Itwas a reliefto know that she was safely home, b) What a disappointment!What a pity!

But we say: I'lldo it with pleasure.
She gave a sigh of relief.
He now knew what disappointment was.
She felt pityfor the poor child.

§ 34. 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.

e.g. He told the child astory.
He told the child stories.

The child knew thestory he told.
The child knew thestories he told.

§ 35. As a general rule, uncountable abstract nouns are used
without any article.

e.g. Indifferenceand pridelook very much alike, and he probably

thought I was proud.

I knew that generositywould have been wasted on him.
There was sharpness in her bones, sharpnessin her voice,

sharpnessin her eyes.
She had attached herself to youthand hopeand seriousness

and now they failed her more than age and despair.
The absence of the article (the zero article) serves the same
purpose as the indefinite article with countable nouns, i.e. it per
forms the nominating function.

Cf, When in distress people look for a friend.
When in distress people look for friendship.
His desire was simply for a companion.
Hisdesire was simply for companionship.

§ 36. The definite article is used with uncountable nouns when
they are modified by a limiting attribute, which may be expressed
in different ways.

e.g. He was in a state of the greatest excitement.

They were surprised at the curious silence into which he had
fallen.

He jumped at the abruptness of the question.
Sometimes the limitation is clear from the context.

• e.g. It was very still in the house. Suddenly a faint sound could

be heard in the stillness.
A moment afterwards the lights round the garden suddenly

went out. In the darknesswe felt lost.
For a long time they walked without saying a word. Jim was

the first to break the silence.

The definite article is used here in its restricting function, to
denote a particular instance of the notion, expressed by the noun.

§ 37. The definite article is also found with substantivized ad-
jectives denoting abstract notions, e.g. the ordinary, the average,
the beautiful, the unusual, the supernatural, the extravagant, the
unknown, the regrettable, the normal, the grotesque, the unbear-
able, etc.

e.g. "You shouldn't think you're something out of the ordinary,"

she said.
"Do you believe in the supernatural?"he asked.

§ 38. The indefinite article is used with uncountable abstract
nouns when they are modified by a descriptive attribute which
brings out a special aspect of the notion expressed by the noun.
The attribute may be expressed in different ways.

e.g. 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.
She recognized a pleasant irony in his voice.
"Didn't you feel a certain impatience?" they asked.
His face had a calmness that was new to her.
She had a natural grace that was very attractive.
He had a patience which amazed his friends.

His new experience filled him with a singular enthusiasm.
•

The indefinite article is used here in its aspective function.
By way of exception the aspective indefinite article is some-
times used even when the noun has no attribute.

e.g. 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.

It should be stressed that the use of the indefinite article with
uncountable abstract nouns is typical of literary style (see the ex-
amples above).

§ 39. Sometimes an uncountable abstract noun is used with an
attribute and yet has no article. This seems to contradict the gen-
eral rule, but it can actually be explained by the nature of the at-
tribute (a) or the nature of the noun (b).

a) In some cases the attribute does not bring out a special as-
pect of the notion expressed by the noun. The attribute may ex-
press degree (e.g. great, perfect, sufficient, huge, tremendous, im-
mense, sheer, utter, complete, infinite, endless, major and some
others), or qualify the noun from the point of view of time (e.g.
modern, ancient, impending, eternal, daily, contemporary, fur-
ther, final, original), nationality (e.g. English, French, etc.), ge-
ography (e.g. Moscow, London, world, etc.), authenticity (e.g-
real, genuine, authentic, symbolic, etc.) or give it social charac-
teristic (e.g. bourgeois, capitalist, racial, religious, etc.).

e.g. I have perfect confidence in him.

She has great experience in her work.

I'm sure your work will give you complete satisfaction.

He had sufficient ability to carry out any complicated task.
The reward had only symbolic value.
I didn't think it had real importance.
They talked about modern poetry.
He was conscious of impending danger.
It's three o'clock by Moscow time.
Ron was particularly interested in ancient sculpture.
Mrs Peters, feeling instinctively that Greek architecture
would leave her cold, excused herself from the excursion.

Note. But the definite article is used with the combinations French poetry,
modern art, American literature, German philosophy, etc. if there is a limiting at-
tribute, as in: the Russian literature of that period, the French poetry of the 19th
century, etc.

b) Some nouns are never used with the indefinite article. They
are nouns of verbal character denoting actions, activity, process,
such as admiration, advice, applause, approval, assistance, concern,
encirclement, guidance, information, permission, progress, recogni-
tion, research, torture, trade ('торговля'), work and some others.

This rule applies also to the following nouns: change ('сдача'),
fun, health, luck, money, nature, news, {outer) space, weather and
some others.

e.g". I am not sure whether it is good news or bad.

He was anxiously waiting for permission to begin his experi-
ment.

As I knew, Mr March always expressed gloomy concern if
one of his children had a sore throat.
He wondered whether her silence was tacit approval.
He felt honest admiration for his colleague.

Note 1. It should be noted that in a considerable number of cases both factors,
i.e. the character of the attribute and the character of the noun, are found together,
e.g. She was making great progress.

They promised Jackson further assistance.

Note 2. Although the above mentioned nouns are never used with the indefinite
article, they can be used with the definite article,
e.g. He told me of the progress he was making.

The news was so upsetting that she said she would not see anyone that night,

Note 3. Notice the sentence patterns with the noun weather:
e.g. The weather is fine (cold, etc).

What is the weather like today?

If the weatherchanges...

We are having fine weather.

What cold weatherwe are having!