The use of articles is complicated, because it depends on three different things.
· First of all, makes a difference what kind of noun we are using. Articles are not used in the same way with singular countable nouns (like cat, bridge), with plural countable nouns (like cats, bridges), and with uncountable nouns (like water, rice)
· Secondly we use articles in one way if we are talking about thing in general such as Englishmen or the guitar, and we use them in a different way when we are talking about particular example of these things (for example an Englishman, or a guitar we want to buy.
· Thirdly, when we are talking about particular example, it depends whether these are definite or indefinite. If they are definite our hearer or reader knows which one we mean, we normally use the. If we are talking about indefinite things (which our hearer doesn’t know anything about), we use articles differently /am some, or no article).
Remember when we use an article with aplural or unountable noun, the meanin is not general, but particular.
Carrots are my favourite vegetable.
I love music, poetry and art.
He likes cars, girls, food and drink
From Michael Swan Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press. 1980