The use of articles with the names of months and days, seasons, meals, languages
The nouns
As a rule
no article
When modified by a particularizing attribute: The
When modified by a descriptive attribute: A
In set expressions
1. The names of months and days (May, Monday)
Mayis a spring month.
I met her on Tuesday.
Well always remember the May of 1945.
She came on the Friday when David was born.
A cold May is a usual thing in St. Petersburg.
2. The names of seasons (summer, winter)
I like winter.
It was summer when we first came here.
It happened in the spring of 1990.
It was a beautiful spring.
But: no article
early/late spring, winter
3. Nouns: day, night, evening, morning, afternoon
Day is meant for work, night for sleep.
It was evening.
Hell never forget the day when he met her.
The night was warm and beautiful.
I spent a sleepless night.
But: no article
early/late afternoon, night, broad day, high noon
by day/night;
at night/ dawn/ daybreak/ sunrise/ sunset/ noon;
frommorning till night;
in themorning/ night
4. The names of languages (French, English)
She knows French well.
The English of America differs from the English of Great Britain.
the English language
What is the English for...?
5. The names of meals (lunch, dinner, tea)
Did you have dinner?
Lunch is ready.
The dinner we had today was very good.
The lunch was a success.
After a heavy breakfast we started for...
But: no article
early/late dinner, supper
to have lunch (tea, breakfast)
But:
to have a gooddinner
2) the use of articles with the nouns school/college, prison/jail, bed, town, church
The nouns
When the noun lose the concrete meaning and express the purpose for which they serve: no article
When the nouns denote concrete objects the articles are used in accordance to the general rules
School/ college/ university
to be at school/college/university
to go to school/college/university
to leave school/college
After I left school I went to university (as a student)
Why arent the children at school today? (as pupils)
to go to the/a school (the building is meant)
to leave the school (to leave the building)
Mr. Kelly went to the school to meet his daughters teacher.
Is there a school near here?
Church
in church / to church
Mrs. Kelly goes to church on Sundays (for a religious service).
The church was built in the 17th century.
There is a church in the village.
Prison/jail
to be in prison
to be sent to prison/jail
to be put in prison
Kens brother is in prison for robbery.
Fred robbed a bank but he was caught and sent to prison.
Ken went to the prison to visit his brother.
They lived near a prison.
Bed
to go to bed
to be in bed
to stay in bed
Its time to go to bed.
Is Tom still in bed?
Her portrait was on the wall beside the bed.
There is a table, 6 chairs, a bed and a cupboard in the room.
Work
to go to work
to be at work
to start work
Why isnt Ann at work today?
I like the work Im doing now.
A new work of modern art.
The works of Shakespeare.
Home
to go home
to come / arrive home
to be at home / to stay at home
to feel at home
Lets go home.
Institution or place:
an orphans home, anursing home, amaternity home.
Place where an animal or a plant is native:
thehome of the tiger
Town
to / in town
You cant go to town tomorrow.
What are you going to do in town.
He spent 20 years in town, he is not used to country life.
I want to go to the town I was born in.
Would you rather live in a town or in the country?
The whole town was talking about it.
Hospital
to go to hospital
to be in hospital
Jack had an accident. He had to go to hospital. He is still in hospital now.
when Ann was ill we went to the hospital to visit her.
Is there a hospital near here?
Of-phrases:
Quality a book of interest a feeling of relief
a sense of humor a question of importance
quantity or measure a temperature of 20
a distance of three miles
a box of two tons
composition a group of children a party of 12 people
a flock of birds a team of hockey-players
age a boy of 5 a man of middle age
material a wall of glass a ring of gold
a scarf of thick wool
content a cup of tea a bottle of milk
a box of cigarettes
size a sailor of middle height a building of enormous size
When the noun manis used in a generic sense, no article is found with it:
Surely he had suffered everything that mancan endure.
The noun woman in a generic sense may be used with the definite article or without any article:
He had always been interested in that mysterious being- the woman.
Woman is mans helpmate.
There is often no article with homogeneous parts of a sentence:
Horse & riderstood as if posing for a statue.
Are husband & wife so much one flesh that if one hates the wife one has to hate the husband too?
