Names of newspapers published in English tend to have the definite article, including almost all the British national daily newspapers: the Times, the Guardian, the Independent; the only one exception is: Today.
The definite article is not used with the names of foreign newspapers: Pravda, Le Monde, Der Spiegel
Names of periodicals such as magazines and journals have no article: Punch, Newsweek, ELT Journal.
Note. the Journal of American Psychology, the Spectator.
Names of sporting events
Names of sporting events usually have the definite article: the Superbowl, the Olympic Games, the World Cup, the Cup Final, the Boat Race, the British Open.
I really enjoy events like the World Championship and the Olympic Games.
One particular case of such an event is picked out by using the definite or indefinite article: I’ve never been to a Cup Final.
Names which are taken from the place where the event occurs do not have the definite article: Wimbledon (for tennis), Ascot and Epsom (for horse-racing events), Henley (for rowing).
Names of musical groups
Names of musical groups can have either no article or the definite article: Queen, the Beatles, Dire Straits, the Supremes.
The choice of name depends on the group, and so it is possible to deliberately break ordinary rules of article usage for stylistic reasons. However most plurals still have the definite article, for example: the Rolling Stones, the Shadows, the Eurythmics, the Doors.
In our own time the Rolling Stones have developed a similar reputation.
Names of festivals
Names of religious and other festivals have no article: Christmas, Easter, Carnival, Ramadan, Midsummer’s Day, Mother’s Day, and so on. (But note the 4th of July.)
Easter is a great time in Poland.
But one particular event can be picked out by using the definite or indefinite article.
We appreciate the rare luxury of a Christmas at home.
Names of organizations
Names of well-known institutions, foundations, organizations typically have the definite article, and they keep it when they are abbreviated: the United Nations (the UN), the BBC, the FBI, the Ford Foundation.
The TUC runs ten-day courses all over the country.
The BBC never reported my speeches.
If an abbreviation is pronounced as a word, then there is no article. So “the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries” is usually called “OPEC” /pek/. Other examples are “NATO” and “UNICEF”
Some names of charities do not have the definite article: Oxfam, Christian Aid, Mencap.
Businesses and chains of shops are referred to with no article: General Motors, Sony, Woolworths, Shell, Nissan, Singapore Airlines.
Now Collins have brought it out in a new translation.
This applies even when abbreviation is used which is not pronounced as a word: BP /bi:pi:/ (British Petroleum), KLM, BA, ICI, IBM and so on.
…corporations like IBM, RCA and Xerox.
However if a word like “company” is used, then the definite article is used: the Bell Telephone Company.
You can find alternatives like: “General Electric” and “GEC” as well as ”the General Electric Company”.
Names of political institutions
The following names typically have the definite article:
The names of most political or government bodies and institutions: the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Department of Trade and Industry, the State Department, the Cabinet.
Look at the percentage of lawyers in the Senate.
This is true also of foreign institutions, translated or not: the Bundestag, the Supreme Court, the Finance Ministry, the Supreme Rada, and so on.
Exceptions to this are: Parliament (but the House of Parliament), Congress, and names of councils: Kent County Council, Leeds City Council.
It happened when I was elected to Parliament in 1964.
But names of locations and buildings that are used to refer metaphorically to political institutions stay as they are: Whitehall, Westminster, Downing Street, Washington, the Kremlin.
Official titles: the Secretary of State, the Foreign (or Prime) Minister, the King, the Premier.
But article is not used if the name accompanies the title: President Washington
Names of political parties: the Labour party, the Conservative party, the Republicans.
Names of law enforcement bodies, civil and military: the Army, the Navy, the state militia, the police, the Air Corps.
Names of bills, acts, and other legislative deliberations: the Magna Carta, the Missouri Compromise.
Most + adjective
The definite article is used when most serves to form the superlative degree of an adjective:
This is the most interesting chapter in the book.
The use of the indefinite article shows that a high degree of a quality is meant. Most has the same meaning as very, exceedingly.
Caroline found that the old maid had been a most devoted daughter and sister.
Note. Occasionally the form of the superlative degree does not express comparison, but a high degree of a quality.
He listened with the most profound attention.
Most + of+ noun
When definite people or things are meant the noun is used with the definite article and most is followed by the preposition of.
Most of the gentlemen looked both angry and uncomfortable.
We say most, not most of the, when we do not mean definite people or things. The noun is used in a general sense.
Most flowers smell sweet.
Few means „мало”, it has a negative meaning. A few means „декілька”, it has a positive meaning. The few means „не багато з тих, хто”. It is used with countable nouns.
He was a very good man. There are few like him in the world today.
He left after a few moments.
You need not fear to hear the few remaining words we have to say.
Little means „мало”, it has a negative meaning. A little means „невелика кількість”, it has a positive meaning. The little means „та невелика кількість”. It is used with uncountable nouns
We can't go skiing today. There is too little snow.
We have a little time. Let us take a walk in the garden.
Don't waste the little time you have.
Cardinal numerals always serve as descriptive attributes.
He had refused two invitations to Sunday parties.
If a noun modified by a cardinal numeral is used with the definite article, this is accounted for by the situation or context.
The two days seemed an age to him.
Two means „два”. The two means „ті обидва”.
Ordinal numerals are usually particularizing attributes.
During the second week in October she met him in Oxford Street.
However, when ordinal numerals are not used to indicate order but acquire the meaning of one more or another, the noun they modify is used with the indefinite article.
They must have a third race to decide who the real winner is.
Note 1. The above mentioned rule does not apply to the numeral the first. The com-bination a first night (прем’єра) and a first prize are to be regarded as set phrases.
Note 2. Remember the use of articles in the following patterns with nouns modified by cardinal and ordinal numerals: the third chapter but chapter 3 (three), the fifth page but page 5 (five).
Note 3. An article is not used with ordinal numbers when referring to names of prizes and when listing ideas:
First, lock the door. Second, put the key in a safe place.
First prize in the Olimpics is a gold medal.
The definite article is used with a singular noun modified by other if there are only two objects of the same description:
He pulled on the other glove and said he would run along to his office.
If there are more than two objects of the same description, the indefinite article is used (another). In this case another has three meanings: „ще один, будь-який інший, не такий, інший”.
Could I have another cup of tea?
The definite article is used with a plural noun modified by other if there is a definite number of objects divided into two definite groups.
I was thinking of other people in the same position.
The same rules are applied to other when it is used as a noun pronoun.
He drove with one hand, and used the other to draw diagrams in the air. Young Martin was first sent on an errand to the grocer, then on another to the butcher.
Note. Notice also that the other day (нещодавно) is to be regarded as a set phrase.
Nouns modified by the adjective last are always used with the definite article except in the expressions last month, last year, last week, last summer (winter, autumn, spring).
The last word remained with George.
Next means „майбутній” when referring to time: next month, next week.
The next means „наступний”: the next room, at the next lesson.
Next time means „наступного разу”.
We shall discuss this matter next time.
In reference to time viewed from the past both next and the next mean „наступний”
We spent a fortnight in Kiev. The next week was spent in Odessa (or: Next week was spent in Odessa).
A number of means “many”. It is rendered in Ukrainian by „багато”, „ряд”.
The number means „число, кількість”.
His father and a number of his cronies were in the dining-room.
The number of mistakes he makes is startling.
Note. An article is not used when referring to numbers or letters in a list:
In question number 5, “A” is the correct response.
There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives: positive, comparative, superlative.
The positive form is the plain stem of an adjective: stormy, slow, frequent, etc.
There are two methods of forming the comparative and superlative degrees:
1. by adding the suffixes er and –est.
2. by using more and most before the adjectives.
The first method is used for:
a) monosyllabic adjectives
e.g. bright – brighter – brightest
cheap – cheaper – cheapest
b) disyllabic adjectives ending in –er, ow, y or –le:
e.g. clever – cleverer – cleverest
narrow – narrower – narrowest
c) disyllabic adjectives with the stress on the second syllable
e.g. polite – politer – politest
complete – completer – completest
d) a few frequently used disyllabic adjectives ( quiet, cruel, stupid, simple, gentle, common, handsome, likely, narrow, polite ). With these adjectives both methods are used.