Уч. Истомина (page 20-31)

The Article

The Article is a word that serves as a noun determiner alongside with such determiners as demonstrative, possessive, and indefinite pronouns. The article is one of the main means of expressing the idea of definiteness and indefiniteness in English.

The Indefinite Article

I. The indefinite article originated from the Old English numeral one: one -> a (an).

That's why it can be used only with a countable noun in the singular. The main meanings of the indefinite article are classifying, general, and numerical.

1. In its classifying meaning the article serves to refer an object to the class of objects of the same kind, just to classify it.

• I am a school teacher. It is a teenager novel.

2. In its general meaning the indefinite article implies that the object denoted by the noun is spoken of as a representative of the class.

The article in this meaning can be substituted by such words as any, every. It is often used in proverbs and sentences expressing a general truth.

• A teacher should be patient. A dog is a good friend.

A burnt child dreads the fire. An Englishman makes a good husband.

Mind the absence of the article in the plural:

• Dogs make good pets.

Englishmen make good husbands.

3. In its numerical meaning the indefinite article retains its original meaning of the cardinal numeral one and expresses oneness. This meaning is evident with nouns denoting units of measure (time, distance, length, weight etc.):

• An apple a day keeps wrinkles away.

A penny saved is a penny gained.

A pound is a unit of weight in Britain.

An hour will be enough for me.

II. A countable noun in the singular takes the indefinite article if it is used:

1. in the function of the subject in sentences with the construction There is (comes, appears etc.):

• There comes a bus. There is a fax for you on the desk.

2. in the function of the predicative:

• I am a teacher. But: I am the teacher here.

3. in the function of the direct object:

• I wrote a letter. We got a Christmas card from London.

4. in some set-phrases expressing one-time (однократные) actions like:

• to be a success, to have a rest, to have a lovely time, to give a look, to give a hint, to make a will, to make a fuss, to make a mistake, to take a seat etc.

• The play was a success. I can't guess it, can you give me a hint?

5. after the exclamatory what:

• What an idea! What a surprise! What a shame! What a man!

With plural nouns there is no article:

• What ideas! What surprises! What people!

If the noun is uncountable no article is used:

• What fine weather! What interesting news! What tasty jam!

The Definite Article

The definite article originated from the Old English demonstrative pronoun that.

The equivalents of the definite article are possessive and demonstrative pronouns

this — these, that — those.

The definite article is used:

1. if the context or the situation makes the noun clear.

• Open the door. Go to the kitchen.

The flowers were splendid! I liked the present a lot.

2. if the noun has a restrictive (limiting) attribute. It may be expressed by a clause, a prepositional phrase, by the words all, whole, very, right, left, wrong, only, one, opposite, main, last, next (following), same, by ordinal numerals, by the superlative degree of adjectives.

• You are the man we are looking for.

We got into the wrong train.

He is the only person for the position.

The second performance was a sensational success.

3. if the noun was already mentioned.

• Three little kittens lost their mittens...

The three little kittens they found the mittens.

4. with unique objects or notions. They are: the sun, the moon, the earth, the world, the universe, the horizon, the equator, the south, the north, the west, the east, the globe, the Milky Way, the Cosmos, the hemisphere.

• The moon moves round the earth.

He sailed round the world.

But if these nouns are preceded by descriptive attributes the indefinite article may be used.

• We all hope to see a better world.

The sun shone in an unclouded sky.

I was guided by a full moon.

5. with an adverbial modifier of place to identify the exact place.

• Jane is in the garden (at the cinema, on the beach, at the door, in the lift, in the South, all over the country).

The indefinite article is also possible.

• He was born in a village in the North of Ireland.

The train stopped at a small station.

6. in a number of idioms like:

• to make the best of something, to be in the know, to read between the lines, in the light of something, to be on the safe side, if the worst comes to the worst, the long and the short of it.

THE GENERIC USE OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

1. A singular countable noun with the definite article may represent a whole class of objects, thus becoming the symbol of that class, the image of it. We mainly find here names of animals, plants, professions and occupations, collective nouns denoting social groups. Grammar terms are also often used generically.

• The ant is industrious.

The violet is a lovely flower.

The true botanist knows a tree as soon as he sees it.

The article is a word specifying the noun.

Sometimes it is possible to use the indefinite article to denote any representative of the class.

• A violet is a lovely flower. A dog is a good friend.

But the indefinite article is not permissible when invention, genre, a phenomenon is meant.

• The telephone was invented by Bell.

The topic of our lesson today will be the verb.

The tragedy and the comedy first appeared in Greece.

2. The nouns MAN, WOMAN, CHILD used in a generic sense, take no article.

• Now I know what man is capable of.

Man needs something for the sake of which to live. Man, woman, child — these are eternal notions.

Articles with the Names of Meals

To this group of nouns belong: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, supper, tea.

1. When these nouns are used in their abstract meaning denoting a process of taking food, or are associated with time, they are used with out any article:

• to have (take, prepare, serve, cook) dinner, breakfast, lunch, supper;

• to go to dinner, to be at dinner (lunch); to return by (before, after) supper;

• Lunch is at two p.m. Dinner is ready (served, laid).

We'll discuss it after tea. I'll have a meeting before lunch.

2. The indefinite article is used when names of meals are modified by descriptive attributes.

• You can get a hot supper here. We had a late breakfast.

It's not a very fancy lunch, I’m afraid.

3. The definite article is found with names of meals if there is a situation, a context, a restrictive attribute, or if the food itself is meant.

• The dinner you cooked was marvelous.

How much did you pay for the supper?

I must go to the kitchen and have a look at the dinner.

4. Sometimes names of meals become countable nouns denoting:

a) a party (both articles may be used):

• We had a dinner last night. Many celebrities came to the dinner.

They met at an official lunch.

Have you received the invitation to the dinner?

b) a portion (the indefinite article expresses oneness):

• I have not enough money to buy a supper.

A set-dinner is rather cheap.

The Use of Articles with Material Nouns

1. Material uncountable nouns used in a general sense take no article and have no plural form.

• Food is something we cannot do without. There is cold juice in the jug.

2. The definite article is used if the noun is clear from the situation or the context or if there is some limitation.

• The food she cooked was uneatable.

The bread is on the table.

Wasn't the cake delicious?

3. Some uncountable material nouns can become countable and express different sorts, kinds, portions. Here belong the following nouns: beer, cheese, coffee, detergent, food, jam, meat, medicine, perfume, soup, tea, whisky, wine, wood.

• — Which wines are produced in this region? — A dry red wine and a rose.

My Granny makes a very fine jam. She makes four jams every year.

— Want a beer? — Two teas, please.

There are four soups on the menu today.

The Use of Articles with Uncountable Abstract Nouns

1. Uncountable abstract nouns used in a general sense take no article.

• When in distress people look for friendship.