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Файл:English Articles in Use. Артикли. Объяснение, употребление, тренинг
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CHAPTER 1
He decided to re-read the play the next day after he had
thought about it for twenty-four hours.
If the adjectives last and next are followed by the cardinal
numeral the article should be defi nite:
Find out what happened to my daughter in the last six
months.
Note 5. The adjective only is a descriptive attribute and is
used with the indefi nite article before nouns child, son, daugh-
ter.
Are you an only child?
He was an only son of wealthy parents and so heir to everything.
Note 6. Adjective pronouns all and whole are considered descriptive attributes. Consequently, the choice of the article depends fully on the context. Thus whole in the meaning of «один»
is combined with the indefi nite article but in the meaning of «весь
целиком» — with the defi nite article.
The wedding feast lasted a whole week (одну неделю).
We spent the whole evening playing chess (целый вечер).
Adjectives proper, previous, usual, opposite, necessary,
lower, upper, so-called, adjacent, alleged etc. may be both
limiting and descriptive attributes, though the latter is less frequent.
But all the previous criticism of her conduct was as nothing
compared with the buzz of gossip that now went through the town.
These are just the usual papers.
Sometimes the adjective is postpositional to the noun and in
this case serves a limiting attribute to it. Postposition is typical
of such adjectives as absent, present, proper, and also of some
participles: involved, concerned, etc.
Note 7. Memorize the following set phrases with postpositional
adjectives. Consider the use of the zero article with the noun:
president elect, heir apparent, postmaster general, attorney general, envoy extraordinary, notary public, princess royal, etc.
1.2.3. Attributes expressed by the pronoun other
The noun in the singular or in the plural form can be modifi ed
by the pronoun other. The defi nite article is used in the following cases:
1) when two similar objects are juxtaposed:
11
CHAPTER 1
My house is on the other side of the street.
Have you seen the other glove of mine?
2) when two groups of similar objects are juxtaposed. In this
case the combination «other + the noun» has the meaning «the
rest, the remaining» (все остальные). If the speaker, however,
is not sure whether all the remaining objects are meant the zero
article is used.
When I came home only two of my friends were there. The oth-
er guests had already left.
Some people like plain chocolate, other people prefer bon-
bons.
The indefi nite article is spelt as one word with the pronoun
other and has the following meanings:
different from the one meant (другой):
The dress is too tight on you, try another one.
You are too good a specialist for this job. You should fi nd an-
other one.
one more of the same kind, additional (еще один):
Would you have another drink?
I waited for another moment and then clapped the door
open.
Note 1. The same rule works when other is used as a noun
pronoun.
She has two sons: one goes to school and the other is still a
baby.
If this pen won’t write, try another.
That may be your opinion but the others think differently.
You should consider their point of view.
Some people were sure he had died, others thought that he
had left the country.
1.2.4. Attributes expressed by numerals
Cardinal numerals are always descriptive attributes and thus
the noun is used with the zero article.
Two boys came running along the street.
She put three spoonfuls of sugar into a second cup of tea.
The use of the defi nite article in such word combinations de-
pends solely on the context, namely on the fact if the object is
already mentioned or if it has a limiting attribute.
Everything they had done in the three weeks since they had
come back brought him disappointment only.
12
CHAPTER 1
She lay awake watching the two girls chatting to each other
in lowered voices.
For the fi rst two days of the fi ve, she was in a state of shock.
Ordinal numerals are usually limiting attributes.
For the fi rst time I saw him uncertain and worried.
But on the fi fth day he took the car to the third fl oor, stepped
out and never came back.
Note 1. The noun is used with the zero article when the ordinal numeral follows it:
He put volume one of the novel back into the bookcase.
Turn to page sixty-two to check your results.
The meeting is held in Room four.
Note 2. The ordinal numeral in the meaning «one more»,
«another» requires the indefi nite article:
He knew he should have a third try.
He had to look a second time to be sure that she was not in
truth a shadow.
Note 3. Memorize the following set phrases: a fi rst night, a
fi rst (second, third) prize, a second breath, a fi fth wheel.
Has it slipped your memory that I’ve got a fi rst night to-
night?
Everyone seemed to have a specifi c role except me. I felt like a
fi fth wheel.
Most idiomatic expressions of adverbial character are used
with the zero article: (at) fi rst hand, at fi rst sight, on second
thought, second to none, in seventh heaven, etc.
1.2.5. Attributes expressed by nouns in the
common case
Attributes expressed by nouns in the common case are usually descriptive and thus the indefi nite article is required.
There was a telephone line running along the road.
He leaned the sacks one on each side of a tree trunk.
How much do you pay for a music lesson?
The use of the defi nite article is generally due to the context.
Sometimes it is affected by the semantics of the noun which is a
proper name.
He called the observation post but no one answered.
13
CHAPTER 1
He came up the street bank by the Dawson barracks with
shivering heart and shaking knees.
«He might have been given the Nobel Prize at one time», the
man in the taxi thought.
1.2.6. Attributes expressed by nouns in the
possessive case
If the attribute is expressed by the noun in the possessive case
the choice of the article usually depends on this noun. When it
signifi es «belonging» the noun in the possessive case always precedes other modifi ers to the head noun.
The article with the noun in the possessive case (N’n) performs the following functions:
1) specifying function. In this case the article refers to a particular person or object and is used according to the general rules.
The woman wanted to know what Basil thought of the boy’s
character.
The greenish yellow of the sun’s last light still lingered in the
west.
Note 1. The zero article is used when the noun in the posses-
sive case is a proper name or a substantivized adverb.
Aunt Pitty’s apprehensions quieted when she saw that Rhett
was on his best behaviour.
I haven’t read today’s newspapers yet.
2) classifying or generic function. In this case the article refers
to a whole class of similar objects and may be both defi nite
(generic meaning) and indefi nite (classifying meaning).
It’s beneath a man’s dignity to listen and give importance to
rumours.
He would abandon a hero’s or a martyr’s end gladly.
He justly said no one knew better than he the hardship of the
author’s trade.
He began to experience the almost forgotten feeling that has-
tens the lover’s feet.
In certain cases the article refers to the head noun (N’n) and
the noun in the possessive case serves as a descriptive attribute
to it. The indefi nite article is used with the head noun in the singular form, while the zero article precedes the noun in the plural
form or the uncountable noun.
They found on the dressing-table an unpaid dressmaker’s
bill.
14
CHAPTER 1
She was ashamed to ask the girl to do servant’s work.
I suppose two fi fteen minutes’ breaks will be enough.
1.2.7. Attributes expressed by participles
The attribute may be expressed by the present or the past
form of the participle. Participles are both limiting and descriptive attributes depending solely on the context and they can either precede or follow the noun. In postposition we usually fi nd
participial phrases rather than single participles.
He felt like a child brought to his fi rst school.
The knot tightening my lungs held for another second and
then loosened.
What would he do with the remaining years?
She wore a fur-trimmed gray coat.
However some participles that are used only in postposition
always serve as limiting attributes and, consequently, the noun
requires the defi nite article.
All the people concerned voted against his project.
1.2.8. Attributes expressed by the infinitive
Attributes expressed by the infi nitive are usually descriptive
and require the indefi nite or the zero article.
I hardly suppressed an intention to laugh.
Have you got questions to ask?
Is there a place nearby for us to talk quietly?
The use of the defi nite article is always contextually bound.
However, that is not the point to discuss.
I tried to breathe, but the effort to inhale knotted my chest
even tighter.
1.2.9. Attributes expressed by the gerund
The gerund used attributively may either precede or follow
the head noun.
The gerund preceding the noun doesn’t require a preposition
and has a general meaning of purpose or function thus differing from the participle which denotes an action performed by the
noun. The gerund in this case is a descriptive attribute and the
choice of the article depends solely on the context.
Is there a swimming pool nearby? It’s nice to have a swim on
such a hot day.
The swimming pool doesn’t cost all the money you’ve invested in its construction.
15
CHAPTER 1
Note. The following combinations of the gerund and the noun
are most commonly used: a walking stick, walking shoes, an
amusing story, a swimming pool, a dancing hall, a publishing
house, a booking offi ce, closing time, revolving doors, a working
method, etc.
The gerund following the noun usually requires a preposition.
The use of the gerund in this case is lexically restricted since it
can be combined with a limited number of abstract nouns whose
meanings are amplifi ed or made more precise by the gerund. The
choice of the article depends on the context as the gerund is a
descriptive attribute here.
The most frequent is the combination with the preposition of;
there are about one hundred fi fty nouns that follow the pattern
Noun + of + Gerund.
I don’t want you to make a habit of coming late.
The prospect of travelling with those people made me regret
my hasty decision.
He plunged into this business in the wild hope of making a
fortune.
All of us experienced a strange feeling of being cheated.
The gerund as a descriptive attribute may be combined with
other prepositions such as for, in, at, about, to.
I have a real passion for dancing.
He felt natural irritation at being disturbed so early in the
morning.
1.2.10. Attributes expressed by prepositional
nominal phrases
Nouns used attributively are combined with various prepositions. Due to the context prepositional phrases may be both descriptive and limiting attributes.
The most common attributive phrases are combinations with
the preposition of whose descriptive or limiting status depends
on the meaning of their constituents.
The indefi nite article is used with the head noun if a nominal of-phrase is a descriptive attribute and has the following
meanings:
quality or characteristics of an object: 1. a question of impor-
tance, a feeling of disappointment, a picture of a friend, a
sigh of relief;
measure2. : a distance of twenty miles, a weight of fi ve pounds,
a temperature of 25 C;
16
CHAPTER 1
size: 3. a man of medium height, a manor of great size;
age: 4. a girl of twelve, a woman of middle age;
origin: 5. a native of Scotland, a descendant of a rich family;
material: 6. a vase of crystal, a coat of wool, a chain of gold, a
house of bricks;
composition: 7. a crowd of people, a herd of deer, a bunch of
roses, a fl ight of steps, a pile of books;
a container with its contents: 8. a pot of coffee, a glass of beer,
a box of chocolates, a packet of cigarettes;
a certain quantity of a substance: 9. a grain of rice, a lump of
sugar, a bar of chocolate, a slice of bread;
comparison: 10. a gem of a housekeeper, a devil of a child, a
peach of a girl;
two similar objects or an object consisting of two uniform 11.
parts: a pair of gloves, a couple of sweets;
in a construction «the Double Genitive»: 12. a son of my friends’,
an opera of Mozart’s.
The noun in the above-given cases is combined with the indefi nite article. The use of the defi nite article is always dependent on the context.
Jess and I have been talking about the possibility of his going back into production one of these days.
All other of-phrases are limiting attributes which express the
unique objects / notions, render the meaning of belonging or give
a more precise defi nition to the noun. Consequently, the noun is
used with the defi nite article.
Note. Memorize some typical of-phrases in the function of
identifi cation: the wife of a doctor, the manager of a fi rm, the po-
sition of a teacher, the name of Peter, the city of Moscow, the foot
of the mountain, the bank of the river, the shadow of a tree, the
shot of a gun, the face of a girl, the use of articles, the invention of
a wheel, etc.
The head noun in such combinations may be used with both
the defi nite and the indefi nite article.
If the referent of the noun is the only bearer of a property
expressed by the of-phrase it is used with the defi nite article: the
monitor of the group, the murderer of John Lennon, the president
of the club.
The indefi nite article with the head noun underlines the idea
that several objects or notions have the ascribed property: a
member of the club, a student of the group.
17
CHAPTER 1
Both articles may occur when the head noun refers to a
part of an object and the number of these parts is semantically
limited: the (a) leg of the table, the (a) wheel of the car, the (a)
paw of the cat.
1.2.11.Attributes expressed by subordinate clauses
Attributive subordinate clauses are both descriptive and limi-
ting attributes. Two basic types of attributive clauses should be
distinguished:
а) subordinate clauses which are semantically alienated from
the head noun and thus can be easily detached and transformed
into separate sentences. In oral speech they are marked by a
pause, in written speech they are sometimes (not obligatorily)
marked by a comma that separates them from the principal
clause. These clauses are called non-defi ning, they are always
descriptive and, consequently, don’t affect the choice of the article before the antecedent. The use of the article in this case is
determined by the context or by the other attributes modifying
the noun.
Men have always wanted a personal God to whom they can
turn in distress for comfort and encouragement.
She was offered a cigarette that she refused with indignation.
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
She gave the man, who was sitting in the chair by the win-
dow, an indifferent glance.
в) subordinate clauses whose semantic connection with the
antecedent is so tight that they cannot be removed from the sentence or else the whole structure is violated. They are joined to
the principal clause either asyndetically or by a certain connector. Attributive clauses of this type are called defi ning and they
may be both descriptive and limiting attributes depending on the
context. When the attributive clause is descriptive the indefi nite
article is used with the antecedent
He wasn’t a man she could fall in love with.
Is this the book you’ve been looking for?
She had an opportunity that may be offered to very few of us.
He didn’t look at the man he was speaking of.
A special type of attributive clauses – appositive clauses are
usually limiting attributes, though in certain contextual conditions (in fi ction, mostly) the antecedent is used with the indefi nite article. Appositive clauses disclose the essence of the head
noun and as a rule they are combined with abstract notions feel-
ing, idea, hope, thought, impression, fact, sense, etc.
18
CHAPTER 1
I had the impression that something was concealed from me
in this house.
I quite agree with the idea that a short holiday in the country
would do you only good.
The sense that she had been betrayed so violently tormented
her more than the loss of the money.
1.3. The place of the article in a nominal phrase
The article always precedes the noun but it may occupy different positions regarding the attribute (attributes) to this noun.
As a rule the article is the fi rst element in the nominal phrase
and it is placed before all other words.
I suppose it’s the most wonderful moment in my life.
We snatched the fi rst possible chance.
What a pretty little Persian kitten!
It’s a really good suggestion but I cannot consent to it.
Some attributes, however, can be placed either before or after
the article. Most typical of them are:
A) Pronouns all и both always precede the article which is
either defi nite or zero. After both the difference between these
two forms of the article is irrelevant and doesn’t affect the meaning of the utterance:
I’d like to buy both the dresses I’ve tried on.
Both children were plump and curly-haired like cherubs.
All is combined with the defi nite article if there is a limiting
attribute to the noun and with the zero article if there is none.
All the students of our group passed the exam successfully.
Were you staying here all the time I was shopping at the
Mall?
All children like sweets.
All day we stayed indoors as it was snowing heavily.
B) Attributes half, once, twice, double may be placed before or after the article and their placement considerably changes
the meaning of the utterance.
Half + a ... 1. refers to volume or quantity:
It never takes me more than half an hour to get to work.
Hardly had we covered half a mile when it started raining.
The following synonymic expressions are possible here: a
half-hour, a half-mile, a half-day, a half-truth, etc.
A + half 2. refers to the quality of an object:
Though he is a half brother of mine I love him dearly.
A half smile is mostly insincere.
19
CHAPTER 1
Half + the 3. indicates a half of a defi nite volume or quantity:
Yesterday we managed to do only half the work.
Half the people left but the rest were still enjoying themselves.
The + half 4. refers to the quality of a defi nite object which
usually is modifi ed by the limiting attribute:
The half bottle (= a small bottle) you’ve brought me is not
enough to satisfy my thirst.
Once (twice) + a ... 5. expresses the frequency of a repeated
action:
We have Grammar twice a week and Home Reading only
once a week.
Once a year he came to see his parents in Colorado Springs.
Twice + the 6. means «twice as much»:
We had to pay for the house twice the real price of it.
Here I get twice the salary I used to get at my previous
work.
Double + the 7. means «twice as much»:
This is double the money I hoped to get.
A ... + double 8. refers to the quality of an object. If the noun
is in the plural form the zero article is also possible:
A double-bas is the largest and lowest-pitched musical in-
strument in the violin family.
Double fi gures are numbers from 10 to 99 inclusive.
They failed to push the piano out even through the double
doors of the saloon.
The choice of the defi nite article is affected by the context.
C) Adverbs of degree quite and rather are always combined
with the indefi nite article and may be placed before or after it:
It’s rather a strange remark!
She is quite a beauty.
He is a rather unpredictable person.
It’s a quite tempting offer.
The use of the article in preposition is common in American
English.
If the noun is used in the plural or it is uncountable the zero
article is used with quite and rather:
They are rather strange remarks.
They are quite pleasant people.
It’s quite useful advice.
D) The adjective such and the pronoun what require the in-
defi nite article which is usually placed after them. It is a typical
pattern of exclamatory sentences:
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