the same person.)
The secretary and the accountant were present. (Here the repetition of the articles implies that the secretary and the accountant are different persons.)
1. Before proper, material and abstract nouns used in a general sense:
Sugar is bed for your teeth,Honesty is the biggest virtue
Paris is the capital of France. (NOT The Paris is …)
But we say, the United States, the United Arab Emirates etc.
2. In certain phrases consisting of a transitive verb and its object: Give ear, set sail, take heart, send word, catch fire, take offence, leave office, leave home, leave office etc.
He took offence at my words. (BUT NOT He took the offence at my words.)
She left home in the morning. (BUT NOT She left the home in the morning.)
3. Before the names of continents, countries, capes, cities, towns, days, months, arts, languages, sciences, some diseases etc.
January, April, Chemistry, English,Hindi ,Japan, Beijing, Delhi,Monday, Friday, Asia etc.
January is a cold month.
Hindi is mother language of India.
4. Before common nouns when they go in pairs:
Both husband and wife received serious injuries.
5. Before plural countable nouns used in general sense:
Girls are like chocolates.
Camels are useful animals.
Warm clothes are necessary in cold climates.
6. Before the nouns following kind of:
What kind of flower is it? (NOT What kind of a flower is it?)
7. Before names of meals used in general sense:
what time do you usually have dinner?
He was at dinner.
Breakfast was served at night. (BUT NOT The breakfast was served at night.)
Some special points
Compare the pairs of sentences given below:
I have a black and white car. (Only one car)
I have a black and a white car. (Two cars)
The secretary and accountant is present. (Here the nouns secretary and accountant refer to the same person.)
The secretary and the accountant were present. (Here the repetition of the articles implies that the secretary and the accountant are different persons.)
