The definite article

The definite article

The definite article is the . It is the same for all genders:

the boy the boys the girl the girls the day the days

Uses of the definite article

A The definite article is used:

Before nouns of which there is only one , or which are considered as one:

the earth the sea the sky the weather the North Pole.

Before a noun which has become definite as a result of being mentioned a second time:

His car struck a tree; you can still see the mark on the tree.

Before a noun made definite by the addition of a phrase or a clause:

The boy that I met the place where I met him

The girl in blue the man on the donkey

Before a noun which by reason of locality can represent only one particular thing:

Ann is in the garden. ( the garden of this house)

He sent for the doctor. ( his own doctor)

Before superlatives and first, second etc. And only , used as adjectives or pronouns:

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe.

Most people think that Monday is the worst day of the week.

B the + singular noun can represent a class of animals or things:

The whale is in danger of becoming extinct.

the can , however, be used before a member of a certain group of people:

The small shopkeeper is finding life increasingly difficult.

But in spoken English a plural noun would be more usual here:

Small shopkeepers are finding life increasingly difficult.

C the + adjective represents a class of persons:

the old = old people in general

the strong = strong people in general . The verb is plural , the pronoun is they:

The young are impatient ; they want changes.

D the is used before certain proper names of seas , rivers , groups of islands , chains of mountains plural names of countries and deserts:

the Arctic the Antarctic the Sahara

the Alps the Netherlands the Gobi Desert

the is also used before names consisting of noun + of + noun:

the Cape of Good Hope the Bay of Biscay

the Gulf of Mexico the Union of South Africa

the is used before names consisting of adjective + noun ( provided the adjective is not east , west , etc. )

the Gold Coast the Ivory Coast

the New Forest the High Street

the is used before musical instruments:

She learnt to play the flute.

the is used before the names of meals if these are qualified by a clause:

The dinners Peter gave were really memorable.

Omission of the definite article:

A The definite article is NOT used :

Before names of places except as shown above, or before names of people

Exceptions:

the + plural surname can be used to mean " the . . . family"

The Smiths = Mr. and Mrs. Smith (and children)

the + singular name can be used to distinguish one person from another of the same name:

We have two Mr. Smiths. Which one do you want?

I want the Mr. Smith who works in the post office.

Before abstract nouns except when they are used in a particular sense:

Men fear death.

but The death of the Prime Minister left his party without a leader.

Omission of the before home and before church , market , school, hospital, etc.

home

When home is used alone , i.e. is not preceded or followed by a descriptive word or phrase, the is omitted:

He went home. She left home. They got home late.

But when home is preceded or followed by a descriptive word or phrase , it is treated like any other noun regards articles and prepositions:

We went to the bride's home.

A mud hut was the only home he had ever known.

chapel, church, market, college , school, hospital, court, prison, work, sea, bed

These nouns are used without the when they are visited or used for their primary purpose:

We go to church to pray to market to buy or sell.

to school to study to hospital as patients.

When these place are visited for other reasons the article is used:

I went to the church to see the carvings.

He comes to the school to speak to the headmaster.

Prepared by : Msallam Kombaz

Reference:

A. J. Thomson and A. V. Martinet, A practical English Grammar . Oxford University Press. ( 1980)