The Article

The article is a structural part of speech used with nouns.

There are two articles in Modern English: - the indefinite a/an used only with nouns in the singular (a person, an outstanding detective), and the definite the used with nouns both in the singular and in the plural (the right, the words).

The Indefinite article is used:

1. with countable nouns in the singular

Have you got a car?

2. with a countable nouns mentioned for the first time

He was a witness at that trial

3. to talk about someone’s job

He works as a solicitor

4. with a noun in general case (has the meaning of every, any)

A drawing man catches at a straw

5. in the meaning of one

Wait a minute!

6. after the construction: there is…/ was; it is… This is…

There is a letter on the table

It is a problem

This is a document

7. after the words: such, rather, quite

What…..! (exclamations)

This is such a dangerous case

What a strange person!

8. with a noun modified by the adjective in the positive degree

Are you a good barrister?

9. a/an + ordinal numeral has the meaning “еще один”

There was a second part of a legal problem

10. also with a dozen, a hundred, a thousand, a million, a pound, a

week, an hour, a mile – in the meaning “one”

We have trials twice a week.

11. in some expressions:

a lot of, as a result, as a matter of fact, as a rule, it’s a pity, it’s a pleasure,

in a hurry, to go for a walk, to have a good time/rest, to take a shower, to

have a smoke, to give a call, for a while, to tell a lie, what a shame, in a week,

a knife and fork, to catch (a) cold.

The definite article is used:

1. with a noun when it is clear in the situation which thing or person is

meant, or with the noun mentioned before.

Will you pass me the paper, please?

The policeman stopped at a village.

The village was old but nice.

2. also the police, the army, the fire brigade, the bank, the post office,

the doctor, the dentist.

The police are looking for the thief.

3. when the noun denotes a thing unique (the sun, the earth, the moon).

The earth goes round the sun.

4. with the adjectives: following, next, last, same, very.

Where is the next witness?

5. also: the sky, the sea, the ground, the world, the government, the radio

(but television)

I’ve heard this news on the radio.

6. the + adjective: the rich = rich people in general. These expressions

are always plural!

The unemployed, the young, the blind

7. the + nationality words: the French = the French people, the English,

the Irish.

8. with the names of the oceans, seas, rivers, canals, mountains, deserts.

The Atlantic Ocean, The British Isles, The Ontario.

9. We say the with the names of the countries which include words like

republic, union, state, kingdom.

The United Kingdom,

The United States

10. also: the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Congo; The Hague, the High

Street.

11. We say the before the names of the hotels, theatres, museums, cinemas,

newspaper, ships, also before the names with of:

The Hilton (Hotel), the British Museum, the Washington Post, ships:

Queen Elizabeth, the Houses of Parliament.

– with the names denoting the whole family: The Simons, The Smiths.

– With the date (in speech):

On the fifth of May

On May the fifth

– with the organizations, official title, documents

The United Nations, The President, The Constitution

– in some expressions:

♦at the same time

♦in the original

♦on the whole

♦the other day (refers to the past)

♦the day after tomorrow

♦the day before yesterday

♦in the morning/ afternoon, evening

♦at the seaside

♦on the train

♦in the rain

♦at the weekend

♦in the 1990s

♦at the end of

♦in the singular/ plural

♦in the past / future

♦by the way

♦just the same

♦to tell the truth

♦out of the question

♦in the dark

♦in the sun

There is no article:

1. before the nouns modified by the pronoun:

= possessive: my, his, her, our…

= demonstrative: this, that, these…

= interrogative: what, which, whose and indefinite: some, any, each, every.

My friend, our holidays, this book.

What question have you discussed?

2. before the names of a person, streets, towns, sciences, subjects, stations, planets, etc.

Oxford Street, Hyde Park.

He is fond of criminalistics.

3. with the names of countries and continents: Europe, Asia, Poland

4. with the names of meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper.

I have breakfast at 8.

5. with the nouns – school, college, bed, joil, prison, church.

To be in prison = to be a prisoner

6. In some expressions:

for ages, at first

at home, to go home

at school

at table

by chance

by heart

by name

by mistake

to go to bed

to go by bus/ train etc.

to ask permission

at night

by day

early morning

from morning till night

at Christmas

at Easter.

TASKS

I. Match the words on the left with the correct definition on the

right: Explain the articles usage in the definitions.

Jurisprudence law dealing with private rights of citizens, not with crime

Criminal law punishment for wrongdoing

Civil law the branch of law dealing with crimes and their punishment

Felony recognized and permitted by the law

Misdemeanor accuse

Murder violent and sudden attack

Penalty the study of law and legal philosophy

Assault major serious crime, e.g. murder, armed robbery, arson

Responsibility legal offence less serious than a felony

Charge prosecution of a claim in a law court

Lawsuit unlawful killing of a human being on purpose

Legal duty

II. Put a/an/the in each space, or leave the space blank.

Trial by Jury

……. jury is …… selected group of laymen that hears …….. witnesses in …….. legal disputes and decides ………. facts. ………. courtroom trial in which ……… jury decides ………. facts is called ……… trial by jury.

Before each court term, ……… jury commissioner or another public officer prepares ………… panel, or large initial list, of qualified jurors. For each trial, jurors are selected by ………… lot from this panel.

Before ………… trial begins, ………. Jurors swear to decide …………facts fairly. They hear ………… testimony given by ……….. witnesses for both sides, including cross-examinations. Then counsel for each side sum up, or summarize case, and …………. judge explains ………….. applicable law in his instructions to ……….. jury.

In civil suits for financial damages, ………… jury must decide who is at …………. fault and must determine …………. amount of money to be paid. In criminal cases, …………... jury must decide whether or not …………. аccused is guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt”, and then either return …………. verdict of guilty, or acquit ………….. defendant by ………….. verdict of not guilty. If verdict is guilty, …………. judge imposes …………. sentence, or punishment, within limits that have been fixed by ………….. legislature.

III. Translate the sentences from Russian into English paying attention

to the usage of articles.

1. Если вы являетесь подозреваемым, то давать показания – это ваше право, но не обязанность.

2. Свидетель имеет право на защитника.

3. Апелляционный суд оставил в силе решение суда присяжных.

4. Ежегодно в Москве десятки водителей штрафуют за вождение в нетрезвом виде. Часто это заканчивается лишением прав.

5. Свидетелю вменили в вину, что он лгал под присягой.

6. Чтение обвинительного заключения заняло несколько часов.

7. В случаях правонарушений, не столь опасных для общества, применяется условный приговор.

8. Малолетние преступники обычно предстают перед специальными судами по делам несовершеннолетних.

9. В результате удачной операции полиции был задержан опасный рецидивист.

10. Если у подозреваемого нет средств на оплату услуг защитника, они могут быть предоставлены государством.

11. Апелляционный суд оставил в силе решение суда присяжных.