The Indefinite Article

With countable nouns both, concrete and abstract. When the speaker uses the Indefinite article he just names an object which is usually new to the hearer. So the indefinite article is often used to introduce a new element in the sentence.

The table was covered with a white cloth.

Compare: I bought a book yesterday.

I bought the book yesterday.

Compare: В комнату вбежал мальчик.

Мальчик вбежал в комнату. (stress plus word order)

With uncountable nouns the indefinite article serves to bring out a special aspect of the notion expressed by the noun. In this case the noun is usually qualified by an attribute.

e.g. A dull burning anger rose in his chest.

Не had almost a supernatural courage.

The Definite Article

When used with countable nouns, both concrete and abstract, the definite article has two distinct functions:

1. to denote a particular object, single out the object from all the other objects of the same class:

The car stopped. Paul got out and stretched himself.

Margot took up the telephone.

2. In the generic function. With nouns in the singular it serves to indicate that the noun becomes a composite image of the class.

The tiger is a carnivorous animal.

Absence of Article

With countable objects in the plural, uncountable nouns both abstract and concrete (names of materials).

e.g. I feel friendship and sympathy for Henry.

Life goes on.

The place smelt of dust.

Articles with countable nouns. General rules.

The choice of articles with countable nouns is determined by the context or the general situation. We should take into consideration attributes modifying the noun as they constitute part of the context. Attributes are divided into limiting and descriptive.

A limiting attribute makes the object distinct from the class of similar object.

e.g. It’s the most unpleasant thing you’ve ever told me.

Alice took the letter he held out to her.

A descriptive attribute is used to describe an object. It doesn’t single out an object but narrows the class to which it belongs.

e.g. He wrote a novel. He wrote A good historical novel.

It is only the context that defines if the adjective is a limiting or a descriptive one.

e.g. We shall take a road going through the forest as it won’t be so hot there.

We shall take the road going through the forest as it is a short cut.

Attributes expressed by adjectives are usually descriptive. As such they do not affect the choice of articles.

e.g. She drove an old car. His office was in a fine, busy little street.

We lay lazily on the steep bank, looking at the tall reeds.

Pronouns ALL and WHOLE are to be treated as descriptive attributes.

e.g. He never stayed a whole evening with us.

The adjective pronoun SUCH is a descriptive attribute but is never followed by the definite article.

Adjectives in the superlative degree are always limiting attributes. But compare:

He is the most experienced doctor I know.

He is a most experienced doctor. (most is a degree adverb крайне, чрезвычайно)

Some adjectives and advective pronouns almost always serve as limiting attributes:

Right (правильный, тот), wrong (не тот), very, only, main, principal, central, left and write, same, coming, following, present, former (первый), latter (последний).

Commonly (but not always) limiting: proper (надлежащий), adjacent, alleged, lower, upper, necessary, opposite, previous, so-called, usual.

An only child is a set-phrase (единственный ребенок у родителей)

Nouns modified by next and last are generally used with the (the next table to him, the last pages), but when these adjectives modify nouns denoting time, coming or just past from the point of view of the speaker, no article is used (last week, next year).

In narration there is a fluctuation in the use of articles with nouns modified by next.

I met her at the station next day. She was arranging a time-table for the next day.

Other

The other (второй из двух), another – из большего количества or еще один, любой другой, не такой.

Others, the others.

The other day – set-phrase на днях.

Countable nouns modified by numerals

Cardinal numerals serve as descriptive attributes. E.g.I have already declined three invitations. The two men didn’t break step.

Ordinal ones are limiting attr-tes. The second week in October.

However, when an ordinal numeral doesn’t denote order but acquire the meaning of “one more” the indef. art. is used. He asked for a second cup of tea.

The third chapter but chapter 5.

Countable nouns modified by participles

Participle phrases may serve as either descriptive or limiting attributes according to the context:

e.g. He took a medicine prescribed by the doctor.