Article Olga Melnik
General notion • The indefinite from the Old English numeral an (one). The object is presented as belonging to a class. • The definite article from the Old English demonstra tive pronoun se. Shows that a particular object is meant. • Zero article with class nouns in the plural, with abstract nouns and nouns of material. It shows that the nouns are used in a general sense. • Some has the meaning of ‘several’ with class nouns and ‘a little’ with nouns of material. It is hardly ever translated into Russian
• Common Nouns. CLASS NOUNS Indefinite article 1) the object is presented as be longing to a certain class. (‘какой нибудь, ‘некий’): She has a watch of her own. In the plural: “I have brought you some flowers. . . ” “I hate to wear flowers. ” (Voynich) 2) with a predicative noun: Miss Sharp’s father was an artist. (Thackeray) “Oh, what an agreeable man he is!” (Dickens) plural: They are good children, no doubt. (E. Вrоntё) • Note: after as no article is possible: She was engaged as governess. 3) in a general sense (‘every’): A drowning man catches at a straw. Plural: Real friends should have everything in common. (Wilde) 4) the meaning of ‘one’: A stitch in time saves nine. • • A) nouns denoting time, measure and weight: A week or two passed. (Ch. Bronte) • With nouns in the plural some is used: Oliver’s sobs checked his utterance for some minutes. (Dickens) B) the numerals hundred, thousand, million and the nouns dozen, score: He seems to have half a dozen languages at his finger tips. (Voynich)
the definite article with class nouns 1) When an object is singled out : a) no special indication is necessary: How did you like the play? b) an attribute pointing out a particular object: This is the house that Jack built. c) when the situation itself makes the object definite: The wedding looked dismal. The bride was too old and the bridegroom was too young. (Dickens) 2) When the noun denotes a thing unique (the sun, the moon, the universe) or a class: The sun was getting warmer. (Abrahams) • Note: when we mean a certain aspect or state: A pearl white moon smiles through the green trees. (Ch. Bronte) 3) With nouns used in a generic sense: The telephone was invented in the 19 th century. • Note the word man: Silas felt that his trust in man had been cruelly destroyed. (Eliot) • But! He had always been interested, in that mysterious being — the woman. (Bennett). Woman is man’s helpmate. • Do not confuse with a general sense: A detective story helps to while away the time. (Every or any) • Conan Doyle is a master of the detective story. (the whole class)
ADDITIONAL NOTES 1) with adjectives in the superlative degree: Miss Tox had the softest voice that ever was heard. (Dickens) 2) with word groups with some, many, none, most +of: Most of the gentlemen looked both angry and uncomfortable. (Voynich) 3) same, wrong (не тот), right (тот), very (именно тот, тот самый): I do wish we had not opened the door of the wrong room. (Je rome ) 4) with substantivized adjectives and participles: Only the simple and the humble were abroad at that early hour. (Bennett)
NOUNS OF MATERIAL 1) no article – when used in a general sense, when a certain material as such is meant, is used: Honey is wholesome. 2) the definite article when a definite part of the substance is meant: The meat was good and White Fang was hungry. (London) 3) When an indefinite part of the substance is meant, some is used: We took some bread and cheese with us, and got some goats milk up there on the pasture. (Voynich)
Abstract nouns 1) in a general sense, no article is used: While there is life there is hope. 2) modified by a particularizing attribute or when the situation makes the idea definite with the definite article: Last night I heard Carmen and enjoyed the music. • Note 1. in pre position without articles: English literature, Russian art, Spanish music. • Note 2. weather is never used with the indefinite article: What fine weather! • in a general sense the definite article: There are people who say that the weather can influence people’s mood. (Bennett) 3) with the indefinite article the abstract noun denotes a certain kind (оттенок) of a quality, feeling, state, etc. The noun nearly always has a descriptive attribute: How clever you are, Mr. Hopper. You have a cleverness quite of your own. (Wilde) 4) the indefinite article is used with the nouns period, population, distance, height, salary etc. followed by of + numeral + noun: Simpson was out of the city for a period of ten days. (Dreiser)
Proper Nouns Names of people • • • 1. Names of people are used without articles: Sarie looked at Lanny and Celia. (Abrahams) • 4. modified by a particularizing attribute the definite article: You’re not the Andrew Manson I married. (Cronin) • • 2. the whole family the definite article: The Dashwoods were now settled at Berton. (Austen) 3. a representative of a family the indefinite article: Florence will never, never be a Dombey, ” said Mrs. Chick. (Dickens) 5. used as common nouns take the article accord ing to the general rule: Swithin smiled and nodding at Bosinney said: “Why, you are quite a Monte Cristo. ” (Galsworthy) 6. ranks and titles do not take the article: Colonel Brown, Doctor Strong. 7. professions the definite article: The painter Gainsborough has left many fine pictures. 8. relationship – no article: Aunt Polly, Uncle James. 9. relationship without names: nurse, cook, baby do not take the article when used by members of the family: “I’d like to see Mother, ” said Emily. (Galsworthy) But if other people’s relations are meant, the article is used: The son is as clever as the father.
Geographical names 1. Usually without articles: England, France, Moscow, London; North America, Latin America, Central Asia. Note. The names of the following towns, countries and provinces are used with the definite article: the Hague, the Netherlands, the West Indies, the Ruhr, the Riviera, the Crimea, the Ukraine, the Caucasus, the Congo. The Lebanon is generally used with the definite article, occasionally without the article. Note. The word groups including nouns like republic, union, kingdom, states are always used with the definite article: the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland. 2. modified by a particularizing attribute are used with the definite article: The Philadelphia into which Frank Algernon Cowperwood was born was a city of two hundred and fifty thousand more. (Dreiser) 3. With names of oceans, seas, rivers the definite article is used: the Pacific Ocean (the Pacific), the Black Sea, the Thames, the Ohio River. • Note: Lake Ontario, the Ontario. 4. mountain chains the definite article: the Urals, the Alps. mountain peaks no article: Elbrus, Everest. 5. groups of islands the definite article: the Hebrides, the Bermudas; names of single islands no article: Madagascar. 6. Names of streets and squares are used without articles: Oxford Street, Wall Street, Trafalgar Square, Russell Square. • Exceptions: the High Street, the Strand, the Mall.
Names of hotels, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, museums, ships and newspapers • used with the definite article: The three men came to the turning at the corner of the Grosvenor Hotel. (Hichens) • Note. Some shops, restaurants, hotels, banks, etc. are named after the people who started them. These names end in s or ’s. The definite article is not used with such names. • Shops: Selfridges, Harrods • Hotels: Claridge’s • Restaurants: Maxim’s, Macdonalds • Names of cardinal points the definite article is used: the North, the South, the West, the East. • Note. Expressions: from East to West, from North to South no article.
• • • Set Expressions with the Indefinite Article in a hurry — второпях • to have a mind to do something (a great • mind, a good mind) — иметь желание что либо сделать, быть склонным что • либо сде ать л • to fly into a passion — прийти в бешенство • to get in a fury (in a rage) — прийти в • ярость • to take a fancy to (chiefly with names of living beings) — проник уться н • симпатией, почувствовать расположение in a low (loud) voice — тихо (громко) • a great many (with countables) — много a great/good deal (with uncountables) — много it is a pity — жаль it is a shame — стыдно; жаль it is a pleasure — приятно as a result — в результате to have a good time — хорошо провести время to be at a loss — быть в недоумении She was at a loss what to say. at a glance — сразу, с первого взгляда
Set expressions with the definite article • • • it is out of the question — об этом не может • быть и речи • to take the trouble to do something — • потрудиться in the original — в оригинале to play the piano (the violin, the harp) — играть на рояле (скрипке, арфе) at the end of the day — в конце концов at the beginning — вначале • • on the whole — в целом the other day (refers to the past) — на днях on the one hand. . . on the other hand — с одной стороны. . . с другой стороны to tell (to speak) the truth — говорить правду; to tell the truth — по правде говоря to be on the safe side — для верности
Set expressions with the zero article • • • out of doors — на дворе, на улице, вне дома to take to heart — принимать близко к сердцу to take offence — обижаться to give (to get, to ask) permission — дать (получить, просить) разрешение to lose heart — терять мужество, приходить в уныние at present — в настоящее время • • from morning till night — с утра до вечера • from head to foot — с головы до ног • from beginning to end — с начала до конца • at first sight — с первого взгляда • by chance — случайно • by mistake — по ошибке for hours — часами for ages — целую вечность by land, by air, by sea — сушей, по воздуху, морем to go to sea — стать моряком to keep house — вести хозяйство at sunrise — на рассвете at sunset — на закате at work — за работой at peace — в мире by name — по имени in debt — в долгу in translation — в переводе
Special Difficulties: day, night, morning, evening. • • without articles: • • • in the expressions by day, at night, from morning till night. • • if day and morning mean ‘light’, and night and evening mean ‘darkness’, or if they denote a certain part of the day: Day is meant for work, night for sleep. The definite article When modified by a particularizing attribute or when the situation makes them definite: He will never forget the day when he met her. The night was warm and beautifully still. (Voynich) The indefinite article when modified by a de scriptive attribute: I spent a sleepless night. Note: w. The use of articles with names of seasons. Names of seasons are used without articles if they show a certain time of the year. It was spring. I like spring. The definite article is used when these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute or when the situation makes them definite. hen modified by early and late no articles: It was early morning when the train pulled into the little siding. (Abrahams)
names of seasons • without articles if they show a certain time of the year: It was spring. • The definite article when the situation makes them definite: The spring was cold and rainy. • The indefinite article when modified by a descriptive attribute: It was a cold spring. • Note: early or late no articles are used: It was early spring.
school, college, university, bed, prison, jail, church • without an article when they ex press the purpose • When these nouns denote concrete objects the articles are used according to the general principle. • to go to school to be a schoolboy (girl); to go to the school — not as a pupil (the building is meant) • to leave school — to finish or drop one’s studies; to leave the school — to leave the building • Bed. to go to bed — ложиться спатьto be in bed — лежать в постели • • • to be in the bed; to be on the bed an article of furniture is meant Prison, jail. to be in prison (in jail) — to be a prisoner to be sent to prison not a as prisoner (the building is meant): to be in the prison to go to the prison
town • • • with prepositions does not take an article: when we mean the nearest town (if we live in the country) or the town we live in. You cannot go to town tomorrow. (Austen) when the noun town is opposed to the noun country. Otherwise the noun town is used with the definite or indefinite article. I want to go to the town where I was born.
Names of meals • • • are used without articles: When did you have dinner? The definite article is used when the situation makes them definite: The dinner we had today was very substantial. The indefinite article with a descriptive attribute. After a hearty breakfast the four gentlemen sallied forth to walk to Gravesend. (Dickens)
Nouns Modified by Certain Adjectives, Pronouns and Numerals • • • Most =very, exceedingly: Caroline found that the old maid had been a most devoted daugh ter and sister. (Ch. Bronte) Most of the flowers in the garden were planted by the school children. Little means ‘мало’. A little means ‘некоторое количество’. The little means ‘то небольшое количество (которое)’. Two means ‘два’. The two means ‘оба, те два’. The second ‘второй’. A second means ‘another, one more’. In the third, a third, the fourth, a fourth etc. we see the same differ ence in meaning. Another (а) ‘какой либо другой’. (в) ‘еще один’. The other means ‘определенный другой’. Next means ‘будущий’. The next means ‘следующий’ A number of means много, ряд. The number means ‘число, количество’.