OXFORD LEARNER''''S GRAMMAR 6 ppsx

The articles: alan and til e

161 Articles in phrases of time

A Introduction

- - - - - - ------ ----- In a phrase of time we often use

a singular noun without an anicle

in winter on Monday

Bur we put a t an or the before an

adjec tive + noun.

n very cold winter

We also use an article if there is a

phrase or clause after the nOun.

the Munday before the holiday

the winter when we had all

cllat snow

In 8-H there are some examples with various kinds of time phrase.

B Years

The company was formed in 1981.

The war iIlsledfrom 1812101815.

C Seasons and months

If winter comes, can spring be

fllr behind?

It's nice here in (the) summer.

June is my failOurite month.

The elections are in March.

D Special times of the year

in the year 198 1

the winter of 2002

a marvellous summer

I don't enjoy Christmas much. It was a Christmas I'll never forget.

Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving.

E Days of the week

208

I must finish this report by Monday.

(Monday of next week)

Our visitors are coming on Friday.

(Friday of this week)

I'm leaving on the Wednesday before

Easter. That's the second Wednesday

in April.

This happened on a Friday ill July.

We usually go out on Saturday I on

Saturdays. (; every Saturday)

F Parts of the day and night

At midday it was very hot.

They reached the camp at sunset.

We'll be home before dark.

at night, by day/night

161 Articles in phrases of time

We usually go out on a Saturday.

Friday 12 May would be OK, but I'm

busy on the Thursday. (; the

Thursday of that week)

I'll see you at the weekend.

It was a wDtlderful sunset.

I couldn't see in the dark.

in/during the day/the night/

the morning/the afternoon/the

evening

In phrases of time we normally use these nouns on their own: dawn,

da)'break, sunrise; midday, noon: dusk, sunset, twilight; dark, nightfall;

midnight. But we use af an or the when we talk about the physical aspect, e.g.

not being able to see in the dark, rather than about the time.

G Meals

Breakfast is from seven o'clock.

I had a sandwich for lunch.

H Phrases with last and next

The breakfast we had at the hOlel

wasn't very nice.

They all had a delicious lunch.

The meal was perfect.

These fiats were built last year. The flats had been built the previous

year/the year before.

We're having a party next Saturday. They were having a party tile

following Saturday.

Compare these phrases.

Seen from the present

I'm leaving tomorrow.

The match is !lext week.

Seen from the past

I was leaving (the) next day.

The match was the following week. . ,

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The articles: alan and the

162 Names

A Most names of people a nd places are without, the,

Daniel Mrs Parsons Texas South Australia

Some place names have the, especiall y names consisting of more than one

word, but there are others which do not have the. For example, we say the

Black Sea but Lake Superior, Two things affect whether a name has the or not.

They are the kind of place it is (e,g. a sea or a lake), and the grammatical

structure of the name. We often usc the in these structures,

Of-phrase:

Adjective:

Plural form:

the Duke of Edinburgh

the American School

the Joh"sonsl the Johnson family

We do not usually Wie the before a possessive.

Possessive: Cleopatra's Needle

the Isle of Wight

the Royal Opera llouse

the West Indies

For more details about place names and the. > 163.

NOTE

A noun such as doctor, profe.~s or, or presidem can be part of a person's name.

J saw Doctor Fry

But when the noun is nOI part of a name, we lISC an article In the usual way.

J saw the doctor.

B We can sometimes use an article with a pe rson's name.

There's a Laura whu works in our office. (= a person called Laura)

A Mr Wilsoll called to see YOf.t. (= someone called Mr Wilson)

The Laura I know has dark hair. (= the person called Laura)

That's a Hockn ey, isn't it? (= a picture by Hockney)

Here are some examples of alan and zhe with place names which normally

have no article. '

There 's a Plymouth in the US. (= a place called Plymouth)

The Plymouth of today is very different from tlte Plymouth I once knew.

(Plymout h at different times)

Amsterdam is the Venice of the norch. (= the place like Venice)

Stressed (he !fJi: ! before a name can mean 'tne famolls

I kno,w a Joan Collins, but she isn't THE joan Collins.

We can also stress a l eI! to contrast with the:.

1 know 1\ joan Collins, but she isn't THE joa~l Collins.

163 Place names and the

210

For some general points about place names and the, > 162A. Here the

different types of place name are dea lt wirh in more detail.

163 Place names and the

A Continents, countries, and states

Masl continents, islands, countries,

states, and counties are wilhout the.

a trip to Europe

on Bermuda

a holiday in France

through Ohio

in Hampshire

New South Wales

B Regions

Exceptions are names ending with

republic or kingdom.

the Dominican Republic

the UK

Plural names also have the.

the Netherlands

the US

When the name of a continent or Most other regions have the.

country (e.g. America) is modified by

another word (e.g. Centra!), we do

not use the.

Central America to North Wales

South·East Asia in New England

C Mountains

Most mountains and hills are

without the.

climbing (Mount) Kilimanjaro

up (Mount) Everest

o Lakes, rivers, and seas

Lakes are without the.

beside l.ake Ontario

the South the Mid- West

the Midlands the Riviera

A velY few mountains have the.

the Matterhorn the Eiger

Mountain ranges and hill

ranges have the.

across the Alps

in the Cots wolds

Rivers, canals, and seas have the.

on the (River) Avon

the Missouri (River)

building the Panama Canal

the NortFi Sea

in the Pacific (Ocean)

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