16.Definite article with class nouns .

The definite article is used both with singular and plural nouns. It has the specifying meaning and the generic meaning.

Class nouns are used with the definite article:

1. When the speaker mentions a noun for the second time:

2. When the speaker and the hearer know what particular object is meant.

4. When the situation itself makes the object definite and when the speaker wants to talk about something that is associated with an earlier item

5. When the noun denotes the object or group of objects, which is unique or considered to be unique.

the earth

the equator

the moon

the planets

the stars

the sun the universe

the world

6. With nouns used in a generic sense. Groups of nouns which are used generically: names of animals, plants, professions and occupations, collective nouns denoting social groups, scientific terms, etc.

10. With substantivized adjectives and participles.

A combination of the definite article and substantivized adjective can be used to refer to all the people with that characteristic. “The poor” means people who are poor.

13. At the beginning of stories, in titles of stories and novels.

17. The Use of Articles with Class Nouns Modified by Attributes

attributes may be divided into particularizing (or limiting) and descriptive.

A particularizing attribute makes the noun definite The use of a particularizing attribute implies the idea of “саметой, тойсамий”. So the definite article is used with this kind of attribute.

A particularizing attribute can be expressed:

• by prepositional phrase The reason for this selection is obvious.

• by relative clause I want to get back to the hotel where he was staying.

• by nouns in the genitive case He worked abroad. The two years’ stay in France changed him a lot.

A descriptive attribute is used to describe an object or to give some additional information about it.

This kind of attribute does not single out an object (or a group of objects) but only narrows the class to which it belongs:

He wrote a novel.

The use of articles with nouns in the genitive case is accounted for by the element of the combination to which it refers.

1. The article which refers to the noun in the genitive case is chosen in accordance with the general rules.

the boy’s  books

The articles here refer to the noun boy’s which together with the article is a determiner to the noun books.

The use of articles modified by prepositional phrases depends on the context or the situation. It consists of a preposition followed by a noun (at the window, for his children).

18. Articles with material nouns

With nouns of material used in a general sense (the so-called “abstract concept”) no article is used. (they are uncountable)

E.g.

Ø Water boils at 100°C

II. In other cases the article (indefinite/definite) is used according to the general rule.

a / an:

1. When they become countable:

E.g. a wine – wines

2. When they are modified by a descriptive attribute.

E.g. I’d like a Dutch cheese. It is a very good whisky.

the: 1. When they are modified by a particularizing attribute.

E.g. The milk in the glass is mine. Don’t touch it !

2.. When the situation makes them definite.

E.g. She bought some bread. The bread turned out to be stale.

III. “Some” is often used when the indefinite part of the substance is meant.

E.g. She bought (some) cheese. There is (some) milk in the bottle