§ 2. Relative Temporal Names

Relative temporal names have an orientating function in certain syntactical patterns. They comprise:

• names of seasons {winter, spring, summer, autumn);

• names of meals {breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper);

• names of periods of the day {morning, afternoon, evening, night; dawn, daybreak, sunrise, dusk, sunset, nightfall, daytime, night-time,breakfast-time, break-lime, lunch-time, tea-time, supper-time, bed-time,etc.)

No article is used with relative temporal names in the following patterns:

1. In the function of the subject with predicates denoting the coming of a certain period (the verbs 'to fall', 'to gather', 'set in', 'come', 'serve'):

e.g. Night fell soon after the storm was over. Dinner will be served soon.

2. a) in the predicative function without descriptive attributes,

e.g. It was noon when the body of Tenessee was delivered into the bands of his Partner (Bret Hart).

b) no article is used in the predicative function with orientating attributes 'early', 'high', 'late':

e.g. It was early morning. It was late autumn.

c) no article is used with names of meals in the pattern 'to have breakfast {lunch, dinner, etc.).

Note: The indefinite article is used with predicative temporal names if they have descriptive attributes, e.g. It was a wet gloomy day.

3. No article is used in prepositional adverbial phrases:

a) - with names of periods of a day in the prepositional phrases denoting point of time {at midday, by midnight, past noon) which are synonymous with phrases denoting time {at 12 o'clock, by 12 o'clock);

- the definite article is used in the prepositional phrases denoting a period of time, - in/during - phrases:

e.g. in/during the morning; in the night, in the evening.

b) - with names of seasons in prepositional phrases the definite

article is optional, though the definite article tends to denote a particular season: e.g. in (the) winter;

- with names of seasons the definite article is obligatory in the patterns denoting years, e.g. in the winter of 1959;

c) names of meals usually have no article in prepositional phrases, e.g. before/at/after/for dinner, etc.

Note: The use of the definite and indefinite articles with relative temporal names in other patterns follows the rules common for countable nouns, e.g. The breakfast was well cooked. We all enjoyed the lunch.

4. The definite article has a tendency to disappear in some temporal phrases:

a) with the nouns 'quarter' and 'hour' in the phrases 'at (a) quarter to nine', 'half-hour' (half an hour);

b) with the noun 'term' in the phrases 'at the end of (the) term¹, 'in (the) summer term',

e.g. He is leaving school at the end of term and is now waiting for the examination results (B-Today).

3. with the noun 'time' in an orientating function, e.g. 'It's closing time', he said (B-Today).

4. with the nouns 'time', 'days', 'weeks', 'months' 'years' when they are used with the verb 'pass',

e.g. Time passed. I waited. (I.Murdock).