Use of article with nouns of material
1. When they are used in a general sense, when a certain material is meant, no article is used.: Wine is made of grape.
2. When a definite part of the substance is meant, the definite article is used: He gulped down a glass of the cherry which Cornelius had finally brought. The meat was good and he was hungry (the noun is modified by a particularizing attribute or is made definite by the situation).
When an indefinite part of the substance is meant, some is used.
Use of article with abstract nouns
1. When they are used in a general sense, no article is used: While there is life there is hope.
2. When they are modified by a particularizing attribute or when the situation makes the idea definite, they are used with the definite article:Last night I heard Carmen and enjoyed the music.
3. The indefinite article is used with the nouns period, population, distance, height, salary followed by ‘of + numeral + noun’: He was out of the city for a period of ten days.
Special difficulties in the use of articles
A/AN |
ZERO ARTICLE |
THE |
|
a few a little |
to have breakfast (dinner, supper…) |
to be (not) true to fact |
the other day the rest of |
a lot of a great deal of a great number of |
to come to power to commit murder |
to be in debt to be in bed to be on holiday |
the day after tomorrow |
as a result as a rule |
to declare war on
|
|
the day before tomorrow |
at a distance |
to get (ask, give) permission |
to stay away from school |
the whole of London |
at a glance |
to go by tram |
to be expelled from school |
the whole city (class) |
80p a kilo 40km an hour |
to go by water |
to be on sick leave to be at fault |
the more the merrier |
in a panic in a passion |
to go to town (the capital or in the neighbourhood) |
to be in (alphabetical)n order |
the sooner the better |
in a low (loud) voice |
to go on board a plane (a ship) |
to be in good health (condition) |
in the morning in the afternoon |
in a wisper |
to go to sea |
to be (come) into fashion (out of fasion) |
in the evening in the day time in the past |
for a while on a large scale |
to go to school / college |
to be great fun |
in the present |
to be at a loss |
to keep house to pay attention to |
to be part of the plan (programme) |
in the plural in the singular |
to be in a hurry to be in a rage to commit a crime |
to lose heart to lose control (consciousness) |
to be in power |
on the whole on the eve of |
to have a good time |
to make use of |
to be at war (at peace) |
on the one hand / on the other hand |
to have an appetite |
to take somebody prisoner (hostage) |
|
out of the question |
to have a bite to have a bath |
to return from holiday |
to be (not) true to fact |
just the same |
to have a cold to have a sore throat |
to have measles, mumps, flu, blood pressure, hepatitis |
in company in fact in mind |
by the by by the way |
to have a drink to have a look |
to take place |
in public in trouble |
to keep the bed to keep the house |
to go for a walk |
to take part in |
in time |
to go to the club |
to have a headache (ear/toothache) |
to take notice of |
in translation |
to be on the safe side |
to have a lesson |
to take interest in |
|
to go to the cinema / the theatre / the supermarket / the /bank |
to have a mind to do smth |
to take care of to take to heart |
on Monday evening |
to spend the weekend in the country / in the mountain / at the seaside |
|
to take offence to take hold |
on board on deck |
to look somebody in the face (in the eyes) |
to have a rest to have a smoke |
to travel first (tourist, business, economy) lass |
on foot |
to play the piano |
to have a talk to have a walk |
according to /behind / ahead of plan /schedule |
from head to foot |
to read in the original |
|
at down |
out of doors |
to tell the time |
to fly into a passion |
at first |
side by side |
to tell the truth |
to take an interest in
|
at first sight |
for (at) dinner |
to come to the conclusion |
to take a seat |
at full speed (volume) |
for ages, hours by chance |
It’s a slip of the tongue |
to tell a lie |
at home |
by heart |
It’s a slip of the pen |
What a shame! |
at night |
by land by water |
It’s out of the question |
It’s a pity |
at present |
by mistake |
What’s the time? |
It’s pleasure |
at sunset |
by means of |
last time, month |
It’s a shame |
at table |
by name |
next day, year |
EX.5. Translate sentences:
Things done in a hurry are done badly.
He was at a loss what to say.
We can't skate today. There is a great deal of snow on the ice.
It's a shame not to know these things.
It's a pity you didn't go to the concert last time.
Don't speak in a low voice.
I've a great mind to have a serious talk with her.
As a result of the inhabitants efforts the damaged city was soon rebuilt.
Last night we went to an evening party and had a very good time.
She saw at a glance that something had happened.
It's a pleasure to read a beautiful poetry.
EX.6.Put in a, the or one only where necessary.
‘I think that’s all, Mrs Grany,’ Dr Gray said as she handed her 1_ list of prescriptions. 2_ list was long and Mrs Grant almost fainted as she tried to read it. She had 3_ headache and 4_ cold and felt as if she was getting 5_ flu. On top of this, one of her children was in bed with 6_ mumps. ‘I’ve prescribed some pills for 7 _ high blood pressure as well,’ Dr Gray said. ‘How many do I have to take – 8_ pill 9 _ day?’ ‘No, one pill with each meal. Three pills 10- day.’ Mrs Grant thanked 11_ doctor and walked out of her surgery with some difficulty. She staggered into the local chemist’s and handed 12 _ long prescription list to Mr Blunt, 13_ chemist. Mr Blunt greeted her cheerfully. ‘Good morning, Mrs Grant’, he said, glancing at 14_ list. ‘What a list! I trust you’re keeping well!”
As a rule no article is used before the noun following the verbs (to be, act, work as, appoint, run for) if the noun denotes a post held by one person only.
ex. He was running for Mayor. He was elected chairman. They made him headmaster. In Mr Taylor's absence Mr Brooks acted as manager..
The nouns following the rest of, some of, any of, none of, one of, many of, neither of, most of denote definite persons or things and are preceded by the definite article, the possessive pronoun, the demonstrative pronoun or another definite noun in the genitive case.
eg. |
You'll be sorry for it the rest of your life. Most of the tourists will arrive at Victoria Station. Some of his friends kept us company. Neither of her parents is in town. now. |
None of her relatives live here. None of these books are mine. Some of Fred's suggestions are worth considering. |
The established usage forbids to use an article before the names of holidays containing the word DAY.
eg. on the eve of / before / after NEW YEAR'S DAY, VICTORY DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY, THANKSGIVING DAY, ALL FOOLS' DAY, etc.
The noun REST is preceded by the definite article and followed by the preposition OF. THE REST OF can take a plural or singular verb, depending on the number of the noun that follows it.
eg. the rest of the books are …; the rest of the vacations is…;
Mind the adjective whole (the whole town / world) and the noun whole ( the whole of London)
The noun NUMBER with the definite article in of – phrase takes a singular verb.
eg. The number of educated people is growing.
When it is used with the indefinite article it takes a plural verb.
a number of = (a few, several)
a large / great number of = (many, a lot of)
eg. A number of books were bought last year.
A large / great (=quantity) number of new houses were built…
EX. 7. Fill in the gaps with the verb 'to be' in the singular or in the plural.
The rest of the proposals … adopted.
The rest of his life … uneventful.
John and Henry were playing, the rest of the boys … looking on.
The rest of the flour … in the larder.
The rest of the vegetables … not good to eat.
Ex. 8. Insert the missing articles and verbs.
… number of Congressmen elected to … US Congress from … each state … the state's population, … number of Senators … fixed: each state elects two Senators.
In … English language there … … number of 'dutch' expressions: Dutch courage, go Dutch, talk double Dutch, etc.
… great number of … England's outstanding people … buried at … Westminster Abbey.
… number of workers engaged in … commerce … growing.
There … a number of misprints in … text.
… number of exceptions … so great that the rule isn't helpful at all.
… great number of pictures … added to … collection … last year.
In … English language there … a great number of verbs converted from … nouns.
… number of applicants … increased.
… number of names … added later.
Note the following patterns which require the definite article (not the possessive pronoun):
to take / seize / hold / grip / pull somebody by the hand / arm / ear / hair / collar / sleeve;
to strike / hit somebody in (across) the face / on the chin / on the nose / on the jaw;
to pat somebody on the back / on the shoulder; to stab somebody in the back? in the chest;
to wound / shoot somebody in the back / in the arm / in the leg;
to look smb in the face / in the eyes.
MIND! It's a slip of the tongue. It's a slip of the pen.
Before nouns denoting social groups use the definite article:
the working people; the proletariat; the bourgeoisie; the aristocracy; the intellectuals;
No article is used before the noun society meaning 'social order', OPINION meaning 'views of a group', MANKIND meaning ' humanity':socialist, communist, capitalist, bourgeois, civilized, consumer society; public opinion, world public opinion; mankind, all mankind.
Note the absence of the article in the following fixed phrases: in public , in company, to be (not) true to fact; in fact; to be great fun, to be part of the plan / the programme / the task / the assignment / the (medical) treatment; to seize power /to come to power / to be in power; to take office; to hold office; to be in office; to declare war on somebody; to be at war (with somebody / something); to take somebody prisoner / hostage, to keep (hold) somebody prisoner / hostage; to take aim at somebody; to commit murder / suicide / control of somebody / something / oneself (but: lose one's temper, one' balance)
The noun in the of-phrase following the words KIND, TYPE, SORT, STYLE is mostly used without an article: this kind of person (s); that sort of thing (s); this type of film (s) – What kind of person is he? What kind of people are they?
The indefinite article follows the words: such, quite, rather, what – quite a fine day; rather a strong mind; what a mistake to make!
In patterns [an adjective + a noun] after the words how, so, too – how sad a story; so merry a company; too harsh a judgement;
after few, little, a few people (small number); a little time (some time); a number (many);
a series; a headquarters, a means