Use of articles with proper nouns

Names of persons.

1. Names of persons are used without articles.

Sarie looked at Lanny and Celia. (Abrahams)

2. Names denoting the whole family are used with the definite article.

The Dashwoods were now settled at Berton. (Austen)

3. When names of persons are used to denote a representative of a family, the indefinite article is used.

“Florence will never, never, never be a Dorabey,” said Mrs. Chick. (Dickens)

4. Names of persons modified by a particularizing attribute are used with the definite article.

You’re not the Andrew Manson I married. (Cronin)

The tall blond man of forty is not much changed in feature from the Godfrey

Cass of six-and-twenty. (Eliot)

5. Names of persons used as common nouns take the article according to the general rule on the use of articles.

Swithin smiled and nodding at Bosinney said: “Why, you are quite a Monte

Cristo.” (Galsworthy)

Mozart has been called the Raphael of music.

6. Nouns denoting military ranks and titles such as academician, professor, doctor (both a profession and a title), count, lord, etc. followed by names of persons do not take the article. In such cases only the proper noun is stressed: Colonel Brown, Doctor Strong.

Common nouns denoting professions followed by names of persons are used with the definite article. In this case both nouns are stressed.

The painter Gainsborough has left many fine pictures.

7. Nouns expressing relationship followed by names of persons do not take the article: Aunt Polly, Uncle James.

She turned to Cousin Clixam. (Bennett)

Nouns expressing relationship not followed by a proper noun and the nouns nurse, cook, baby do not take the article when used by members of the family.

“I’d like to see Mother,” said Emily. (Qalsworthy)

If other people’s relations are meant, the article is used.

The son is as clever as the father.

8. The use of articles with names of persons modified by adjectives is varied.

In most cases no article is used with names of persons modified by the adjectives old, young, poor, dear, little, honest, lazy.

...she is the widow of poor Giovanni Bolla... (Voynich)

He saw that old Chapin wanted to moralize a little. (Dreiser)

When modified by other adjectives and participles names of persons take the definite article.

He thought Amelia worthy even of the brilliant George Osborne. (Thackeray)

The astonished Tom could not say a word.

9. Names of persons modified by the adjective certain are used with the indefinite article.

I heard it from a certain Mr. Brown.

Geographical names.

1. Geographical names like all the other proper nouns are used without articles: England, France, Moscow, London.

The same holds good when a geographical name is modified by an attribute in pre-position: Soviet Russia, North America, Latin America, Central Asia.

N o t e. — The word groups the Soviet Union, the United States are always

used with the definite article.

2. Geographical names modified, by a particularizing attribute are used with the definite article.

The Philadelphia into which Frank Algernon Cowperwood was born was a city of two hundred and fifty thousand and more. (Dreiser)

3. With names of oceans, seas, rivers the definite article is used: the Pacific Ocean (the Pacific), the Black Sea, the Thames, the Ohio River.

4. Names of lakes do not take the article if the word lake is used, which is nearly always the case; if it is not mentioned we find the definite article: Lake Windermere, Lake Ontario, the Ontario.

5. With names of mountain chains the definite article is used: the Urals, the Alps.

With names of mountain peaks no article is used: Elbrus, Everest.

6. With names of groups of islands the definite article is used: the Hebrides, the Bermudas.

With names of single islands there is no article: Madagascar.

7. The names of the following towns, countries and provinces are used with the definite article: the Hague, the Netherlands, the West Indies, the Ruhr, the Riviera, the Crimea, the Ukraine, the Caucasus, the Congo. The Lebanon is generally used with the definite article, occasionally without the article.

8. Names of streets and squares are used without articles: Oxford Street, Wall Street, Trafalgar Square, Russell Square.

There are a few exceptions: the High Street, the Strand.