Special difficulties in the use of articles

The Use of Articles with Nouns Denoting Parts of the Day

To this group belong: day, night, morning, evening, noon, afternoon, midnight, dawn, dusk, sunrise, sunset, daytime, nightfall and the like.

When we use ‘morning’ and ‘day’ to denote light and ‘evening’ and ‘night’ to denote darkness no article is used.

E.g.: It was night when he came home.

When these nouns are modified by a descriptive attribute in pre-position an indefinite article is used.

E.g.: It was a wonderful summer morning.

On a hot September evening we went for a walk for the first time together.

BUT if we say early morning, late evening, broad day, high noon, no article is used.

E.g.: It was late evening when I woke up.

If these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute or the situation makes it definite, the definite article is used.

E.g.: The day when I met him will always stay in my memory.

The night was warm and beautifully still.

When these nouns are modified by the names of the days of the week or the words ‘yesterday’ and ‘tomorrow’, no article is used.

E.g.: She was here yesterday afternoon.

There are some set expressions:

in the morning, in the evening, in the afternoon, in the day time, by day, by night, by noon, by midnight, at night, at dawn, at dusk, all day long, all night through, all through the night, all through the day, day by day, day in day out, from morning till night, to work day and night, in the dead of night, late at night, early in the morning.

E.g.: The robbery took place in the dead of the night.

We study English day in day out.

When the nouns morning, day, dawn are used as subjects to the verbs ‘to break’, ‘to be at hand’, no article is used.

E.g.: Dawn was at hand and we had to set off.

The same is true about evening, night and dusk with the verbs ‘to fall’, ‘to gather’, ‘to set in’, ‘to come’, ‘to be at hand’.

E.g.: Night fell unnoticed while we were talking.

The use of Articles with the Names of Seasons

To this group belong: winter, spring, summer, autumn. The use of article with these nouns presents a great difficulty and we find a good deal of fluctuation here.

As a rule these nouns are used without any article.

E.g.: It was spring and the garden broke up with white flowers.

I’m used to spending summer in the Crimea.

If these nouns are modified by a descriptive attribute in pre-position an indefinite article is used.

E.g.: We had a cold summer and a very warm winter without snow.

BUT if these nouns are modified by the adjectives ‘early’ and ‘late’ no article is used.

E.g.: It was late winter when they got married.

When these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute or the situation makes them definite the definite article is used.

E.g.: The winter that year was very cold.

The autumn was over, but they hadn’t heard about him yet.

When they are used as objects in the sentence together with such verbs as to spend, to like, to love, to hate, to wait for, to talk about, the definite article is used.

E.g.: They like the summer there, on account of bathing, I think.

He looks like somebody who spent the summer at the sea.

As adverbial modifiers after the prepositions in, till, until, before, after, these nouns are used according to the general rule.

E.g.: In autumn days become shorter and nights longer.

I simply can’t wait till the winter.

BUT After the prepositions through, for, during, the definite article is used.

E.g.: During the autumn we picked up mushrooms.

Remember set expressions: the warmth of spring, the dust of summer, three month of winter, the colours of autumn, early in the autumn, late in the spring, all the summer, all the winter, etc.

E.g.: I cannot but love the colours of autumn.

The Use of Articles with the Names of Meals

As a rule the nouns breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, tea are used without any article.

E.g.: I usually have dinner at home.

We were talking about it before supper.

Is dinner ready?

When these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute or the situation makes them definite the definite article is used.

E.g.: The breakfast was wonderful.

He was greedily eating the lunch his mother had prepared for him.

If they are modified by a descriptive attribute an indefinite article is used.

E.g.: After a hearty dinner everyone is a little bit sleepy.

It was a delicious supper.

Occasionally due to a change of meaning names of meals become countable nouns.

When they denote dinner party, tea party, follow the general rules.

E.g.: She said: “We had a dinner last night. Everybody was invited.”

She used to give a dinner to the entire family.

When they denote a portion an indefinite article is used.

E.g.: I can’t afford a dinner at such an expensive restaurant.

The Use of Articles with the Names of Months and Days

As a rule names of months and days are used without articles.

E.g.: May is a spring month.

My day off is Friday.

When these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute the definite article is used.

E.g.: The May of 1945 will always remain in our nation’s memory.

Miss Trotwood came on the Friday when David was born.

Names of days are used with the indefinite article when we mean one of many Mondays, Fridays, etc.

E.g.: Robinson Crusoe found his servant on a Friday.

I do not remember exactly when he came from Moscow, but I am sure it was on a Monday.

Names of months are used with the indefinite article when modified by a descriptive attribute.

E.g.: A cold May is the usual thing in our region.

Certain Countable Nouns in their Phraseological Use

The nouns school, college, hospital, prison, table, bed, church, court, market are used without any article when, as a part of a set phrase they lose their concrete meaning and express the purpose which the object denotes.

Compare the following examples:

1) Pupils go to school every day except Sunday.

Kelly’s parents went to the school to meet her teacher.

2) He was sent to prison for murder.

The road to the prison was blocked by policemen.

3) She was sent to hospital with pneumonia.

Her mother goes to the hospital every day.

4) Now I prefer to go to bed early.

The mother sat on the bed and started to read a fairytale.

5) I didn’t know all those people at table.

In the café we had a table to ourselves.

Madam sat at the table darning socks.

The noun ‘town’ is used without any article when it means the centre or business part of a town, or the nearest town to a country place.

E.g.: She drove into town.

Let’s have lunch in town.

I want to go to the town I was born in.

Would you rather live in a town or in the country?

Mind the following expressions: to be at work, to go to work, to start work, to go home, to come home, to be at home, to stay at home, to feel at home.

E.g.: Why aren’t you at work today?

I like the work I do.

Let’s go home.

Siberia is the home of the tiger.

She was brought up in an orphan’s home.

Mind:

a) I like English.

I want to study the Portuguese language.

The English of America differs from the English of England.

b) This is the most interesting chapter in the book. (superlative degree)

Caroline is a most devoted daughter and sister. (very, exceedingly)

c) Most flowers smell sweet. (in general)

Most of the flowers in the garden are spring flowers. (the situation makes it definite)

d) Two students entered the room.

The two books proved very interesting.

e) The second attempt was more successful than the first.

Oliver asked for a second portion. (another, one more).