English Grammar Notes #3:
ARTICLES
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| DEFINITION (fragment from Definition M2 in LSEG) "Article" is the sentence element used to determine nouns (only). When the noun is accompanied by "definite article", it is marked as being particular among many similar ones; if the article is "indefinite", the noun represents ...  In spite of its simplicity, the article is the most frequently
misused sentence element.
Consider the following:1. "Article" is the sentence element used to determine nouns. (in this instance "Article" is a proper noun used to name an entire grammatical category; therefore, the first letter should (normally) be written in capitals.) 2. Articles are used to determine nouns in particular ways. (in this instance we refer to all articles in a largely general manner.) 3. The article is the sentence element used to determine nouns. (in this instance, the words "the article" refer to a specific grammatical category as being one element out of a larger set: nouns, articles, adjectives, pronouns, verbs, etc.) 4. The articles shouldn't be capitalized. (in this instance we refer to a previously known, limited set of definite articles; for example, in a letter.) 5.1 An article is commonly employed to determine nouns. (in this instance we refer to both the definite and indefinite articles in general. Note the following similar instances: 5.2 Definite article is employed to mark/highlight known nouns. 5.3 Indefinite article is commonly employed to determine [some] nouns to which we refer in a general manner. 5.4 We use the definite article to mark known nouns. 5.5 Note the indefinite article employed to highlight the subject. Note that "Definite Article" and "Indefinite Article" may also be used as proper nouns--names used to name grammatical categories. 5.6 Today, we study grammatical category of Indefinite Article. RULE The most important rule in English grammar--and not only--is: we do not change the meaning to accommodate grammatical form; we use the appropriate grammatical form which explains the meaning best. In exceptional circumstance we may even disregard (few) grammatical rules if that explains the meaning better. However, in order to do that you have to know English grammar from inside-out: from Phonetics to Morphology, and form Syntax to Punctuation.)  In order to decide on the best form of expression, we need to analyze the meaning
first, then to select the most appropriate grammatical rule of using
articles. However, there is a general, modern trend to avoid using the
article when its meaning is preserved implicitly--this is also needed,
sometimes, to eliminate annoying phonetic resonances. Note the following:6. That was a long time ago. ("a long time ago" is an idiomatic expression working as adverb of time. Idiomatic expressions are never analyzed for correct grammatical form; however, note that the article "a" determines the noun "time" which does not allow indefinite article. This is an old form of expression--a bit emphatic--particular, mostly, to "children' stories".) 7. That was long time ago. ("long time ago" works as adverb of time. This expression is employed preferentially in modern literature, same as: 7.1 The problem is ... --> Problem is ... 7.2 The truth is ... --> Truth is ... 7.3 The fact is ... --> Fact is ... ATTENTION Using some particular forms (little--a little, few--a few) may come with slight meaning differences. All topics highlighted above are presented in details in Logically Structured English Grammar. The following structure was employed to present articles: 1. Reading and Writing Articles 2. Using Definite Article 3. Using Indefinite Article 4. Article Omission ATTENTION The article makes no sense when is taken alone: it works only as a noun auxiliary grammatical instrument. Many authors of grammar books consider articles as being determining adjectives, but the idea goes too far. The definite article does have a determining adjective origin, only that was (a) long time ago. Syntactically, adjectives are attributes, while articles have no syntactic function of their own. Articles take the same syntactic function as their determined nouns, meaning, articles are (part of) subjects, (noun) attributes, objects, or (noun origin) adverbials. Overall, in addition to being the most used sentence element in English grammar, the article forms a perfectly defined morphologic category. | ||||||||||||
| ATTENTION These Grammar Notes are far from being sufficient to understand the topics presented. For accurate and detailed information we recommend LOGICALLY STRUCTURED ENGLISH GRAMMAR. | ||||||||||||
English grammar is strongly dependant on its phonetics. For example, the definite article "the" is pronounced differently when the following word starts with a consonant or a vowel, although the written form is exactly the same in either case. In other words, "phonetic agreement" plays an important role in English grammar. The following picture is a fragment from LSEG, Table M2.1 : reading articles.  |
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As a main function, definite article is used to mark known or previously mentioned nouns. Definite article was, originally, a demonstrative adjective, same as "this", "that", "these", and "those". In fact, definite article may replace, and it may be replaced, by "this", "that", "these", and "those" in most instances. Despite its apparent similarity to demonstrative adjectives, definite article has important specific functions. The following picture is a fragment from LSEG, Table M2.4 : using definite article.  NOTE Definite article "the" may also be adverb. Definite article "the" is employed to transform qualifying adjectives into nouns. |
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Indefinite article is used to mark its determined noun as being a typical/ordinary representative of its group/category/kind. Indefinite article determines only nouns in singular form, because it has a second function: it replaces the numeral "one". Therefore, the indefinite article and the noun it determines have to agree in number--which is always singular. The rule is preserved even if the noun has an adjective or adjectival construction ahead having plural meaning/form. Indefinite article has many functions. The following picture is a fragment from LSEG, Table M2.3 : using indefinite article. 
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The article may be present or not. When the article is missing, due to various circumstances, it doesn't necessarily mean the article does not exist. For example, the noun "Asia" takes no article, only "Asia" is a unique, huge, important continent and everybody knows it perfectly well. The fact that we do not use a definite article to mark the well known noun "Asia" means the article "the" is implicitly understood, embedded into the name of the noun itself. The notions of "implicit article" and "missing article" are semantic topics, meaning, they can be debated for long periods of time without any benefic results. Practically, two instances of missing article are frequent: 1. when the article is not used 2. when the article is missing on purpose The following picture is a fragment from LSEG, Table M2.5.1 : not used article.  |
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Fragment
from LSEG, Table M2.5.2 : missing article. |
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