- •The Article Main Cases of the use of the Indefinite Article
- •The Article Main Cases of the use of the Definite Article
- •The Article We do not use an article before:
- •Use of articles with names of persons
- •Abstract nouns
- •The use of articles with geographical names
- •Special difficulties in the use of aricles
Abstract nouns
The Zero Article:
when the noun is used in a general sense: Knowledge is power. She teaches history at school.
when the noun is modified by an attribute in pre-position: English literature, Russian art, Soviet music.
BUT: The English literature of the XIX century.
The:
in its specifying meaning, when the noun:
is made definite by the situation: Yesterday I heard Carmen and enjoyed the music.
is modified by a limiting attribute: We study the history of the Middle Ages.
A/an:
when the noun is modified by a descriptive attribute, which makes the description more vivid (typical of literary style):
e.g. We are living a new life.
NOTE: when the attribute doesn’t bring out a special aspect of the notion, there’s no article at all. Such attributes may express degree (GREAT, ENDLESS, MAJOR); reference to time (MODERN, ETERNAL, DAILY, FINAL), nationality (ENGLISH), geography (MOSCOW, WORLD, LONDON), social characteristics (RELIGIOUS, BOURGEOIS), authenticity (REAL, GENUINE, SYMBOLIC).
It + is/was +pleasure, relief, comfort: It’s a pity
in exclamatory sentences: What a shame! (pity, disgrace)
when the noun denotes a certain kind of quality, feeling, state, etc.; usually preceded by an adjective: He received a very good education.
with the nouns “PERIOD, POPULATION, DISTANCE, HEIGHT, SALARY, etc.” followed by [of+numeral+noun]: He was out of the city for a period of 5 days.
NB: the following nouns never take the indefinite article:
● ADVICE, ADMIRATION, APPROVAL, APPLAUSE, PROGRESS, BREEDING, PERMISSION+ CHANGE, FUN, HEALTH, LUCK, MONEY, NATURE, NEWS, SPACE (OUTER), WEATHER
6). with “CERTAIN” and “PECULIAR”: The girl interrupted him with a certain impatience in her voice.
NB: some nouns may function as both countable and uncountable and there’s always difference in meaning: It was hard work. – It was a work of art.
Such nouns are:
silence (тишина – пауза)
decision (решимость – решение)
kindness (доброта – доброе дело)
experience (опыт – случай из жизни)
favour (милость – одолжение)
failure (неудача – неудачное дело, неудачник)
society (общество – организация, кружок)
nature (природа – натура, характер)
grammar (грамматика – учебник по грамматике)
observation (наблюдение – замечание)
The use of articles with geographical names
CITY GEOGRAPHY
names |
the |
-- |
Streets, squares, parks |
BUT! The Mail, the Strand, the High Street |
Tverskaya Street, Regent Street, Fifth Avenue, Manezh square, Gorky Park |
Theatres, concert halls, galleries, cinemas, hotels, palaces, restaurants, cafes, bars |
The Bolshoi Theatre, the Art Theater, the Hermitage, the National Gallery, the Kodak, the Continental, the Winter Palace |
BUT! Covent Garden, Grand Opera, Buckingham Palace |
Famous works of art, unique books |
The Great Pyramid, the Mona Liza, the Koran, the Bible |
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Airports, stations, bridges |
BUT! The Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs |
Heathrow Airport, Vnukovo, Victoria station, Taganskaya station, Tower bridge |
Schools, colleges, universities |
BUT! The Sorbonne |
Richmond Grammar school, Carnegie College, Oxford University, Moscow University |
Compare: London University — the University of London ( the official name) |
||
Churches, cathedrals |
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Trinity Church, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey |
Ships, yachts, famous trains |
The Magnolia, The Victoria, the Titanic |
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Political & state institutions, organizations, parties, historical events |
The senate, the State Duma, The Supreme Court, the Democratic Party, The Gulf War |
BUT! Parliament, Congress, Whitehall |
Newspapers, magazines, press |
The Times, The Observer, the Financial Times |
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Sport events |
The Olympic Games, the World Cup |
BUT! Wimbledon |
Music bands |
The Beatles, the Roling Stones, the Spice Girls (if the noun is used in plural) |
BUT! Queen, ABBA, Gorky Park |
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
names |
the |
-- |
Parts of the world, continents, countries, regions, cities, towns, villages |
|
Europe, Asia………………… Russia, Italy, England……………. East Asia, Northern Africa……….. Moscow, Rome London…………. |
Oceans, seas, channels, peninsulas, gulfs, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, cardinal points |
The Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the White Sea, the Gulf Stream, the Volga, the Baikal, the Niagara Falls, the north, the south, the east, the west |
BUT! Lake Baikal (if the name contains the word “lake”) Names of peninsulas & bays: Kola Compare: the Kola Peninsula |
Mountain chains, mountain passes, the groups of islands |
The Urals, the Alps, the British Isles, the Kurilas |
BUT! Mountain picks & separate islands: Cuba, Elbrus |
Deserts |
The Gobi, the Sahara Desert, the Karakum |
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