Cold, chill, cough, a sore throat. Etc
When a noun denotes a symptom or physical state (not medical terms), it is used as a countable (and sometimes uncountable noun). Therefore it can be used with the indefinite or zero articles:
Feed a cold and starve a fever Have you caught a cold again?
Autumn came and there was a splash of colds in the school.
He had __ heart trouble (Nunc.) But! Heartache → X/THE because it denotes emotional suffering, but not a disease.
I have a boil on my hand / a bruise on my leg.
Words ending in –ache in BrE → X/A
He had (a) toothache, backache I’ve got (an) earache.
He had (a) bad headache. He suffered from splitting headaches.
But in AmE such words are countable → A/THE (*I’ve got earache.)
§7. Articles modified by different attributes
T
he
use of articles modified by
ADJECTIVES – such attributes are descriptive
She drove an old car.
His office was in a fine, gay, busy little street.
The woman looked at me shrewdly and there was a glint of humour in the dark eyes.
We lay lazily on the steep bank, looking at the tall reeds. - The definite article is accounted for by the situation.
ALL/ WHOLE – are descriptive attributes – the choice of articles is determined by the situation.
All children like ice-cream (in general).
All the children watched the game with excitement.
He never stayed a whole evening with us – акцент на самом вечере.
He spent the whole evening watching the telly – акцент на размере этого вечера.
SUCH (a descriptive attribute) – A/X
Your father is such a handsome man.
I'm not prepared to believe such things about my son.
THE
Adjectives which always serve as LIMITING attributes:
when contrast is implied (→ marked by a stronger stress).
Will you pack my things for me? I want the little suit-case as I'll be away only one night.
She saw a car pull up at the curb with two women in it. The younger woman asked her the way to the railway station.
Adjectives in the superlative degree.
She was the smartest girl in the room.
"
The
most dangerous person of
all is my uncle," the young man
whispered.
!!! Note 1.
He's the most experienced doctor I know. - the superlative degree of experienced → it’s the limiting attribute
He's a most experienced doctor. - most is an adverb of degree ('крайне', 'чрезвычайно') → it is a descriptive attribute
Note 2. a best suit ('выходной костюм')
a best seller ('ходкая книга') - are set phrases.
3) The following adjectives, adjective pronouns, adjectivized ing-forms (15).
The right/ the wrong 'тот, который нужен'; 'правильный'/ 'не тот'), The very
|
The only The main The principal The same
|
The central/ left/ right The coming/ following The present The former ('первый') and latter ('последний'). |
It just seems to be the wrong way to go about it.
My chief is the right man in the right place.
The questions you ask are the very questions I am putting myself.
My mother was the only person whom I told what had happened.
Some adjectives commonly (= not always) serve as limiting attributes (10).
The proper ('надле жащий', 'правильный' The adjacent
|
The upper/ lower The necessary The opposite The alleged |
The previous The so-called The usual and some others |
Note 1. An only child (единственный ребенок у родителей) - is a set phrase
She is as spoiled as if she were an only child.
! But we say: She was the only child present in the drawing-room.
Note 2. NEXT/ LAST - THE.
We shall probably eat at the next table to him.
My father had not read the last seven pages of the book.
X - But! when NEXT/ LAST modify nouns denoting time (day, week, year) no article is used.
You can't see her. She went to London last week.
He said: "I am determined not to spend more than ten pounds on my clothes next year and so I'll manage by myself."
!!! NEXT in narration – X/ THE
Mr March was arranging a timetable for the next day.
I sent her a wire and she met me at the station next day.
Note 3. OTHER
1. THE He pulled on the other glove and said he would run along to his office - if there are only two objects of the same description.
2. A 1) Could I have another cup of tea? = еще один.
2
)
"You can do as well as another
man," he
said. = любой
другой.
3) When I came back I found him in another mood. = не такой, иной.
3. THE My mother needed me more than the other members of the family. = остальные члены семьи. → when there is a definite number of objects which can be divided into two definite groups. In this case the other guests, the other members means 'the rest'.
4. X I was thinking of other people in the same position. = другие люди в целом. → one of the groups or both of them are indefinite
The same rules are applied to other when it is used as a noun pronoun.
1. He drove with one hand, and used the other to draw diagrams in the air.
2. Young Martin was first sent on an errand to the grocer, then on another to the butcher.
3. "The only letter I've opened is my husband's. Lewis, will you fetch in the others?"
4. When people say they do not care what others think of them, for the most part they deceive themselves.
Note 4. The other day ( 'недавно', 'на днях') is a set phrase.