When is the article the and a used? The definite article in English

» Articles in English language. 4 cases when they are definitely not needed

Before we start listing the different cases in which you need to use the definite or indefinite article, let's simplify our lives and deal with situations where the article should definitely NOT be used.

If right before the noun there is This or that - this or that (as well as these and those - these or those)

The logic is simple - if you said this chair or that window, then it is already clear that we are talking about a specific subject. Therefore, the article is not needed here.

Can you give me this apple, that carrot and these lemons. – This shop is not a fruit shop, madam. Can you give me this apple, this carrot and these lemons. Madam, this is not a grocery store.

But be careful. This or that must refer to a noun, only then does this rule apply. For example, if there is a verb to be between that and a noun, this is a completely different grammatical construction, and an article may be needed in it.

This is a grammar structure where you need an article. In this grammatical construction, the article is needed.

Another case: if that is a union connecting two parts of a sentence (the union “what”), then this is also a completely different situation and the article may be required.

I know that a love like this won't last forever. I know this kind of love can last forever.

2. My, your, John's

Articles in English are one of the most difficult topics. If, when studying words, we can rely on mnemonics, similar sounding or even spelling of words, then in the case of articles we have nowhere to go: they simply do not exist in the Russian language. So you have to learn the rules. There are quite a few of them, and it is better to divide them into categories of basic and advanced. In this cheat sheet, we will go over the basic rules.

A/An

The word begins with a consonant or sound [j](for example, as in the word university)? – a. Examples: a lipstick, a window, a highrise.

Object one! The articles a and an are not used in the plural.

Noun countable! Can't speak I want a water but you can say I want some water. An exception may be portioned drinks, such as coffee. When ordering coffee, you always mean one cup, so in a colloquial way it is acceptable to say I would like a coffee, please.

Interested in not a specific object, but any in principle. Example: My sister asked to buy her a dog for her birthday.(it doesn't matter which one, sister wants any dog).

It's about a group of people, to which someone belongs, and the designation in the singular. Most often these are professions and hobbies. Examples: She is a doctor. He is an avid reader.

Mentioning the object for the first time? Use the article "a". For example, There's an awesome book I want to recommend you.(you are talking about the book for the first time, the interlocutor does not know about it).

A/an = per meaning "per unit of something". Example: Apples cost 50 rubles a kilo(for 1 kilogram). She was driving 70 miles an hour(for 1 hour). I have English lessons twice a week(in 1 week).

Article The

Is the object already familiar to the interlocutor? The book I wanted to recommend you is “Atonement” by Ian McEwan.(exactly the book I want to recommend). Or: The girl who sits next to me is a famous blogger.(exactly the girl who is sitting next to you).

Is it a unique object? Use the article "the". For example, No one lives on the Moon. The sun was shining bright.

Is it a specific object? Use the article "the". For example, Brian saw the elephant in the zoo.(probably there is only one elephant in the zoo. Or Brian saw a particular elephant that he loves more than others).

Are you going to use an ordinal number? Don't forget the article "the" - the first, the sixth, the twentieth.

Want to use the superlative degree of an adjective? And don't forget "the" here - the best day of my life, the funniest show I've seen, the most interesting place I've visited.

Do you talk about family as a group? Feel free to use "the": The Trumps, the Jacksons, the Smiths.

Are you talking about the band in general? And here the article “the” is needed. For example, Jerry decided to help the poor.(note: there is no word people, the adjective poor denotes a group of people, so an article is needed).

Did you take up geography? The article “the” is used with full country names ( The Russian Federation, The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), ocean names ( The Pacific Ocean), seas ( The Black Sea), rivers ( The Amazon), archipelagos ( The Philippines), groups of lakes ( The Great Lakes) and mountains ( The Alps), deserts ( The Sahara), symbols on the globe ( The Equator, The North/South Field), geographic regions ( The North West), hotels ( The Ritz), theaters ( The Bolshoi), museums ( The National Gallery), as well as masterpieces of architecture and art ( The Mona Lisa, the Colosseum).

Some expressions of time require the article “the”:

• in the morning
• in the afternoon
• in the evening
• during the night
• during the day
• the day before yesterday
• the day after tomorrow
• the fall
• the summer

Articles are not needed

Before city names: New York, Sydney. There is, however, an exception: the Hague.

Before country short names: Russia, China, France.

Before uncountable nouns: Ask Julie, she usually gives good advice.

Before street names: Privet Drive, Marine Street. Exception - the High Street.

Before titles separately taken lakes ( Ladoga Lake), islands ( Maui) and mountains ( Everest), as well as canyons (with the exception of the Grand Canyon) and waterfalls ( Victoria).

Before language names: English, Dutch, Italian.

Before the names of days and months: Monday, June.

Before the names of colleges and universities (Moscow State University, Massachusetts Technological Institute)

Before countable nouns in the plural when referring to the phenomenon as a whole: Trees get green in spring.(it doesn't matter which ones, they all turn green at once).

If there is already a possessive pronoun: Are you reading my book? His essay was very interesting to read.

Before the words breakfast, lunch and dinner: I usually have dinner at 7.

If you need to say a general fact about nationality: Americans eat a lot of fast food.

After a series of time expressions:

• at night
• at none
• at midnight
• all day
• all night
• all month
• yesterday
• tomorrow

Before the names of school subjects:Literature, Mathematics, Biology.

Before sports: football, soccer, volleyball.

In the second lesson, we will look at those situations in which the indefinite article should be used, and those in which the article is not needed.

1. Uncountable nouns

With uncountable nouns (eg. rice, music, sand, water, tea, coffee) articles are usually not used.

• There is sand in my shoes.

  I have sand in my shoes. Sand is an uncountable noun, so there is no article.

• We eat rice every day.

  We eat rice every day.

An uncountable noun can be preceded by an indefinite article, in such cases, as a rule, words with and without an article have a different meaning.

• a room - room, room - space
• a paper - newspaper, paper - paper
• a hair - hair, hair - hair
• a noise - noise (specific), noise - noise (in general)
• an experience- experience (what happened in a person's life), experience - experience (required for the job)

• The printer is out of paper.

  The printer is out of paper.

• My father buys a paper every morning.

  My father buys paper every morning.

In expressions like a cup of coffee, a loaf of bread The indefinite article is used to mean "one".

• a cup of tea - a cup of tea
• a loaf of bread - a loaf of bread
• a glass of vine - a glass of wine

It is also allowed to speak a coffee, a tea, a juice if you mean one glass, one cup, etc.

• A coffee and orange juice please.

  Coffee and orange juice, please.

2. Furniture, information, accommodation…

The following words are always used without an article and do not have a plural:

• furniture - furniture
• accommodation
• advice - advice
• luggage
• baggage
• information
• permission - permission
• traffic - traffic (on the road)
• behavior - behavior

3. news

Word the news translated into Russian in the plural - "news". In English this word singular, is used only with the definite article and has no other forms.

If we want to say "one piece of news", we must say a piece of news

4. a job-work

The words a job and work translated as "work", however, have slightly different meanings.

A job This is a job position. The word "job" is a countable noun, articles with it are used according to the general rule.

work is any work, any work that a person performs. The word "work" is an uncountable noun, articles are not used with it.

In the English language, there are quite a lot of pairs of words that are close in meaning, in which one is countable, and the other is uncountable. For example:

• What a beautiful view! — What a beautiful view!
• What beautiful scenery! — What a beautiful landscape!
• It's a nice day today. — Today is a good day.
• It's nice weather today. — It's a good weather today.

5. breakfast, lunch, meal…

The following expressions do not use the article:

• to have breakfast - have breakfast
• to have lunch - have lunch
• to have dinner - have dinner

• I never have breakfast. — I never have breakfast.
• We always have a meal in a restaurant. We always eat at a restaurant.

In the expression have a meal- the indefinite article is used.

If in the above expressions before the words lunch, breakfast, dinner an adjective is added, you must use uncertain article.

• I had a big breakfast. — I ate a big breakfast.

6. travel, trip, journey

The words travel, trip and journey similar in meaning.

Travel It is a journey, a general concept. With the word "travel" the article is not used.

Trip and journey is one trip. Articles are used as a general rule.

7. No article

The article is not used in the following cases:

• If a noun is preceded by a possessive pronoun, my, your, his, her, our, their
• If a noun is preceded by a cardinal number, one, two, three etc.
• If a noun is preceded by a demonstrative pronoun, this, that, these, those
• If the noun is preceded by a determiner some, any, no
• If a noun is preceded by a question word, what, which
• With the names of the days of the week
• With words midday, midnight
• In expressions travel by car/bus/train/plane/sea
• In expressions communicate by phone/post/email

Articles are the main determiners of names nouns. Before using any noun, it is necessary to decide whether it is definite or indefinite, i.e. It is necessary to imagine what subject is being discussed: about a specific or any.

• Articles a and an are called indefinite article (the Indefinite Article)
• The is called certain article (the Definite Article)

Consider three cases: when the indefinite article is used before the noun, when the definite article is used, and when the article is not used before the noun.

Indefinite article

a used before words that begin with a consonant.
an used before words that begin with a vowel.

A noun with an indefinite article is the name of an object in general, and not the name of a specific object. For example, a student evokes the idea of ​​a student in general, that is, a student of a higher educational institution, but not of a specific person.

The meaning of the indefinite article can be expressed in Russian with such words as one, one of, some, any, any, any, any, each.

The indefinite article is used with singular countable nouns. It is not used in the plural, sometimes it is replaced by indefinite pronouns some (several) any (any, anyone).

Definite article

The definite article has only one form: the. individualizing article the derived from demonstrative pronoun that- that.

No article: zero article

No indefinite article

The indefinite article is not used:

• before plural nouns
  an article - articles

• abstract nouns
  imagination - imagination
• nouns mi real, uncountable(nouns that cannot be counted, for example, you cannot say: three waters).
  water (water), salt (salt), tea (tea)

If there is a definition before the noun, then the article is placed before this definition:
a story (story)
an interesting story (interesting story)

substitution rule

Use of the indefinite article

1. Indefinite article is used before a noun when it only names an object, classifies it as a representative of a certain kind of objects, but does not single out it specifically.

• a table - some table (just a table, not a chair)
  a chair

2. when mentioning an object or person for the first time

• That "s a pretty girl. - Beautiful girl

3. in a general sense:
A noun with an indefinite article in this sense means: any, anyone.

• A cow gives milk.
  A cow (any) gives milk.

3. with professions:

• My Dad is a Doctor. - My dad is a doctor.
  She "s an architect. - She is an architect.

4. with some quantity expressions:

• a pair
  a little - a little
  a few - a few

5. in exclamatory sentences: before a singular countable noun after the word what (what).

• What a beautiful day! - What a wonderful day!
  What a pity! - What a pity!

Use of the definite article

Definite article is put in the event that the subject or person in question is known to both the speaker and the listener (from the context, the environment, or as previously mentioned in this speech).

• It is a chair - this is a chair
  The chair is at the table - the chair is near the table

Try to substitute the word this or that before the noun. If the meaning of what is being said does not change, then the definite article must be put before the noun, and if it changes, then the indefinite article is put before the noun in the singular (if it is countable), and not put before the plural noun at all.

1. Re-mentioned when it is clear from the previous text what it is about:

• The girl was beautiful. (This) girl was beautiful.

2. Clear in a situation where it is clear what/who is meant:

• The lesson is over. - The lesson is over.

3. Having an individuating definition, that is, a definition that distinguishes this person or object from a number of similar ones.

• 3.1. Definition, naming a sign :
  This is the house that Jack built. This is the house that Jack built.
• 3.2. Definition, expressed by the adjective in the superlative form e
  This is the shortest way to the river - This is the shortest way to the river
• 3.3. Definition, expressed by ordinal number
  He missed the first lecture. - He missed the first lecture
• 3.4. Definition, expressed by proper name
  the Bristol road - the road to Bristol.
• 3.5. Definitions expressed in words:
  The next stop is ours. “The next stop is ours.

4. Before singular nouns:

• the sun - the sun
  the moon - the moon
  the Earth
  the floor - floor (one in the room)
  the sea - the sea (the only one in the area)

5. Before adjectives and participles that have turned into nouns, with a plural meaning:

• the strong- strong the old- old men, the young- youth,

Absence of an article (zero article

1. If there is a pronoun before the noun or nouns in the possessive case.
My room is large - My room is large.

2. A noun is used without an article in the plural in those cases:

• 2.1. when singular in front of him there would be an indefinite article:
  I saw a letter on the table. — I saw a letter on the table.
  I saw letters on the table. — I saw the letters on the table.

3. Uncountable real nouns.
water water, milk milk, chalk chalk, sugar sugar, tea tea, snow snow, grass grass, wool wool, meat meat and others.

4. Uncountable abstract nouns (abstract concepts).
weather weather, music music, power force, knowledge knowledge, art art, history history, mathematics mathematics, light light, love love, life life, time time
I like music - I love music.
But at the same time, some abstract nouns can be used with the indefinite article, expressing a kind of quality, state.
He got a good education. He received a good education.

In English, plural nouns may be preceded by a definite article, the pronoun some (any), or the determiner may be absent.

Rules for using the pronoun some

If it is possible to put one of the words before a Russian noun: several, some, some, some, before the corresponding noun in the English sentence there is the pronoun some (any).
If none of these words can be placed before the Russian noun, then there is no determiner before the corresponding noun in the English sentence.

I bought some apples yesterday - I bought apples yesterday (a few, some apples)

1. If there are other determiners before the noun - a possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, indefinite pronoun or a noun in the possessive case, then this noun is used without an article. My house is big.

2. The article is missing before a countable noun in plural, in that case, if in the singular there would be an indefinite article in front of it. I saw a book on the table. – I saw books on the table.

If a countable noun in the singular is used in a classifying sense, or with a definite article in a generalized sense, such a noun in the plural does not have an article. A tiger is a wild animal. -Tigers are wild animals. The elephant lives in India. -Elephants live in India.

3. If you need to emphasize the number of countable nouns, then they are preceded by a cardinal number. In this case, it is a descriptive definition. Usually nouns with cardinal number are used without an article. There were t hree boys. But if the noun is specified, the definite article is used. – The two boys were dirty. Also, without the article, a noun is used with a quantitative numeral in the meaning of ordinal. Unit six, page twenty Also, if a noun is followed by a letter designation – point C, exhibit D

4. No article before real noun indicates the use of a noun in a generalized sense . I don't like coffee. The name of the substance can be used with a descriptive definition, which narrows the range of a number of homogeneous nouns, and therefore does not require a change in the article. Strong coffee is bitter. The names of substances denoting a variety, type or portion become countable and are used according to general rules: a coffee = a cup of coffee.

Countable nouns denoting meat as a type of food are used with a zero article - chicken, fish, turkey, duck, lamb etc. If it is important to indicate a number of uncountable nouns, indefinite pronouns are usually used. some, any. These pronouns are usually not translated into Russian. Bring me some water. Do you have any cheese?

5. An abstract noun is used without an article when it expresses generalized concept. Time will show who is right. Also, an abstract noun can be used with a descriptive definition - an adjective, which makes the noun less generalized. But this does not change the article. He doesn't love abstract art. Sometimes a noun in the generalized case can act as a descriptive definition. In this case, the article is also not used. . I am fond of science fiction. If an abstract noun has a descriptive definition that expresses a kind of quality, state, feeling, such a noun can be used with an indefinite article. He got a good education. If an abstract noun has an individualizing definition, or is specified by the situation, the definite article is used. . I like the music of this film.

The following nouns are never used with the indefinite article: advice, assistance, bliss, breeding, cunning, control, evidence, fun, guidance, health, information, money, nature, news, nonsense, permission, progress, trade, weather, work.

6. Without the article are used collective nouns denoting a group of objects: advice, baggage, chinaware, equipment, furniture, information, news etc.

7. Before a noun in inversion functions the article is not used. Good morning captain! Can I ask you a question, young man?

8. The article is not used before nouns denoting Times of Day in the event that they denote light, darkness: day, night, morning, afternoon, noon, daytime, evening, twilight, dusk, nightfall, midnight, sunrise, sunset. night came unexpectedly.

After nouns with prepositions: at, after, before, by, till, until, towards, past the article is also not used. I came home at night.

If the definition of a noun is words tomorrow, yesterday, or days of the week, the zero article is used. Since Friday night I haven't seen him.

The article is not used in the following prepositional combinations: all day (long), all night (through), day after day, day in day out, from morning till night, night after night, day and night, from day to day etc.

9. Names seasons are used without an article. I don't like autumn. If the noun - the name of the season is the nominal part of the compound predicate, the zero article is required. It is winter now. The appearance of a descriptive definition requires the indefinite article. It was a terribly rainy autumn. But the presence of adjectives late and early indicates the use of the zero article . It was early spring. If there is an individualizing attribute, the definite article is required. . It was the summer of 1991, when he married. After prepositions during, for, through The definite article is also used. We always move to the country for the summer.

10. Names meals used without article . What would you like for dinner? If dinner, or any other meal is official, or if it is individualized, then any article can be used. They gave a dinner. The lunch you cooked was marvelous.

11. Names diseases usually used without an article. He has fallen ill with the flu. Some nouns that are not medical terms refer to diseases: a headache, a pain in the back, a cold, a sore throat, etc. In English, these nouns are used without an article, in American they are used with an indefinite article. I have a terrible headache! If the noun denoting illness is in the plural, then it is used without the article .measles,mumps,shingles.

12. Names home and sports games, sports are used without an article. Why did you start playing football?

13. Names sciences and school subjects used without article . My favorite subject is Geography.

14. If nouns school, college, university, kindergarten, class, court, hospital, prison, jail, bed, sea, table, church, work are used without the article, this means the type of activity directly related to them. Dinner is ready. Sit down to table. If these nouns name a building, they are combined with the article that suits the situation. He was taken to hospital. We are going to the hospital to visit him.

15. With zero article are used:

a) Noun town as opposed to the word country, and in the following phrases: to be in town, to go to town, to come back to town, to live (stay) in town, to be out of town, to leave town.

b) Noun space meaning "space". When a child I used to dream of space.

c) Noun society in the meaning of "an organized society of people living in one place" People should work for the benefit of society.

d) Noun most meaning "majority". Most frogs can swim.

16. The article is omitted for brevity in newspaper and magazine headlines, announcements, texts of telegrams, geographical maps, theater remarks. . Doctor save child. Can arrive later prepare room.

17. Proper nouns are used with zero article:

a) C names, surnames of people, nicknames of animals. I saw Kate. If they are preceded by adjectives young, poor, lazy, etc., the article is also missing. Little John If a proper name is preceded by a word denoting rank, title, profession, rank (with a capital letter), a noun expressing family relations, the article is not used. Lord Byron, Aunt Polly. In the case of the appearance of the preposition of, the definite article is used - the Duke of York. If title, title without own name, then the article is required - the President. The article is not used with a noun in the prepositional phrase c of, where the main word means post, title. He was nominated for the post of President. Words for family members father, sister, are considered as proper names if they are used in the speech of members of the same family. In this case, they are used without the article, with a capital letter.

If the surname is plural and denotes the whole family, the definite article is used - the Ivanovs.; or if there is an individualizing definition - It is the Belov, who phoned yesterday.

A proper name can be used with an indefinite article to show that it is “one of…” Is he not a Sympthon?; to give the meaning of "some" - A Mr Brown called you.; when using a name for an association of quality inherent in it: My husband is a real Othello!

b) With names schools, colleges, universities, unless the name of the institution contains a restrictive definition expressed by a prepositional phrase with of - the university of New York

c) with names magazines Times, Cosmopolitan

d) With names days of the week and months Friday, April

e) With names languages English,Chinese. If the name of the language contains the word language, the definite article is used.

f) With titles holidays Christmas, New Year

g) Before cuts BA=Bachelor of Arts, and words denoting the names of organizations, when all the capital letters that make up the word are read as a single word: NATO, UNO

h) Place names are used with the zero article: continents, regions, countries, cities, villages. Britain, Canada. Exceptions – the Ukraine, the Argentine (but Argentina) the Lebanon, the Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, the Congo, the Caucasus, the Crimea, the Hague, the Vatican, the Ruhr, the Sudan, the Senegal, the Tyrol, the Yemen, the Phillippines. If the name of the state contains a common noun - kingdom, commonwealth, union, state, republic, lands, federation, this name is used with the definite article . the USA

Titles areas with the definition north(northern), south (southern), minor, Latin, middle, ancient, old . ancient greece

Titles streets, squares, bridges, city districts, public buildings, parks Oxford Street, Buckingham Palace, Red Square. Street names with ordinal numbers - Fifth Avenue. Exceptions - the Arbat, the Garden Ring, the Via Manzoni, the Gorky Park, the Snowdonia National Park, the Botanical Gardens, the Strand, the Mall, the Main Street, the High Street, the Bronx, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Severn Bridge.

Titles mountain peaks, islands – Everest,Corfu; lakes- only if there is a word lake - lake Baikal, but the Baikal.

Titles bays and peninsulas, in the absence of a word peninsula-Kamchatka, Hudson Bay. But in a prepositional construction with of the definite article is used the Gulf of Mexico.

Titles capes Cape Horn, except for the Cape of Good Hope.

Titles airports, train stations – Heathrow, Waterloo Station.

Titles waterfalls – Niagara Falls.

Titles restaurants, shops – Luigi's, Harrod's

Titles companies, airlines – Kodak, British Airways

Titles planets– Saturn, Mars

Titles churches, especially if they are named after a saint - St Paul's Cathedral

Place names from center used with zero article – Lincoln Center

18. The article is absent before nouns, used in pairs and connected prepositions from…till/to– from beginning to end, from hand to mouth.

If there is a preposition before the noun – by, at, off, on, in– by plane, at home

If two nouns are connected by conjunction and– husband and wife.

Before nouns defined by words next, last , if they mean the future and the past – last week.

The article is absent in a number of set phrases, for example:

A noun that is inseparable from a verb.

Noun inseparable from a preposition

A fused combination of two nouns with a preposition.

1. “Don’t cry, … baby,” said Carlson.
2. You can see a sign in a plane: “Fasten … seatbelt when sit”.
3. … President Medvedev invited … Mikhalkovs to the Kremlin. It was an official meeting with … President. … President of Russia made a speech in honor of the family.
4. - ... Mr. Bean is waiting for you in the room, Sir.
   - Is he ... Mr Bean who was calling all ... day long yesterday?
   - No Sir.
5. My dream is a trip to … lake Baikal! … Baikal is the deepest and the most beautiful lake in the world!
6. The koala means “no water”. … koalas get liquid from eucalyptus leaves.
7. I always bring … chinaware for my mum as a present.
8. History class is in …room F.
9. – Why do you like … PE?
   – Because I like playing … basketball and we play it very often.
10. He is in…prison. … prison is a public building used to house convicted criminals. … prison where he is, is a modern one with a gym, a computer room and even an art centre.
11. … most teachers in Russia choose this profession because they have a call for teaching.
12. More and more people go to live in … town every year. Farming is not popular these days.
13. Have … fun! Don't think about … money.
14. –I think, I’ll take … ice-cream.
    – Ok. And I will have … juice. I don't like … ice-cream.
15. I remember … time when I was five. I was really happy.
16. When I looked out of the window I saw … three girls who weren’t at … school yesterday. They had … three new schoolbags.
17. When I lived in Sukhumi my favorite dish was … stewed lamb.
18. It is not your toy! It is … Mike's computer!
19. …twilight can be scaring for little children.
20. All … day long we were preparing for theexam.
21. It is ... summer now. It is … horribly hot summer. In spite of the fact that it is … late summer, the temperature is 30 degrees Celsius! We'll remember … summer of 2010, for sure! During … summer we drank liters of water every hour!
22. Children mustn't eat crisps for … breakfast every day! It's unhealthy. … breakfast they can buy in a canteen is nutritious and warm.
23. Nearly all the class has got … measles. Some children had … sore throat and … runny nose. So they've caught … cold.

1. Baby (noun in the address function).
2. Seatbelt (article omitted for brevity in ads).
3. President (the proper name is preceded by a word denoting the position (with a capital letter); the Mikhalkovs (the surname is plural, and denotes the whole family); the President (position without a proper name); the President of Russia (an article with a noun in a prepositional phrase c of, where the main word means post, title).
4. A Mr Bean (to give the meaning of "some"); the Mr Bean (individualizing definition); all day long (prepositional combination).
5. lake Baikal (the presence of the word lake); the Baikal (name of the lake).
6. Koalas (singular (the koala) used with a definite article in a generalized sense).
7. Chinaware (a collective noun denoting a group of objects).
8. Room F (literal noun).
9. PE (name of the school subject); basketball (name of the sport).
10. In prison (an activity related directly to the noun); a prison (generalizing concept); the prison (noun specified).
11. Most teachers (noun most meaning "majority").
12. city ​​(noun) town as opposed to the word country).
13. Fun, money (never used with the indefinite article, generic meaning).
14. An ice-cream (portion); juice (generalized sense); ice-cream (generalized sense).
15. The time (abstract noun, has an individualizing definition).
16. The three girls (noun specified); at school (noun, inseparable from the preposition); three new bags (descriptive definition).
17. Lamb (meat as a type of food).
18. Mike's computer (possessive).
19. Twilight (noun denoting the time of day; denoting darkness).
20. All day long (prepositional combination).
21. Summer (noun - the name of the season, is the nominal part of the compound predicate); a horribly hot summer (descriptive definition); late summer (with adjectives late and early); the summer of (individualizing definition); the summer (after the preposition during).
22. Breakfast (meal name); the breakfast (meal is individualized).
23. Measles (noun for disease, plural); a sore throat, a runny nose, a cold (a non-medical noun that refers to a disease).