Материал: A grammar of the english language

The painter Gainsborough has left many fine pictures.
7. Nouns expressing relationship followed by names of persons do not take the article: Aunt Polly, Uncle James.
She turned to Cousin Clixam. (Bennett)
Nouns expressing relationship not followed by a proper noun and the nouns nurse, cook, baby do not take the article when used by members of the family.
“I’d like to see Mother,” said Emily. (Qalsworthy)
If other people’s relations are meant, the article is used.
The son is as clever as the father.
8. The use of articles with names of persons modified by adjectives is varied.

In most cases no article is used with names of persons modified by the adjectives old, young, poor, dear, little, honest, lazy.
...she is the widow of poor Giovanni Bolla... (Voynich)

He saw that old Chapin wanted to moralize a little. (Dreiser)
When modified by other adjectives and participles names of persons take the definite article.
He thought Amelia worthy even of the brilliant George Osborne. (Thackeray)

The astonished Tom could not say a word.
9. Names of persons modified by the adjective certain are used with the indefinite article.
I heard it from a certain Mr. Brown.

§ 13. Geographical names.

1. Geographical names like all the other proper nouns are used without articles: England, France, Moscow, London.

The same holds good when a geographical name is modified by an attribute in pre-position: Soviet Russia, North America, Latin America, Central Asia.
N o t e. — The word groups the Soviet Union, the United States are always

used with the definite article.
2. Geographical names modified, by a particularizing attribute are used with the definite article.
The Philadelphia into which Frank Algernon Cowperwood was born was a city of two hundred and fifty thousand and more. (Dreiser)
3. With names of oceans, seas, rivers the definite article is used: the Pacific Ocean (the Pacific), the Black Sea, the Thames, the Ohio River.
4. Names of lakes do not take the article if the word lake is used, which is nearly always the case; if it is not mentioned we find the definite article: Lake Windermere, Lake Ontario, the Ontario.

5. With names of mountain chains the definite article is used: the Urals, the Alps.

With names of mountain peaks no article is used: Elbrus, Everest.

6. With names of groups of islands the definite article is used: the Hebrides, the Bermudas.

With names of single islands there is no article: Madagascar.

7. The names of the following towns, countries and provinces are used with the definite article: the Hague, the Netherlands, the West Indies, the Ruhr, the Riviera, the Crimea, the Ukraine, the Caucasus, the Congo. The Lebanon is generally used with the definite article, occasionally without the article.

8. Names of streets and squares are used without articles: Oxford Street, Wall Street, Trafalgar Square, Russell Square.

There are a few exceptions: the High Street, the Strand.
§ 14. Names of hotels, ships, newspapers and magazines.

Names of hotels, ships, newspapers and magazines are used with the definite article.
And he added that the Independent had accepted and was about to publish two

poems which he had been able to write because of her. (Dreiser)

The three men came to the turning at the corner of the Grosvenor Hotel.

(Hichens)
§ 15. Names of cardinal points.

With the names of cardinal points the definite article is used: the North, the South, the West, the East.

In the expressions from East to West, from North to South no article is used.
§ 16. Names of months and days.

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

May is a spring month.

My day off is Friday.
When these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute the definite article is used.
The May of 1949 will always rest in my 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.
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.
A cold May is the usual thing in Leningrad.
§ 17. The use of articles with nouns modified by proper nouns.

If a noun is modified by a proper noun in the genitive case no article is used.
I met Robert’s father.
A noun modified by a proper noun in the common case is used with the definite article.
Last summer I visited the Tretyakov Gallery.

The sailor led him back to the little irregular square by the Medici Palace.

(Voynich)
USE OF ARTICLES WITH NOUNS IN SOME SET EXPRESSIONS
§ 18. The use of the indefinite article with nouns in set expressions.

1. in a hurry — второпях	Things done in a hurry are done badly.
2. to have a mind to do something (a great mind, a good mind) — иметь желание что-либо сделать, быть склонным что-либо сделать	I have a great mind to have a serious talk with her.
3. to fly into a passion — прийти в бешенство	If you contradict him, he will fly into a passion.
4. to get in a fury (in a rage) — прийти в ярость	If you contradict him, he will get in a fury (in a rage).
5. to take a fancy to (chiefly with names of living beings) — проникнуться симпатией, почувствовать расположение	I wonder why she took a fancy to the little girl.
6. in a low (loud) voice — тихо (громко)	Don’t speak in a low voice.
7. a great many (with count-ables) — много	I have spoken to him a great many times.
8. a great deal (with uncount-ables) — много	We can’t skate to-day, there is a great deal of snow on the ice.
9. it is a pity — жаль	It is a pity you did not go to the concert last night.
10. it is a shame — стыдно	It is a shame not to know these elementary things.
11. it is a pleasure — приятно	It is a pleasure to read beautiful poetry.
12. as a result — в результате	As a result of the inhabitants’ strenuous efforts the damaged city was soon rebuilt.
13. to have a good time — хорошо провести время	Last night we went to an evening party and had a very good time.
14. to be at a loss — быть в недоумении	She was at a loss what to say.
15. at a glance — сразу, с первого взгляда	She saw at a glance that something had happened.

§ 19. The use of the definite article with nouns in set expressions.

1. it is out of the question — об этом не может быть и речи	“Will you go to the theatre tonight?” “It’s out of the question. I have lots of things to do.”
2. to take the trouble to do something — потрудиться	You had a difficult text to translate and you did not take the trouble to consult the dictionary.
3. in the original — в оригинале	You know English well enough to read Dickens in the original.
4. to play the piano (the violin, the harp) — играть на рояле (скрипке, арфе)	She plays the piano very well.
5. to keep the house — сидеть дома	She has a cold and will have to keep the house for a couple of days.
6. to keep the bed — соблюдать постельный режим	She has a bad cold and will have to keep the bed for a couple of days.
7. on the whole — в целом	On the whole Tom is a pleasant fellow, but sometimes he has whims.
8. the other day (refers to the past) — на днях	I met him the other day.
9. on the one hand…on the other hand — с одной стороны...с другой стороны	On the one hand he certainly excites suspicion, but on the other hand we have not enough evidence against him. (Oppenheim)
10. to tell (to speak) the truth — говорить правду; to tell the truth — по правде говоря	He always speaks (tells) the truth. To tell the truth, I don’t like the girl.
11. to be on the safe side — для верности	I am almost sure of the pronunciation of this name, but to be on the safe side let us consult the pronouncing dictionary.

§ 20. Nouns in set expressions used without an article.

1. out of doors — на дворе, на улице, вне дома	The children spent most of the time out of doors.
2. to take to heart — принимать близко к сердцу	Don’t take things too much to heart.
3. to take offence — обижаться	If he had heard your remark, he would have taken offence.
4. to give (to get, to ask) permission — дать (получить, просить) разрешение	I asked permission to keep the book a little longer.
5. to lose heart — терять мужество, приходить в уныние	He found the subject very difficult at first, but he did not lose heart. He went on working hard and finally mastered it.
6. at present — в настоящее время	You may go home, we don’t want you at present.
7. from morning till night — с утра до вечера	He worked in his little garden from morning till night.
8. from head to foot — с головы до ног	She was dressed in furs from head to foot.
9. from beginning to end — с начала до конца	The whole story is a lie from beginning to end.
10. at first sight — с первого взгляда	He fell in love with her at first sight.
11. by chance — случайно	They met quite by chance.
12. by mistake — по ошибке	I have brought the wrong book by mistake.
13. for hours — часами	He could read for hours.
14. for ages — целую вечность	I have not seen you for ages.
15. by land, by air, by sea — сушей, по воздуху, морем	I like travelling by sea.
16. to go to sea — стать моряком	My sister wants to be a doctor, and my brother wants to go to sea.
17. on deck — на палубе	We spent hours on deck.
18. to keep house — вести хозяйство	Her sister keeps house for her.
19. at sunrise — на рассвете	We left the town at sunrise.
20. at sunset — на закате	We arrived at the village at sunset.
21. at work — за работой	Whenever I come, he is always at work.
22. at peace — в мире	We want to be at peace with all countries.
23. by name — по имени	His cat, Snowball by name, was playing on the carpet.
24. in debt — в долгу	Mr. Micawber was always in debt.

USE OF ARTICLES IN SOME SYNTACTIC RELATIONS
§ 21. The use of articles with predicative nouns.

As stated above (see § 2) a predicative noun is used with the indefinite article if the speaker states that the object denoted by the noun belongs to a certain class.

If a predicative noun is modified by a particularizing attribute, the definite article is used.
He is the student you wanted to speak to.
If a predicative noun denotes a post which can be occupied by one person at a time, either no atricle or the definite article is used.
Mr. Henderson is manager, not under-manager any longer. (Lindsay)

Montanelli was director of the theological seminary at Pisa.

Comrade N. is the dean of our faculty.
No article is used with predicative nouns after the verbs to turn, to commence, to appoint, to elect.
Compeyson turned traitor.

Компейсон стал предателем.

Shakespeare commenced actor.

Шекспир начинал как актер.

They appointed him head-teacher.

Его назначили старшим преподавателем.
A predicative noun sometimes has an adjectival character, especially when it is followed by the adverb enough. In this case no article is used.
Surely Bolla isn’t fool enough to believe that sort of stuff? (Voynich)

Неужели Болла настолько глуп, чтобы поверить подобному вздору?
When a predicative noun in an adverbial clause of concession is placed at the head of the clause, no article is used.
Child as he was, David understood that Creakle was an ignorant man.

Хотя Давид был ребенком, он понимал, что Крикль — невежественный человек.
The nouns son and daughter used predicatively take the definite article when modified by an of-phrase, though there may be several sons and daughters in the family.
Lomonosov was the son of a fisherman.

Becky Sharp was the daughter of an artist.
§ 22. The use of articles with nouns in apposition.

Nouns in apposition and nouns forming part of an apposition are used with the indefinite article if the speaker states that the object expressed by the noun in apposition belongs to a certain class.
I want to introduce you to Comrade В., a great friend of mine.
In the plural no article is used.
I want to introduce you to Comrades B, and D., great friends of mine.
Nouns in apposition or nouns forming part of an apposition are used with the definite article if they are modified by a particularizing attribute.
Comrade В., the student you have mentioned, has come.
If the noun denotes a well-known person or work of art, the definite article is generally used.
Pushkin, the great Russian poet, died in 1837.

Hamlet, the immortal tragedy by Shakespeare, was written in the first years of

the 17th century.
But if the person or the work of art is not widely known the indefinite article is used.
Pericles, a comedy by Shakespeare, is hardly ever staged.
No article is generally used with a noun in apposition when the opposition expresses a post which can be occupied by one person at a time. Occasionally the definite article is used.
Professor Petrov, director (the director) of the Medical Institute, is going to

deliver a lecture.

Comrade Smirnov, dean (the dean) of the English department, has left for

Moscow.
§ 23. Class nouns used in address take no article.
Come downstairs, child. (Voynich)
§ 24. Place of the article.

The usual place of the article is before the noun if it is not modified by an attribute; if the noun is modified by an attribute, the article is placed before the latter. However, there are cases when the article follows the attribute.

1. The definite article follows the attribute expressed by the pronouns both, all.
Both the stories were interesting.

All the stories were interesting.

2. The indefinite article follows the attribute expressed by an adjective after so, too, as.
Mr. Pickwick could not resist so tempting an opportunity of studying human

nature. (Dickens)

You compel me to tell you that this is too serious a matter to be treated in

such a fashion. (Dreiser)

It was as black a house inside as outside. (Dickens)
3. The indefinite article follows quite, such, what (what in exclamatory sentences).
She is quite a child.

I’ve never heard of such a thing.

What a wonderful piece of luck!
The indefinite article either precedes or follows rather.
This enquiry envolved the respected lady in rather a delicate position.

(Dickens)

They stop and interchange a rather heated look. (Dickens)