Unit 7

The Use of Articles with Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns fall into two classes: countables and uncountables.
The use of articles with countable abstract nouns does not differ from their use with countable concrete
nouns — in the singular countable abstract nouns are used with the indefinite or definite article; in the plural
they are used without any article or with the definite article:
He told the child a story. He told the child stories. The child knew the story he told.
The child knew the stories he told.
The use of articles with uncountable abstract nouns
1. As a general rule, uncountable abstract nouns are used without any article. The absence of the article has
the nominating meaning:
Indifference and pride look very much alike, and he probably thought I was proud.
I knew that generosity would have been wasted on him.
2. The definite article is used with uncountable nouns when they are modified by a particularizing attribute or
when the situation makes the idea definite. The definite article is used here to denote a particular instance of
the notion expressed by the noun. In this case the meaning of the article is restricting:
He was in a state of the greatest excitement.
They were surprised at the curious silence into which he had fallen.
It was very still in the house. Suddenly a faint sound could be heard in the stillness.
3. The definite article is also found with substantivized adjectives denoting abstract notions: the ordinary,
the average, the beautiful, the unusual, the supernatural, the extravagant, the unknown, the regrettable,
the normal, the grotesque, the unbearable, etc.:
"You shouldn't think you're something out of the ordinary, "she said.
"Do you believe in the supernatural?" he asked.
To this group also belong nouns always used with the definite article as the present, the past, the future,
the singular, the plural:
He is certain nothing will happen in the near future.
He told strange stories of the past.
Note. Mark the difference in meaning between the expressions in future (надалі), i.e. from this time on, and
in the future (у майбутньому), i.e. after a certain period of time passes. A future is possible when this noun
is the focus of communication.
I hope in future you’ll be more careful.
Everybody knew an enviable position awaited him in the future.
It was an uncertain future, but she had nobody else to turn to for help.
4. Abstract nouns can be used with the indefinite article. In this case the abstract noun denotes a certain kind
(відтінок) of a quality, feeling, state, etc. The noun nearly always has a descriptive attribute. The meaning of
the indefinite article is called aspective:
A dull anger rose in his chest.
There seemed to be a wonderful excitement everywhere in the world.
There was a tenderness in his voice that moved her.
After a time a loneliness fell upon the two men.
There was a bitterness in her voice.
"A loneliness" means “a certain loneliness” and "a bitterness" means “a certain bitterness” here.
5. Sometimes an uncountable abstract noun is used with an attribute and yet has no article. In some cases the
attribute does not bring out a special aspect of the notion expressed by the noun. The attribute may express:
• degree or extent (great, perfect, sufficient, huge, tremendous, immense, sheer, utter, complete,
infinite, endless, major and some others ): immense joy, sheer foolishness
• time and historical periods (modern, ancient, impending, eternal, daily, contemporary, further, final,
original): modern art, further discussion, ancient history
 • nationality (English, French, etc.): Italian music, French poetry
• position or locality (London, world ,outside, inner, local, internal, etc.): inner vision, inside
information
• authenticity or reliability (real, genuine, authentic, symbolic, true, solid, false and some others): real
freedom, true friendship
• social characteristic (Soviet, bourgeois, capitalist, racial, religious, etc.): racial segregation, feudal
law
• genres or trends in art (dramatic, theatrical, classical, romantic, detective, etc.): romantic prose,
detective literature
• man’s social and spiritual life (social, public, political, intellectual, spiritual, moral, mental,
reasonable, personal, etc.): public recognition, human philosophy
• man’s manner or behaviour (polite, formal, nervous, serious, etc.): nervous attitude, formal behaviour
• recurrent or going on without stopping phenomena (continual, continuous, constant, incessant, etc.):
incessant talk, constant displeasure
• there are also some other adjectives of different meaning (good, bad, free, critical, ordinary, plain,
human, etc.): ordinary honesty, human psychology
As these attributes do not express a special aspect, the nouns modified by them are used without any
article:
I have perfect confidence in him. She has great experience in her work.
I'm sure your work will give you complete satisfaction.
They talked about modern poetry.
Note. The definite article is used with the combinations French poetry, modern art, American literature,
German philosophy if there is a descriptive attribute, as in the French poetry of the 19-th century.
6. Some nouns are never used with the indefinite article. They are nouns of verbal character denoting actions,
activity, and process, such as advice, assistance, admiration, guidance, permission, progress, recognition,
research, torture, work, information, approval, concern, trade (торгівля) and some others.
This rule applies also to the following nouns: weather, money, news, luck, fun, nature, health, nonsense,
evidence, bliss, breeding, cunning and some others.
I am not sure whether it is good news or bad.
He was anxiously waiting for permission to begin his experiment.
As I knew, Mr March always expressed gloomy concern if one of his children had a sore throat.
He felt honest admiration for his colleague.
She was making great progress.
They promised Jackson further assistance.
Note. Although the above mentioned nouns are never used with the indefinite article, they can be used with
the definite article:
He told me of the progress he was making.
The news was so upsetting that she said she would not see anyone that night.
What is the weather like today?
7. The nouns pity, shame, disgrace, pleasure, relief, comfort, disappointment are always used with the
indefinite article in the following constructions:
• in sentences with the formal it as subject when they are used as predicative of the main clause: It’s a
pity. It’s a shame.
• in exclamatory sentences after what: What a disgrace!

Practice
Exercise 1. Explain the use or the absence of the article before the nouns in bold type.
1. Andrew was the first to break the silence. 2. There was silence for a few moments. 3. There was a silence;
Edward forgot all that he wished to say. 4. There was a reflective silence. 5. They walked a few more yards
in silence. For more minutes there was again the silence of the open. 6. The silence in the room was
oppressive. It was a silence that was alive. 7. Light was coming into the cellar from somewhere. With light
there had returned hope. 8. Soon he saw a light in the distance and understood that he was on the right track.
9. He turned the handle and was in the room before he was seen. The light was shaded; his mother was sitting
on the far side of the bed. 10. After a time, when they had walked a short distance and returned, they sat down
beside a timber which they found half buried in the sand. 11. He looked up at Rita with a grin. "Have I ever
told you about the time I worked on the Northern Pacific?" 12. Asking Dave to talk about Spain was time
wasted. 13. Quiet settled over the little community of Stilleveld, a quiet that was in tune with the stillness of
the night.
Exercise 3. Supply “a” where necessary. Remember that some nouns which are derived from verbs may have
both a countable and an uncountable use. The uncountable word refers to the act itself and the countable word
refers to the concrete product or the result of the act.
1. The electric light was _____ important invention. 2. _____ necessity is the mother of _____ invention. 3.
That painting is _____ possession he dearly prized. 4. Meeting you has been _____ great pleasure. 5. Their
landlord always gives them _____ receipt for the rent. 6. _____ growth and _____ maturation are important
processes of _____ life. 7. Everyone would like to be free from _____ pain. 8. She told the doctor she had
_____ pain in her back. 9. _____ variety is the spice of _____ life. 10. The salesman showed her _____ variety
of shoes. 11. The Stoics felt we would calmly accept our fate without expressing _____ grief or _____ joy.
12. She checked with the doctor about _____ tiny growth on her chin. 13. The doctor told him he might need
_____ operation on his leg. 14. Everyone who admires _____ democracy would like to live in _____
democracy. 15. The child learns through _____ imitation. 16. This picture is _____ good imitation.
Exercise 4. Use “a” or “the” with the abstract nouns. Remember that “a” means “a kind of” and has general
reference and that “the” has specific reference.
1. He has _____ simplicity which is seldom met with these days. 2. They live in _____ atmosphere of never-
ceasing anxiety. 3. _____ atmosphere he creates in his novels is of never-ceasing anxiety. 4. She enjoys _____
popularity which is well deserved. 5. He never told anyone about _____ loneliness he had experienced in the
big city. 6. In the big city, he experienced _____ loneliness which he had never known before. 7. _____ of
history gives us _____ sense of perspective. 8. He felt _____ awareness of _____ hopelessness of his situation.
9. _____ better understanding of the problem will help us to solve it. 10. Everyone was impressed by _____
sincerity with which he spoke. 11. She has never forgotten _____ advice she received from her father. 12. He
has had _____ excellent education in one of the best universities. 13. He displayed _____ wisdom far beyond
his years. 14. _____ wisdom he displayed was far beyond his years. 15. We encountered _____ unexpected
friendliness wherever we went. 16. _____ unexpected friendliness that we encountered wherever we went was
very gratifying. 17. He exhibited _____ courage that surprised me. 18. _____ courage that he exhibited
surprised me.
Exercise 6. Express your surprise (anger, etc.) using exclamatory sentences.
Model: It is a shame you haven't come in time.
What a shame you haven't come in time!
1. It's a shame I have been taken for the daughter. 2. It would be a relief to put her head on his shoulder and
cry. 3. It was a pleasure to see a laughing tenderness in his eyes. 4. It was a disappointment to witness a
carefully restrained ferocity in his dark face. 5. It is a disgrace she tried to convey a confidence she was far
from feeling. 6. It is a shame to fancy she had a fear that I would make the sort of gibe of it. 7. It was a relief
that he reached the last tree and finally set his feet on the firm ground of the other side. 8. It was a pity the
moon disappeared and there was darkness once more. 9. It was a pity John had not much affection for his
mother and sisters. 10. It is a pleasure and a relief to see you again.
Exercise 8. Translate into English.
А) 1. Це дуже доцільна порада. 2. Порада доцільна. 3. Що нового? 4. Новини гарні? 5. Він привіз погані
новини. 6. Такі відомості завжди потрібні. 7. Інформація вже надійшла? 8. Не варто вирушати у
подорож за такої поганої погоди. 9. Ми не вирушимо, поки погода не зміниться. 10. Дай гроші мені.
Ти такий неуважний, ти завжди їх губиш.
В) 1. Яка мудра порада! 2. Які корисні поради! 3. Яка жахлива була погода! 4. Був такий чудовий день!
5. Який неочікуваний візит! 6. Це така неочікувана новина! 7. Він знайшов таку чудову роботу! 8. Яка
цікава робота! 9. Не забудь прочитати книгу! Це така цікава книга! 10. Група досягла такого успіху!
11. Який успіх мала п’єса! 12. Які цінні відомості! 13. Це така серйозна стаття! 14. Яку гарну статтю
ви написали!
Exercise 11. Translate into English.
1. Він прожив безгрішне життя. 2. Життя таке, яким ви його робите. 3. Це неминуче. Це лише питання
часу. 4. То були дуже щасливі часи. 5. Наполеглива праця принесе вам успіх. 6. Якщо з її голови впаде
хоч одна волосина, ти про це дуже пошкодуєш. 7. Батьки Петра задоволені успіхами, яких досяг їхній
син. 8. Успіх поліпшує характер. 9. Мова має великий вплив та силу. 10. В мене немає досвіду роботи
з молоддю. 11. Це був дуже сумний досвід. 12. В нього є воля та честолюбство. 13. Вона дуже вольова
людина. 14. Вони почали працювати ще в ранньому віці. 15. Це книга для людей будь-якого віку. 16.
Новини, так само як і чутки, мають крила ( швидко поширюються). 17. Не можу зрозуміти, куди
зникають мої гроші. Вони як вода. 18. Це дуже великі гроші, але вони твої, і ти можеш
використовувати їх так, як вважаєш за потрібне. 19. Чи є в касі гроші? – Ні, ми відправили їх до банку
ще годину тому. 20. Багато людей відчувають вплив погоди. 21. Відсутність новин – це вже гарна
новина. 22. Яка сьогодні погода? – Погода сонячна. Така погода робить мене дуже щасливим. 23.
Багато інформації в наш час надходить з інтернету. 24. Він каже, що хоче скласти заповіт. 25. Його
слова мають дивну владу над людьми.