Use no article with plural and uncountable nouns when you talk about things in general: Cats are independent. Water is essential. I love music. Also with most names of people, cities and countries, and in many fixed phrases: go to bed, by car, at work.
Cats are independent.
No spotlight: you mean the whole category, not particular ones.
| Singular countable | No: a cat, the cat, my cat (never just cat) |
|---|---|
| Plural | Yes, in general: Cats are independent. |
| Uncountable | Yes, in general: Water is essential. |
A singular countable noun almost never stands alone. If you're not sure, it needs a, the, my, this or another word in front of it.
Dogs need a lot of exercise.
All dogs, as a category. Not particular dogs.
Coffee keeps me awake.
Substances, materials and ideas in general: water, money, information, love.
Maria lives in Cluj, in Romania.
People, cities, most countries, continents, single mountains and lakes. Some places do take the: see place names.
She's at work. I go to bed at 11. We came by car.
Places in their usual role (school, work, bed), transport with by, meals, languages and sports.
Common expressions worth learning as they are.
_____ are cheaper online.
A, the or nothing: every rule on one page.
Paste an email or an essay. Clarigram marks the mistakes you actually make, shows the rule behind each one as a picture, and builds your practice from them.
Without the, it's the usual activity: I go to school (as a student). With the, it's the building: I went to the school to talk to the teacher. The same works for church, prison and, in British English, hospital and university.
Rarely: in fixed phrases (by car, at night, go to bed), with names, and in headlines and notes. In normal sentences, a singular countable noun needs a word in front of it.