It was early winter. They arrived here in late summer

The definite article is used, if names of seasons are modified by limiting attributes:

The summer of 1941 was extremely hot.

The definite article is used after the prepositions during, for, through:

They used to go to the country for the summer.

ARTICLES WITH THE NAMES OF TIME OF DAY AND NIGHT

Names of time of the day and night like day, night, evening, morning, noon, afternoon, twilight, midnight, daytime, sunrise, sunset, are used without article in the following cases:

- in the function of a predicative:

It was morning but the sky was covered with clouds.

- if they denote "light" or "darkness":

When night came we stopped to make a fire.

- when they are modified by the words yesterday or tomorrow:

We arrived yesterday evening at nine.

- after the prepositions at, after, before, by, till, until, towards, past:

There will be a lot of people here before evening.

You cannot phone her at night.

Remember: all day long, all night long, day after day, day in day out, from morning till night, from sunrise to sunset, from day to day, night after night, day and night:

He worked day and night and knew he would be a success.

Names of time of the day and night are used with the indefinite article if modified by descriptive attributes:

It was a cold morning and the streets were still empty.

No article is used if they are modified by the adjectives early or late, e.g.

They started when it was still early morning.

Names of time of the day and night are used with the definite article in the following cases:

- when the noun is modified by a limiting attribute or the context makes the day or night mentioned specific:

The day of their arrival was hot and dull.

The day came when they met at last.

- when the nouns are used in the generic sense;

They spent the day working, but the evening was the time he enjoyed.

- after prepositions in, during and through:

It is already rather chilly in the morning.

But it will get warmer during the day.

It was raining all through the day yesterday.

- when the nouns are preceded by the pronoun other:

I met her the other day on my way home.

ARTICLES WITH THE NAMES OF MEALS

- Names of meals take no article when used in general sense:

As a rule he has breakfast at home.

- The indefinite article is used when names of meals are modified by descriptive attributes:

He had a substantial dinner and after it he felt much better.

- The definite article is used if names of meals are modified by limiting attributes or the context limits their meaning, e.g.

They all enjoyed the lunch in the park on such a warm and pleasant day.

ARTICLES WITH THE NAMES OF DISEASES

Names of diseases usually take no article, though some of them may be preceded by the definite article: bronchitis, cholera, (the) flu, influenza, (the) measles, scarlet fever.

Remember: to have a headache /(a) toothache /(a) stomach ache/(a) backache/earache/heartache/a heart attack/heart failure/a pain in the back/ a high blood pressure / a cold / a cough / a sore throat.

ARTICLES WITH SOME OTHER NOUNS

1. The noun sea

- as a rule it is used with the definite article:

They were in the open sea and couldn't see the shore any longer.

- it is used with the indefinite article when modified by a descriptive attribute:

A calm blue sea was in front of us.

- no article is used in the phrases to be at sea, to go to sea: