THE Definite Article is used: with nouns we have mentioned previously Nick has got a dog. The dog is very nice

THE Definite Article is used: with noun which is clear from the context Close the book

THE Definite Article is used: with nouns that are unique Look at the sky

THE Definite Article is used: with nouns followed by a descriptive phrase, which makes them definite This is the man I told you about

THE Definite Article is used: with individual items which represent a class The lion is fast and disappearing

THE Definite Article is used: with national groups The British are pet lovers

THE Definite Article is used: with names of musical instruments Mary plays the violin

THE Definite Article is used: The Atlantic Ocean with some geographical names: oceans, rivers, regions

THE Definite Article is used: The Hawaii with some geographical names: oceans, rivers, regions

THE Definite Article is used: The Sahara desert with some geographical names: oceans, rivers, regions

THE Definite Article is used: The Alps with some geographical names: oceans, rivers, regions

THE Definite Article is used: with some geographical names: oceans, rivers, regions The Waterfall Durian

THE Definite Article is used: The USA with some geographical names: oceans, rivers, regions

THE Definite Article is used: The Netherlands with some geographical names: oceans, rivers, regions

A/An Indefinite Article is used: With one of a group of things when it has the meaning one and any of the whole class of similar objects This is a book

A/An Indefinite Article is used: The addition of a descriptive attribute to the countable noun in the singular does not change the use of article This is a historical book

A/An Indefinite Article is used: When the speaker simply names the object which can be found at this or that place There is a table in the classroom

A/An Indefinite Article is used: With something we refer to for the first time I will give you a call next week

A/An Indefinite Article is used: Before phrases of time and measurements We have English 5 times a week Our car can do 260 kilometres an hour

A/An Indefinite Article is used: With someone‘s job He works as a sales manager

A/An Indefinite Article is used: Before phrases of nationality Bruce Springsteen is an American

The Definite Article isn’t used: with names of continents Africa is much larger than Europe. South America

The Definite Article isn’t used: with names of cities, towns etc. Milan is in the north of Italy.

The Definite Article isn’t used: with names of countries, states, regions etc. Portugal is in western Europe.

The Definite Article isn’t used: with names of mount and lake Chicago is on Lake Michigan. Mountain Gibraltar Lake Michigan

Sources Jenny Dooley, Virginia Evans - Grammarway, 1998 Jenny Dooley, Virginia Evans – Enterprise Grammar, 2000 Ülle Kurm - YMK I love English, 2001 http://www.google.ru/search?tbm=isch&hl=ru&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=845&q=djjr+animations&gbv=2&oq=djjr+animations&aq pictures http://www.world-english.org/articles.htm rules http://www.englischhilfen.de/en/exercises_list/artikel.htm exercises