Articles without context

[FiodorKorzh]

Hello! Could someone please help me a bit, as I just can’t get it by myself.
I prepare to take IELTS soon, but I still have some issues related to articles. I use various online-checkers to correct my writing and there are some mistakes that are still unclear. Here they are:

Certain individuals believe that physical appearance of a human being can provide enough information to guess personal cultural background or traits of this individual.

Do I really need to articles before
physical appearance → the physical appearance
and before
cultural background → the cultural background

Online correctors say yes, I should, but they are not particular; they are just random definitions. I mean, that physical appearance of some random person and, therefore, no article. The same goes for the second phrase. We know that this cultural background belongs to some person, but again, this is unclear.

Can you point please, where is the mistake in my logic?

 

[Tarheel]

,Hello! Could someone please help me a bit, as I just can’t get it by myself?
I am preparing to take the IELTS soon, but I still have some issues related to articles. I use various online-checkers to correct my writing and there are some things that are still unclear. Here they are:

Certain individuals believe that physical appearance of a human being can provide enough information to guess personal cultural background or traits of this individual.

Do I really need to articles before
physical appearance → the physical appearance
and before
cultural background → the cultural background

Online correctors say yes, I should, but they are not particular; they are just random definitions. I mean, that physical appearance of some random person and, therefore, no article. The same goes for the second phrase. We know that this cultural background belongs to some person, but again, this is unclear.

Can you point please, where is the mistake in my logic?

I would use the article (the) in the places indicated.

People don't like it when I point out the mistakes in their logic.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, you should use definite articles in both cases.

Over twenty years' experience of trying to explain articles to Russian speakers tells me that the main issue in your lack of understanding about the use of the word the relates to how you understand specification (what you mean when you use the words 'particular' and 'random'). Don't worry—you're not alone here. With some careful searching of this forum, you'll find many other threads by Russian-speaking members asking the same basic question.