Names of historical periods, events

With historical periods and events the definite article is usually used: the Middle East, the Crimean War (but: World War II)

 

IV. Use of articles with nouns in set expressions

The indefinite article

in a harry – второпях, to fly into a passion – прийти в бешенство, to get in a fury (in a range) – прийти в ярость, to take a fancy to smb.– проникнуться симпатией (к к-л.), in a low (loud) voice – тихо (громко), a great many (a great deal) – много, it's a pity – жаль, it's a shame – стыдно, it's a pleasure – приятно, as a result – в результате, to have a good time – хорошо провести время, to be at a loss – быть в недоумении, at a glance – сразу, с первого взгляда.

 

The definite article

it's out of the question – об этом не может быть и речи, to take the trouble to do sth. – потрудиться, in the original – в оригинале, to play the piano (the violin, the harp) – играть на рояле (скрипке, арфе), to keep the bed – соблюдать постельный режим, on the whole – в целом, the other day – на днях, on the one hand … on the other hand – с одной стороны … с другой стороны, to tell (to speak) the truth – говорить правду, to tell the truth – по правде говоря, to be on the safe side – для верности.

 

No article

out of doors – на дворе, на улице, вне дома, to take to heart – принимать близко к сердцу, to take offence – обижаться, to give (to get, to ask) permission – дать (получить, просить) разрешение, to loose heart – терять мужество, приходить в уныние, at present – в настоящее время, from morning till night – с утра до вечера, from head to foot – с головы до ног, from beginning to end – с начала до конца, at first sight – с первого взгляда, by chance – случайно, by mistake – по ошибке, for hours – часами, for ages – целую вечность; by land, by sea, by air – сушей, морем, по воздуху; to go to sea – стать моряком, on deck – на палубе, to keep house – вести хозяйство, at sunrise – на рассвете, at sunset – на закате, at work – за работой, at peace – в мире, by name – по имени, in debt – в долгу.

Exercise 1. Insert the articles where necessary.

1. The maid, looking to right and left, spoke in … low and hurried voice.(Galsworthy) 2. On his trip round … world with Fleur he had often put his nose out and watched … dancing on … deck. (Galsworthy) 3. He decided that he would not at … present explain to her who he was. (Bennett) 4. I saw … good deal of him during … war. (Snow) 5. He has taken his death very much to … heart indeed. (Collins) 6. What did her education and her accomplishment amount to? She could keep … house. (Bennett) 7. All seemed perfectly at their ease, by no means in … hurry. (Dickens) 8. Somebody important must have been arriving from Europe by … air. (Greene) 8. Am I dealing, young people with … case of … love at … first sight? (Galsworthy) 9. Rosa was well aware that she had never taken … trouble to get to know Annette. (Murdoch) 10. You will go to … sea and forget all about me in … month. (Galsworthy) 11. It’s … pleasure to see you. (Galsworthy) 12. On … other hand, if he was beaten he took it with complete good humour. (Maugham) 13. She burned like... fire from head to … foot. (Hardly) 14. I got into conversation with him by …chance at … concert. (Shaw) 15. He played … flute. (Miller) 16. Somewhere … great many men were singing. (Greene) 17. He was chronically in … debt. (Snow)

Exercise 2. Translate into English.

1. Он всегда говорит очень тихо. 2. На днях случайно я встретила Нину. 3. Если вы ей так ответите, она придёт в ярость. 4. По правде говоря, я так и не поняла, почему она обиделась. 5. Она читает с утра до ночи. 6. Я люблю путешествовать морем. 7. Вы по ошибке принесли не тот журнал. 8. Он даже не потрудился встретить вас на вокзале. 9. Мы уже можем читать Диккенса и Теккерея в оригинале. 10. Мой брат очень хорошо играет на скрипке.

V. Use of articles in some syntactic relations

With predicative nouns

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.

Miss Sharp's father was an artist.

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 article or the definite article is used.

Mr. Henderson is manager.

She is the dean of our faculty.

No article is used with predicative nouns after the verbs to turn, to commence, to appoint, to elect.

He turned traitor. (Он стал предателем.)

They appointed him head-teacher. (Его назначили старшим преподавателем.)

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.

 

With nouns in apposition

1) Nouns in 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 Jack, a great friend of mine.

In the plural no article is used.

I want to introduce you to Jack and Ann, great friends of mine.

2) Nouns in apposition are used with the definite article if they are modified by a particularizing attribute.

M. Ivanov, the student you have mentioned, has come.

3) 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.

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.

4) No article is generally used with a noun in apposition when the apposition expresses a post which can be occupied by one person at a time. Occasionally the definite article is used.

Professor Petrov, dean (the dean) of the English department, has left for Moscow.