7. The use of articles with abstract nouns .

Abstract nouns fall into two large categories: count abstract nouns and non-count abstract nouns..

Count abstract nouns (e.g. answer, belief, doubt, effort, fact, idea, job, lie, opinion, plan, question, visit) can be used both in the singular and in the plural. The use of articles with count abstract nouns is practically the same as with concrete count (class) nouns:

You could have a very happy life with her.

He always has such brilliant ideas!

Non-count abstract nouns (e.g. anger, chemistry, impatience, jealousy, modesty, pride, relief, violence) are used in the singular only.

1. When non-count abstract nouns have generic reference they are used without any article. This is the case when a certain quality, state, action as such is meant:

Knowledge is power.

Abstract nouns with generic reference are often used in attributive and adverbial prepositional phrases after of, with, in:

A slight feeling of uneasiness came over him.

the tendency to use the noun in attributive and adverbial prepositional phrases without an article is so strong that even count nouns may have no article in these functions: a man of principle, a woman of feeling, a carpet of colour, etc.

Generally no article is used when the abstract noun is modified by a descriptive attribute:

His small clear voice was heavy with passionate

determination.

We find no article if the attribute qualifies the noun from the point of view of nationality and geography (English literature, French poetry, Russian painting, Moscow time), time (modern physics, contemporary art, ancient sculpture), degree and authenticity (great value, perfect surprise, sheer delight, complete xatisfaction, infinite fatigue, real importance, genuine sorrow):

Note the use of the definite article in combination with the limiting o/-phrase: the English literature of the 19th century, the French poetry of that period, etc.

2. Non-count abstract nouns can be used with the indefinite article when they are modified by descriptive attributes which bring out a special aspect of a quality, feeling, state, etc. expressed by the noun. This use of the indefinite article may be called aspective:

She looked several years younger and there was a new dignity about her.

Some grammarians point out that the use of the indefinit article in such cases seems to be optional and depends on th intention of the speaker to lay particular stress on the specia aspect(некий, какой-то) expressed by the attribute modifying the noun.

The indefinite article seems to be obligatory when the abstract noun is modified by the adjective certain, curious, peculiar or by a descriptive attributive clause:

You have a curious influence over me.

3. Abstract nouns in specific use take the definite article

Identification is based on (1) the linguistic context or (2) th situation of utterance.

(1) Linguistic context involves reference either backward or forwards.

• Reference backwards: identification is made by something

already said, i.e. by prior mention:

John laughed and the sound of the laugh was hard.

When the definite article is used anaphorically, the antecedent need not necessarily be a word (a noun, an adjective or a verb) of the same root with the abstract noun. The definiteness can be clear from the prior context as a whole:

A moment afterwards the lights suddenly went out. In the darkness we felt lost.

• Reference forwards: identification is made by something

about to be said.

This is the case when the abstract noun is modified by some limiting attribute in post-position. The definite article indicates that the abstract notion is used in a limiting sense: it denotes a particular instance of the notion expressed by the noun. The particularizing attribute can be presented in different ways: => by a limiting of-phrase:

I was wrapped in the security of childhood.

=> by a restrictive (particularizing) attributive clause: Ills apologetic laugh did not disguise the pleasure that he felt.

(2) Identification can result from the whole situation oЈ utterance:

'And how did you like the music?' she asked. 'The weather is changing for the better,' he said.

4. Some abstract nouns are never used with the indefinite

article: weather, money, news, work, luck, fun, and some others:

At first I found it difficult to understand English money.

That's hard luck. We hid his watch for fun.

Note that the noun work can be used with the indefinite article in the meaning of 'thing made, book or piece of literary or musical composition, literary or other product of, specimen of:

Miss Tray says the portrait was the best thing she had ever done. That means it was a really great work.

The rule applies also to the following nouns of verbal character denoting action or process: advice, applause, assistance, administration, guidance, information, permission, progress, recognition, research and some others: I'm not the man to give you advice.

5. Some syntactic structures affect the use of articles. Such nouns as pity, pleasure, comfort, relief, shame and some others generally tend to be non-count, but in certain constructions they are regularly used with the indefinite article:

• structures with formal it as subject

It's a shame to act like this. It's a pleasure to see you.

• structures with exclamatory what

What a pity! What a relief!