Indefinite Articles in English Grammar

• Articles are structural parts of speech used with nouns.
• There are two articles in Modern English: indefinite and definite.

Indefinite Article

• Has two forms: a and an.
• a is used before words starting with a consonant sound (e.g., a book).
• an is used before words starting with a vowel sound (e.g., an opera).
• Pronunciation: a is [ə], an is [ən]; when stressed, they are [eɪ], [æn].
• Developed from the Old English numeral ān (one).
• Used only with singular nouns.
• Implies the object belongs to a class.
• The indefinite article is used with class nouns:
• When presenting an object as belonging to a certain class, meaning "какой-нибудь, какой-то, один" (in the meaning of "некий').
• With a predicative noun, stating the object belongs to a certain class.
• When a noun is used in a general sense, having the meaning of 'every'.
• The indefinite article can preserve its original meaning of 'one,' especially with nouns denoting time, measure, and weight, and with numerals like hundred, thousand, million, and nouns like dozen, score.

Definite Article

• Has one form: the.
• Pronunciation: [ðiː] before a vowel sound, [ðə] before a consonant sound.
• Developed from the Old English demonstrative pronoun se.
• Sometimes retains its demonstrative meaning.
• Shows that a particular object is meant.
• The absence of articles with plural class nouns, abstract nouns, and nouns of material indicates they are used in a general sense.
• Commonly used with some for plural nouns, acting as the equivalent of the indefinite article in the singular implying number or quantity.
• Some means 'several' with class nouns and 'a little' with nouns of material.
• Class nouns are used with the definite article:
• When singling out an object from a class, either by common knowledge, attributes, or the context of the situation.
• When denoting a unique object (e.g., the sun) or a class (e.g., the bourgeoisie).

Generic Sense

• With nouns used in a generic sense, referring to a genus as a whole or a thing as a type.
• The noun man in a generic sense takes no article.
• Woman in a generic sense may take the definite article or no article.

Additional Notes on Definite Articles

• Used with nouns modified by superlative adjectives.
• Used in word-groups with some, many, none, most plus of and a noun.
• Used with nouns modified by same, wrong, right, very.
• Used with substantivized adjectives and participles.
• Countable abstract nouns follow the same article rules as class nouns.

Class Nouns & Attributes

• Definite article used with nouns modified by particularizing attributes.
• Descriptive attributes (used to describe or give additional info) do not affect article usage.

Noun of Materials

• No article is used when nouns of material are used in a general sense.
• Definite article used when referring to a specific part or quantity.
• Some is used when referring to an indefinite part or quantity.
• Nouns denoting different sorts of material are countable and follow class noun article rules.

Abstract Nouns

• No article is used when abstract nouns are used in a general sense.
• Definite article used when modified by a particularizing attribute or made definite by the situation.
• Abstract nouns with pre-positioned attributes are used without articles unless modified by a particularizing attribute.
• Weather is not used with the indefinite article.
• Definite article is used when weather is used in a general sense.
• Indefinite article used to denote a specific kind of quality, feeling, or state, often with a descriptive attribute. However refer to note on page 37 for rules on countable abstract nouns.

Specific Instances of Indefinite Articles

• Used with the nouns period, population, distance, height, salary, etc., followed by of + numeral + noun.

Proper Nouns

• Names of people are used without articles, except in the following instances:
• Names denoting a whole family use the definite article.
• Indefinite article used when denoting a representative of a family.
• Definite article used when modified by a particularizing attribute or as common nouns.
• Military ranks, titles (academician, professor, doctor, count, lord, etc.) followed by a name do not take an article.
• Common nouns denoting professions followed by names take the definite article.
• Relationship nouns followed by names do not take articles e.g., Aunt Polly, Uncle James.
• Nouns showing relationship not followed by proper nouns take the article when used by non-family members.
• Adjectives can modify article use with names of people - in most cases no article is used with old, young, poor, dear, little, honest, lazy. Definite article used with other adjectives or participles.
• Indefinite article used with certain to describe proper nouns - a certain Mr. Brown.

Geographical Names

• Used without articles e.g., England, France, Moscow, London.
• Word groups including nouns like republic, union, kingdom, states are always used with the definite article.
• Modified by a particularizing attribute, the definite article si used.
• The definite article is used With names of oceans, seas, and rivers.
• Names of lakes do not take the article if the word "lake" is used.
• The definite article is used With names of mountain chains.
• No article is used With names of mountain peaks.
• The definite article is used With names of groups of islands.
• No article is used With names of single islands.
• 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 si generally used with the definite article, occasionally without the article).
• No articles are used with Names of streets and squares
• Except in a few exceptions: the High Street, the Strand, the Mall.

Names of Hotels, and other Public Venues

• Names of hotels, restaurants/pubs, theatres, cinemas, museums/galleries, ships, newspapers, and magazines use the definite article.
• No definite article is used with such names Shops, restaurants, hotels, banks, when named after the people who started them, with names ending in s- or -'s.

Cardinal Directions

• The definite article is used With the names of cardinal points
• No article is used in the expressions from East to West, from North to South.

Time Related Nouns

• Names of months and days are used without articles.
• The definite article is used when these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute.
• Names of days are used with the indefinite article to mean one of many Mondays, Fridays, etc.
• Names of months are used with the indefinite article when modified by a descriptive attribute.

Nouns Modified by Proper Nouns

• No article is used if a noun is modified by a proper noun in the genitive case.
• A noun modified by a proper noun in the common case takes the definite article.

Set Expressions and Article Use

• Indefinite article Use with nouns in set expressions:
  • *in a hurry
  • *to have a mind to do something
  • to fly into a passion
  • to get in a fury (in a rage)
  • to take a fancy to
  • in a low (loud) voice
  • a great many (with countables)
  • a great/good deal (with uncountables)
  • it is a pity
  • it is a shame
  • it is a pleasure
  • as a result
  • to have a good time
  • to be at a loss
  • at a glance
• Definite article Use with nouns in set expressions:
  • it is out of the question
  • to take the trouble to do something
  • in the original
  • to play the piano (the violin, the harp)
  • at the end of the day
  • at the beginning
  • on the whole
  • the other day (refers to the past)
  • on the one hand... on the other hand
  • to tell (to speak) the truth
  • to be on the safe side
• No Article is used with nouns in set expressions:
  • out of doors
  • to take to heart
  • to take offence
  • to give (to get, to ask) 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, by air, by sea
  • to go to sea
  • on deck
  • to keep house
  • at sunrise
  • at sunset
  • at work
  • at peace
  • by name
  • in debt
  • in translation

Predicative Nouns

• Indefinite article used when a predicative noun states the object belongs to a class.
• Definite article used when modified by a particularizing attribute.
• Predicative nouns denoting posts held by one person take no article or the definite article.
• No article is used after verbs like to turn, to commence, to appoint, to elect. These indicate the noun sometimes has an adjectival character.
• In adverbial clauses of concession, no article is used when the noun is at the clause's head.
• The definite article is used with the nouns son and daughter when modified by an of-phrase.

Apposition

• Indefinite article used if stating the object in apposition belongs to a certain class.
• No article used in the plural form of apposition.
• Definite article used when modified by a particularizing attribute.
• The definite article is generally used For well-known people or works of art.
• Indefinite article is used If a previously unknown person or work of art is mentioned.
• No article is generally used When apposition names a post occupied by one person.

Addressing People with Nouns

• No article is used with class nouns used in address.

Article Placement

• Articles usually go before the noun.
• The definite article follows attributes expressed by both, all.
• The indefinite article follows adjectives after so, too, as.
• The indefinite article follows quite, such, what.
• The indefinite article can precede or follow rather.

Expressing Articles in Russian

• The meaning of English articles can be expressed in Russian by cases, word order, or words like один, какой-то, какой-нибудь (for indefinite articles) and этот, тот самый (for definite articles).

Special Difficulties with Article Use

• The nouns day, night, morning, evening are used without articles:
  • When referring to light (day, morning) or darkness (night, evening).
  • In expressions like by day, at night, from morning till night.
• The definite article is used when these nouns are modified by a particularizing attribute or when the situation makes them specific.
• Indefinite article is used when modified by a descriptive attribute.
• The nouns are used with the adjectives early and late, and no articles are used, because these show the time and do not describe the time of day.
• Names of seasons are used without articles if showing a certain time of year.
• Definite article used if modified by a particularizing attribute or the situation makes them definite.
• Indefinite article used if modified by a descriptive attribute.
• No articles are used if modified by the adjectives early or late.
• The nouns school, college, university, bed, prison, jail, church are used without articles:
  • When losing their concrete meaning and expressing the object's purpose. -If denoting concrete objects, the articles are used according to the general principle.
• The noun town when referring to the nearest town or a specific town does not take an article with prepositions.
• Names of meals generally take no articles.
• Definite article used when the names are modified by a particularizing attribute or made definite by the situation.
• Indefinite article used when the noun is modified by a descriptive attribute.
• Names of languages omit articles:
  • Unless followed by the word language (e.g., the English language).
  • The definite article is used if the noun is modified by a particularizing attribute.

Noun Modification and Article Use

• The definite article used when most forms the superlative degree of an adjective.
• The indefinite article indicates a high degree of quality with most.
• If referring to definite people or objects, most is followed by of and the noun takes the definite article.
• Omit most of the when we do not mean definite people or things.
• Few means 'мало', a few means 'несколько', the few means 'те немногие (которые)'.
• Little means 'мало', a little means 'некоторое количество', the little means 'то небольшое количество (которое)'.
• Two means 'два', the two means 'оба, те два'.
• The second is the ordinal numeral, a second means 'another, one more'.
• Another means "какой-либо другой' or 'еще один',
• The other means 'определенный другой'.
• Nouns modified by last use the definite article:
  • Except in the expressions last month, last year, last week, last summer (winter, autumn, spring).
• Next means 'будущий' when referencing time and the next means "следующий'.
• A number of means 'many', and the number means 'число, количество'.

Omission of Article

• Omission can occur in newspapers, telegrams, and stage directions.
• Also, with homogeneous members joined by and.