the definite article the - benvenuto · which has become definite as a ... introduced for the first...

The definite article THE

1

Form:

The is the same for singular and plural and for all genders:

- the boy / the boys; - the girl / the girls; - the day / the days

2

Use:

1) The is used when the object (or group of objects) is unique or is

considered to be unique:

- the earth; - the sea; - the sky;

- the equator; - the stars. 3

2) The is used before a noun which has become definite as a

result of being mentioned a second time. But when a person or thing is

introduced for the first time, we use the indefinite article A / AN:

4

I watched a car as it came up our road. The car stopped outside our

house and a man got out. The man was carrying a case in his hand.

With the case in his hand, the man looked like a salesman.

5

3) The is used before a noun made definite by the addition of a

phrase or of a clause:

6

- The girl in blue; - The man with the hat;

- The boy that I met; - The place where I met him.

7

4) The is used before a noun which can represent only one

particular thing:

8

- Ann is in the garden (the garden of this house);

- Please, pass the wine (the bottle of wine on our table);

- Look, the postman is arriving (the one who comes to us every day);

- Enter the car, kids (our car); - Have you got the newspaper, dad?

(the one we read every day)

9

5) The is used before superlatives; before first, second etc.; before

only:

- the first week; - the best day; - the only way.

10

6) The + singular noun can represent a class of animals or

things:

- The whale is in danger of becoming extinct;

- The dishwasher has made life easier for housewives.

11

But man / mankind, used to represent the human race, has no

article:

- If oil supplies run out, man may have to fall back on the horse.

12

7) The + adjective represents a class of people:

- the rich; - the poor; - the Spanish;

- the Welsh; - the accused (person); - the unexpected (thing).

13

8) The is used before certain proper names of seas, rivers, islands, chains of mountains, plural names of countries,

deserts:

- the Atlantic; - the Netherlands;

- the Crimea; - the Sahara.

14

9) The is used before other proper names consisting of adjective +

noun or noun + of + noun:

- the National Gallery; - the Tower of London.

15

It is also used before names of choirs, orchestras, pop groups etc.; before

names of newspapers and ships:

- the Beatles; - the Bach Singers;

- the Philadelphia Orchestra; - The Times; - the Titanic.

16

10) The with names of people has a very limited use. But the + plural

surname can be used to mean “the...family”:

- the Smiths = Mr and Mrs Smith

(and their children)

17

Omission of the article THE:

1) The is not used before names of places (except as shown above), or

before names of people.

18

2) The is not used before abstract nouns (except when they are used

in a particular sense):

- All men fear death - The sudden death of the Prime Minister left his party without a

leader.

19

3) The is not used after a noun in the possessive case, or after a

possessive adjective:

- the boy’s uncle; - It is my book.

20

4) The is not used before names of meals:

- The Scots have porridge for

breakfast.

21

5) The is not used before names of games:

- He plays golf.

22

6) The is not used before parts of the body and articles of clothing,

as these normally prefer a possessive adjective:

- Raise your right hand. - He took off his coat.

23

7) The is never used before indefinite plural nouns. But in the Italian language this use is possible:

- Women are expected to like babies

(women in general) - The women are expected to like

babies (it means that we are referring to a particular group of women).

24

8) The is not used before nature, where it means the spirit creating and animating the world of plants

and animals:

- If you interfere with nature you will suffer for it.

25

9) The is not used before the following nouns (when they are not preceded or followed by a descriptive word or phrase):

26

- home - bed

- church - court

- hospital - prison

- school / college / university - work - sea

- town 27