The use of articles with predicative nouns.
As stated above (see § 2) a predicative noun is used with the indefinite article if the speaker states that the object denoted by the noun belongs to a certain class.
If a predicative noun is modified by a particularizing attribute, the definite article is used.
He is thestudent you wanted to speak to.
If a predicative noun denotes a post which can be occupied by one person at a time, either no atricle or the definite article is used.
Mr. Henderson is manager, not under-manager any longer. (Lindsay)
Montanelli was director of the theological seminary at Pisa.
Comrade N. is thedean of our faculty.
No article is used with predicative nouns after the verbs to turn, to commence, to appoint, to elect.
Compeyson turned traitor.
Компейсон стал предателем.
Shakespeare commenced actor.
Шекспир начинал как актер.
They appointed him head-teacher.
Его назначили старшим преподавателем.
A predicative noun sometimes has an adjectival character, especially when it is followed by the adverb enough. In this case no article is used.
Surely Bolla isn’t fool enough to believe that sort of stuff? (Voynich)
Неужели Болла настолько глуп, чтобы поверить подобному вздору?
When a predicative noun in an adverbial clause of concession is placed at the head of the clause, no article is used.
Child as he was, David understood that Creakle was an ignorant man.
Хотя Давид был ребенком, он понимал, что Крикль — невежественный человек.
The nouns son and daughter used predicatively take the definite article when modified by an of-phrase, though there may be several sons and daughters in the family.
Lomonosov was theson of a fisherman.
Becky Sharp was thedaughter of an artist.
The use of articles with nouns in apposition.
Nouns in apposition and nouns forming part of an apposition are used with the indefinite article if the speaker states that the objectexpressed by the noun in apposition belongs to a certain class.
I want to introduce you to Comrade В., a great friend of mine.
In the plural no article is used.
I want to introduce you to Comrades B, and D., great friends of mine.
Nouns in apposition or nouns forming part of an apposition are used with the definite article if they are modified by a particularizing attribute.
Comrade В., thestudent you have mentioned, has come.
If the noun denotes a well-known person or work of art, the definite article is generally used.
Pushkin, thegreat Russian poet, died in 1837.
Hamlet, theimmortal tragedy by Shakespeare, was written in the first years of
the 17th century.
But if the person or the work of art is not widely known the indefinite article is used.
Pericles, a comedy by Shakespeare, is hardly ever staged.
No article is generally used with a noun in apposition when the opposition expresses a post which can be occupied by one person at a time. Occasionally the definite article is used.
Professor Petrov, director (thedirector) of the Medical Institute, is going to
deliver a lecture.
Comrade Smirnov, dean (thedean) of the English department, has left for
Moscow.
Class nouns used in address take no article.
Come downstairs, child. (Voynich)
Place of the article.
The usual place of the article is before the noun if it is not modified by an attribute; if the noun is modified by an attribute, the article is placed before the latter. However, there are cases when the article follows the attribute.
1. The definite article follows the attribute expressed by the pronouns both, all.
Both the stories were interesting.
All the stories were interesting.
2. The indefinite article follows the attribute expressed by an adjective after so, too, as.
Mr. Pickwick could not resist so tempting an opportunity of studying human
nature. (Dickens)
You compel me to tell you that this is too serious a matter to be treated in
such a fashion. (Dreiser)
It was as black a house inside as outside. (Dickens)
3. The indefinite article follows quite, such, what (what in exclamatory sentences).
She is quite a child.
I’ve never heard of such a thing.
What a wonderful piece of luck!
The indefinite article either precedes or follows rather.
This enquiry envolved the respected lady in rather adelicate position.
(Dickens)
They stop and interchange arather heated look. (Dickens)