The Use of Articles with Some Semantic Groups of Nouns Articles with Names of Seasons and Parts of the Day

1. Names of seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) and parts of the day (day, night, morning, evening, noon, afternoon, dawn, sunrise, sunset and the like) take no article when used predicatively: It was summer / autumn/ morning/ evening/ night.

No article is used when such nouns are modified by the adjectives early, late, broad, high which do not describe any season or part of the day but indicate the time more precisely:

It was early morning / spring.

It was late evening / autumn.

It was broad day.

2. When the names of seasons and parts of the day are modified by a descriptive attribute, they are used with the indefinite article:

It was a fine clear morning.

It was a foggy evening in November.

He returned on a bright January morning.

3. The definite article is found with names of seasons and parts of the day in specific use, i.e. when some particular day, high summer or spring is meant. Identification is achieved by means of:

a) Linguistic context:

I shall not forget the evening I spent with him.

By the summer of 1943 Penny felt as though the war had been going on for ever.

In all these sentences the nouns in question have a limiting modifier.

b) Situation of utterance:

The day was hot and muggy.

The night was warm and beautifully still.

She went to Scotland for the summer.

4. The use of articles with names of seasons seems to be optional in combination with such verbs as: to come, to approach, to fall, to set in, to break and some other phrases. In such instances reference can be made to particular season (specific use) or to any season in general (generic use):

Night / morning came at last.

Day / dawn was breaking when we set out.

Night / twilight was falling quickly.

5. Note the use of articles in some prepositional phrases: in the morning, in the evening, in the daytime, in the afternoon, in the night, at night, at dawn, before dawn, after sunset, from morning to night, early in the morning, late in night, all through the day, day after day, night after night, through the autumn, for the winter, during the summer.

Articles with Names of Meals

1. Names of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, tea) usually take no article:

Dinner is ready.

Breakfast tomorrow will be at 8 o’clock.

2. When names of meals are modified by a descriptive attribute they are used with the indefinite article:

I saw to it that he had a good dinner.

He ordered a modest lunch.

I want you to have a nice breakfast.

3. When some particular meal is meant the definite article is used. Specific reference is made clear by the context or situation:

He was eating greedily the lunch his mother had given him.

The dinner was very sound.

Articles with the Nouns school, college, prison, jail, church, hospital

These nouns are used without any article when the general idea of these places is meant, i.e. the purpose they are used for. Thus we say A child goes to school; A student goes to university / college; A criminal goes to prison, etc.:

Why aren’t the children at school today? (as pupils)

Mrs. Kelly goes to church every Sunday (for a religious service).

Ken’s brother is in prison for robbing (he is a prisoner).

Two people were injured in the accident and were taken to hospital (as patients).

But: Mr. Kelly went to the school to meet his daughter’s teacher.

Excuse me, where’s the church to repair the roof.

Ken went to the prison to visit his brother.

Nora is now working as a cleaner at a hospital.