Articles

They are determiners, i.e. they modify nouns:

• articles

• demonstrative pronouns (this, that etc)

• the conjoint forms of possessive pronouns (his, my)

• the pronouns “which, whose, some, any, no (n)either, enough, most, more, much”

Only one determiner.

Forms of articles

		stressed	unstressed
definite	the	[ði:]	[ðә]/[ðī]
indefinite	a	[eī]	[ә]
	an	[æn]	[әn]

Functions

• morphologic: serves as a formal indicator of a noun/noun phrase/substantivised adjective (the rich, the poor, the strong, the literate)/ substantivised participle (the injured)/pronoun (You’re the one; It was a he);

• syntactic

1. separates the noun phrase from the other parts of the sentence;

2. connects sentences in the text;

   • communicative

1. “a” introduces new info (rheme);

2. “the” introduces info already known (theme).

Meanings of the indefinite article

1. nominating: the article serves to denote the kind of thing we’re talking about.

She took a book from the shelf.

2. classifying: the article serves to refer an object to the class or group of objects of the same kind.

He is a teacher. I’ve read a (very interesting) novel by a modern writer.

3. generalizing: the article implies that the object is a typical representative of a class, and therefore anything is said about it refers to any object of the same kind.

A complex sentence has two or more clauses.

(often in proverbs) A friend in need…

4. numeric: the article retains its original meaning one:

I won’t say a word.

Meanings of the definite article

The speaker presents an object as known to the listener (from general knowledge, the situation, the context).

1. specifying: the article serves to single out an object or a group of objects from all other objects of the same kind.

The specifying can be carried out by means of:

1. a restrictive attribute (can be a clause, a prepositional phrase, a participial phrase; often in postposition)

This is the man we’re looking for.

+ the very

right

left

wrong

only

one

opposite

last

next

same

ordinal numerals

Exceptions: a second, a third = one more; an only child.

2. the preceding context

3. the situation

Go to the kitchen. I liked the acting.

4. the meaning of the noun: the so-called unique objects

the sun

the moon

the earth

the sea

the world

the universe

the horizon

the south etc

Exceptions: outer space

But: if some aspect or phase of the object is meant (or the word is used figuratively, or if it is the rheme of the sentence) → “a”

We saw a full moon. The holiday did us a world of good.

2. generic: the article refers the noun to the whole class of objects of the same kind.

The lion is the king of animals.

Sometimes either the generic “the” or the generic “a” may be used. But:

“The” – the whole class

“A” – a typical representative

The/A horse is a domestic animal.

Plural nouns in this case have no article.

Note: The noun “man” has no article in its generic meaning, while the noun “woman” can have either no article or the definite article.