No Article — Places, Transport, and Fixed Phrases
Practice the many contexts requiring no article: continents, single-name countries and mountains, cities and streets, lakes named 'Lake', 'by + transport', and fixed expressions like 'at noon', 'in bed' and 'next week'.
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She has lived in ___ London for over ten years.
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City names take no article — just 'London'.
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They are travelling across ___ Africa next year.
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Continents take no article — just 'Africa'.
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___ Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
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Single mountains take no article — just 'Everest'.
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We're going on holiday ___ next week.
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'Next week / last week' take no article.
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She travels to the office by ___ train every day.
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'By + transport' takes no article — by train, by car, by bus.
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He was born in ___ France but grew up in Italy.
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Most country names take no article — just 'France'.
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He stayed in ___ bed all morning with a bad cold.
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'In bed' (resting) takes no article.
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From our hotel window we could see ___ Mont Blanc.
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Single mountains take no article, even with 'Mont' or 'Mount'.
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When the weather is good, we travel by ___ bicycle.
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'By + transport' takes no article — by bicycle, by bus.
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We spent a relaxing weekend by ___ Lake Geneva.
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Lakes with the word 'Lake' take no article — Lake Geneva, Lake Como.
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She leaves for ___ work at eight o'clock every morning.
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'Go to work' / 'leave for work' take no article.
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Let's stop and have lunch at ___ noon.
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'At noon', 'at midnight', and 'at night' take no article.
No Article: Self-Identifying Names and Fixed Expressions
Zero article — using neither a/an nor the — applies to two very different kinds of noun. The first is proper names that are already maximally specific on their own: cities, streets, continents, single-name countries, and individual mountains do not need a determiner because the name itself identifies exactly one thing. London, Oxford Street, Africa, France, and Everest all take no article. The second is a set of fixed idiomatic phrases where a noun is treated as a method, activity, or category rather than a specific object: by train treats the train as a mode of travel, at noon treats noon as a fixed point in the day, and in bed treats bed as an activity (resting), not a piece of furniture. Both groups reject the article for the same underlying reason — the noun needs no further narrowing to be understood.
Proper Names That Take No Article
They are travelling across Africa next year. (continent)
He was born in France but grew up in Italy. (single-name country)
From our hotel window we could see Mont Blanc. (individual mountain)
We spent a relaxing weekend by Lake Geneva. (lake named 'Lake')
Their new office is on Oxford Street. (street name)
By + Transport: The Vehicle as a Method
When 'by' introduces a means of transport, no article is used, because the vehicle is treated as a category of travel rather than a specific object.
When the weather is good, we travel by bicycle.
Fixed Time and Institutional Phrases
A group of nouns lose the article in specific idiomatic expressions describing a purpose, a time point, or a habitual activity rather than a physical object.
Let's stop and have lunch at noon. (fixed time point)
He stayed in bed all morning with a bad cold. (resting, not the furniture)
She leaves for work at eight o'clock every morning. (fixed institutional phrase)
Common Mistakes
✗ They are travelling across the Africa next year. → ✓ They are travelling across Africa next year.
✗ She travels to the office by the train every day. → ✓ She travels to the office by train every day.
✗ We spent a weekend by the Lake Geneva. → ✓ We spent a weekend by Lake Geneva.
✗ He stayed in the bed all morning. → ✓ He stayed in bed all morning.
Last updated: · Satori Editorial