MISCELLANEOUS PROPER NAMES

CLASS NOUNS

The Indefinite Article.1)When the object expressed by a noun belongs to a certain class (She has a cat). 2) With a predicative noun, when the speaker denotes that the object belongs to a certain class (She will be a doctor). After the conjunction "as" the predicative noun is often used without any article (She was engaged as secretary). 3) When the noun is used in a general sense (implying the meaning of "every") (An artist lives hundreds of lives). 4) When the indefinite article preserves its original meaning of "one" (I couldn't say a word). In the plural forms the pronoun "some" is used instead of the article (I've bought her some flowers; They invited some friends…).

The Definite Article.1) When the speaker singles out the object from all the other objects of a given class: the speaker and the hearer know what is meant (How did you like the movie?); the speaker uses an attribute pointing out a particular object (The house which stands down the hill); the situation itself makes the object definite (The wedding was marvelous – the bride and the bridegroom were truly happy). 2) The noun denotes a unique object (The moon is staring through the trees). 3) The noun is used in a generic sense (The telephone was invented by Bell).

NOUNS OF MATERIAL AND ABSTRACT NOUNS

No articleis used with nouns of material in general sense (Gold is used for many purposes). The Definite Articleis used when a definite part of the substance is meant (it's modified by a particularizing attribute or it's clear from the situation) (The dog ate the meat with pleasure)."Some"is used when an indefinite part of the substance is meant (He cut some bread and put it on the table).

No articleis used with abstract nouns used in general sense (Hope is something that helps us to get through). The Definite Articleis used with an abstract noun when it's modified by a particularizing attribute or it's clear from the situation (The courage he's been feeling for quite a time helped him today). The Indefinite Articleis used when the abstract noun denotes a certain kind of quality, feeling, state, etc. (You possess a wit of your own) and with the nouns "period, population, distance, height, salary, etc." followed by "of + numeral + noun" (The fireball was hanging at the height of ten meters).

NAMES OF PERSONS

No articleis used with names of persons (David Coverdale is the founder of Whitesnake). Nouns denoting military ranks and titles followed by names of persons (Lord Henry). Nouns expressing relationship followed by names of persons (Uncle Tom was a great storyteller), and nouns expressing relationship (plus "nurse, cook, baby") not followed by a name, but used by a member of the family (When does father come home, mum?), but if other people's relation is meant then the definite article is used (The son resembles the father in many ways).

The Definite articleis used with names denoting the whole family (The Smiths are quite odd people). Names modified by a particularizing attribute (It wasn't the Julia I knew two years before). Common nouns denoting professions followed by names of persons (The singer Halford is known all over the world). When the name is modified by adjectives and participles (The surprised John remained standing there), excluding the adjectives "old, young, poor, dear, little, honest, lazy" (Little Mary had a big house), and "certain" (I hear that a certain Mr.Palmer has bought your house).

The Indefinite articleis used when names of persons denote a member of a family (He's an Osbourne) or when used as common noun (He's a Casanova; He's the Raphael of music).

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

No articleis used with geographical names (Asia as well as Latin America has many developing countries like, for example, Malaysia). No article is used with the names of continents, mountain peaks, single islands, bays, waterfalls (Everest, Madagascar, Hudson Bay, Niagara Falls), countries, provinces, cities, streets (excluding some exceptions) (Bobruisk, Y.Mavra str.), squares.

The definite articleis used with geographical names modified by a particularizing attribute (It wasn't the Russia of his youth anymore). The article is used with the names of oceans, seas, rivers, lakes (excluding the cases when the noun "lake" is used), straits, canals (the Pacific; the Black Sea; the Svisloch; the Naroch; Lake Ontario; the Panama Canal; the Bering Strait), mountain chains, groups of islands, deserts (the Urals, the Bermudas, the Sahara), some exceptions from the rule of countries, provinces, cities and streets (the Netherlands, the Ukraine, the Congo, the Lebanon, the Argentine, the USA, the Cameroon, the Senegal; the Tyrol, the Transvaal, the Crimea, the Riviera, the Caucasus, the Ruhr; the Hague; the Main street, the Mall, the High street, the Strand).

MISCELLANEOUS PROPER NAMES

Names of hotels, ships, newspapers and magazinesare used with the definite article (the Hyatt, the Academic Sverdlov, the Rolling Stone, the Times).

Names of cardinal pointsare used with the definite article (the East). No article is used in expressions "from East to West" and "from North to South".

Names of months and daysare used without articles (July, Friday). The nouns modified by a particularizing attribute are used with the definite article (The August of 2006 was one of the best months in my life). The indefinite article is used when the speaker talks about one of many months/days (I can't remember the exact date, but I'm sure that it was a Monday) and when a descriptive attribute is implied (A cold June is something usual for those places).

Nouns modified by proper namesin the genitive case require no article (I met Mary's brother). A noun modified by a proper name in the common case is used with the definite article (I'd really like to visit Yanka Kupala theatre).

Names of parks, squares, airports and railway stationsare used with no article (Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, Heathrow Airport, Victoria Station).

The names of universities and collegesare used without an article (Cambridge University). But the definite article is used in the combinations "the University of London, the University of Moscow" etc.

Names of theatres, museums, galleries, concert halls and cinemastend to be used with the definite article (the Bolshoi Theatre, the British Museum, the Tretiakov Gallery, the Astoria, the Odeon).

Names of state institutes, organizations, political parties and grammatical categoriesare used with the definite article (the Army, the Komsomol, the Conservative Party, the Past Indefinite).

SET EXPRESSIONS

The Indefinite article.In a hurry, to have a (good, great) mind to do smth., to fly into a passion, to get in a rage (fury), to take a fancy to smb., in a low (loud) voice, a great many (deal), it's a pity, it's a shame, it's a pleasure, as a result, to have a good time, to be at a loss, at a glance.

The Definite article.It's out of the question, to take the trouble to do smth., in the original, to play the piano (guitar, etc.), to keep the house, to keep the bed, on the whole, the other day, on the one hand-on the other hand, to tell the truth, to be on the safe side.

No article.Out of doors, to take to heart, to take offence, to give (get, ask for) permission, to lose heart, at present, from morning till night, from head to foot, from beginning to end, at first sight, by chance, by mistake, for hours, for ages, by land (air, sea), to go to sea, on deck, to keep house, at sunrise (sunset), at work, at peace, by name, in debt.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1293