The Use of Articles with Proper Nouns

1. Names of persons are used without articles.

Ex.: Sarie looked at Lanny and Celia. (Abrahams)

2. Names denoting the whole family are used with the definite article.

Ex.: The Dashwoods were now settled at Berton. (Austen)

3. When names of persons are used to denote a representative of a family, the indefinite article is used.

Ex.: ‘Florence will never, never, never be a Dombey ’ said Mrs. Chick

4. Names of persons modified by a particularizing attribute are used with the definite article.

Ex.: You are not the Andrew Manson I married. (Cronin)

5. Names of persons used as common nouns take the article according to the general rule on the use of articles.

Ex.: Swithin smiled and nodding at Bossinney said. ‘Why, you are quite a Monte Cristo.’(Galsworthy)

6. Nouns denoting military ranks and titles such as professor, doctor, lord, colonel

etc. followed by names of persons do not take the article. In such cases only the proper noun is stressed: Colonel Brown, Doctor Strong.

Common nouns denoting professions followed by names of persons are generally used with the definite article. In this case both nouns are stressed.

Ex.: The painter Gainsborough has left many fine pictures.

7. Nouns expressing relationship followed by names of persons do not take the article. Aunt Polly, Uncle James.

Nouns expressing relationship followed by a proper noun and the nouns nurse, cook, baby do not take the article when used by members of the family.

Ex.: ’I’d like to see Mother,’ said Emily. (Galsworthy)

If other people’s relations are meant, the article is used.

Ex.: The son is as clever as the father.

8. The use of articles modified by adjectives is varied.

In most cases no article is used with names of persons modified by the adjectives old, young, poor, dear, little, honest, lazy.

Ex.: …she is the widow of poor Giovanni Bolla…(Voynich)

When modified by other adjectives and participles names of persons take the definite article.

Ex.: The astonished Tom could not say a word.

9. Names of persons modified by the adjective certain are used with the indefinite article.

Ex.: I heard it from a certain Mr. Brown.

Geographical Names

1. Geographical names like all the other proper nouns are used without articles:

Ex.: England, Moscow, France

The same holds good when a geographical name is modified by an attribute in pre-position: Soviet Russia, Central Asia, North America.

The group words the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation, the United States are always used with the definite article.

2. Geographical names modified by a particularizing attribute are used with the definite article.

Ex.: The Philadelphia into which Frank Cowperwood was born was a city of two hundred and fifty thousand and more. (Dreiser)

3. With names of oceans, seas, rivers, the definite article is used: The Pacific Ocean (the Pacific), the Thames, the Ohio River.

4. Names of lakes do not take the article if the word lake is used, which is nearly the case; if it is not mentioned we find the definite article: Lake Ontario,

the Ontario.

5. With names of mountain chains the definite article is used: the Urals, the Alps.

But with names of mountain peaks no article is used: Elbrus, Everest.

6. With names of groups of islands the definite article is used: the Bermudas

With names of single islands the definite article is used: Madagascar

7. The names of the following towns, countries and provinces: the West Indies, the Ruhr, the Hague, the Netherlands, the Crimea, the Ukraine, the Caucasus, the Congo, (the) Lebanon.

8. Names of streets and squares are used without articles: Oxford Street, Wall Street, Red Square, Trafalgar Square.

There are few exceptions: the High Street, the Strand.

Names of hotels, ships, newspapers and magazines.

Names of hotels, ships, newspapers and magazines are used with the definite article: The Titanic, the Sunday Mail, the Independent.

Names of cardinal points.

With names of cardinal points the definite article is used:

the North, the South, the West, the East. In the expressions from East to West, from North to South no article is used.

Names of months and days

As a rule names of months and days are used without articles.

Ex.: May is a spring day.

Ex.: My day off is Friday.

When these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute the definite article is used.

Ex.: The May of 1949 will always rest in my memory.

Names of days are used with the indefinite article when we mean one of many Mondays, Fridays, etc.

Ex.: Robinson Crusoe found his servant on a Friday.

The Use оf Articles with Nouns Modified by Proper Nouns.

If а noun is modified by а proper noun in the genitive case no article is used.

Ex.: I met Robert's father.

А noun modified by а proper noun in the common case is used with the definite article.

Ex.: Last summer I visited the Tretyakov Gаllеrу. .

The Use of Articles with Nouns in some Set Expressions

The Use of the Indefinite Article with Nouns in Set Expressions.

1. in a hurry - второпях

2. to have а mind to do something (а great mind, а good mind) - иметь желание что-либо сделать, быть склонным что-либо сделать.

3. to fly into a passion - прийти в бешенство.

4. to get in а fury (а rage)- прийти в ярость

5. to take а fancy to (chiefly with names of living beings) проникнуться симпатией, почувствовать расположение

6. in a low (loud) voice – тихо(громко)

7. а great manу (with countables) - много

8. а great deal (with uncountables) -много

9. it is а pity - жаль

10. it is a shame- стыдно

11. it is а pleasure - приятно.

12. as a result -в результате

13: to have а good time –хорошо провести время .

14. to be at а loss -быть в недоумении

15. at а glance - сразу, с первого взгляда

The Use of the Definite Article with Nouns in Set Expressions.

1. it is out of the question –об этом не может быть и речи

2. to take the trouble to do something- потрудиться

3. in the original-в оригинале

4. to play the piano (the violin, the harp)- играть на рояле, скрипке

5. to keep the house- сидеть дома

6. to keep the bed- соблюдать постельный режим

7. on the whole- в целом

8. the other day (refers to the past)- на днях

9. on the one hand… on the other hand- с одной стороны, с другой стороны

10. to tell (to speak) the truth-говорить правду

11. to be on the safe side- для верности

Nouns in Set Expressions Used without an Article.

1. out of doors- на улице

2. to take to heart- принимать близко к сердцу

3. to take offence - обижаться

4. to give(to get, to ask,) permission- дать, получить, спросить разрешение

5. to lose heart- терять мужество

6. at present- в настоящее время

7. from morning till night- с утра до вечера

8. from head(top) to foot (toe)- с головы до ног

9. from beginning to end – с начала до конца

10. at first sight- с первого взгляда

11. by chance- случайно

12. by mistake- по ошибке

13. for hours - часами

14. for ages – целую вечность

15. by land, by air, by sea- сушей, по воздуху, морем

16. to go to sea- стать моряком

17. on deck- на палубе

18. to keep house – вести хозяйство

19. at sunrise –на рассвете

20. at sunset- на закате

21. at work – за работой

22. at peace – в мире

23. by name- по имени

24. in debt-в долгу