Articles Theory

Grammar Notes

DEFINITE ARTICLE (THE)

The best game is Space Defender. I played it at the video store.

1. A noun is definite (specific) when you and your listener both know which person, place, or thing you mean. Use the definite article, the, with nouns that are specific for you and your listener. You can use the with most nouns, count and non-count, singular and plural.

A: I bought the video game yesterday.

B: Great! You've been talking about it for a long time. Is it fun?

(B knows which video game A means. They've spoken about it before.)

A: The new games are great

B: I think so too. I'm glad we bought them.

(B knows which games A means. They have talked about them before.)

A: I bought the medicine.

B: Good. Why don't you take some right away?

(A and В both know which medicine A means. They have already spoken about it.)

2. Use the when a person, place, or thing is unique—there's only one.

There's a hole in the ozone layer.

The moon is about 250,000 miles from the Earth.

3. Use the when the context makes it clear which person, place, or thing you mean.

A: What do you do? B: I'm the pilot.

(A and В work on a plane with only one pilot. A is a new crew member.)

A: The music was great. B: I enjoyed it too.

(A and В are coming out of a concert.)

Often, a phrase or an adjective such as right, wrong, first, best, or only identifies which one.

"Donkey Kong" was the first video game with a story.

Ben pushed the wrong button and lost the game.

• The definite article the is used with both countable and uncountable nouns.

the egg (c), the air (u)

Pronunciation

The is pronounced:

• /.../ before words which begin with a vowel sound: the office

• /.../ before words which begin with a consonant sound: the Nile

Use

We use the:

•to talk about something specific, that is, something we have mentioned •before or which is already known.

Joe bought a house on King Street. The house is very big and the street is quiet. (Which house? The one Joe bought. Which street? King Street.)

•with nouns which are unique (the sun, the moon)

•with the names of rivers (the Amazon),

seas (the Mediterranean),

oceans (the Atlantic),

mountain ranges (the Andes),

deserts (the Sahara),

groups of islands (the Virgin Islands)

and countries when they include words such as state, kingdom, republic, etc. (the United Kingdom).

•with the names of musical instruments (the guitar) and dances (the waltz), etc.

•with the names of museums (the National Museum),

hotels (the Hilton),

theatres/cinemas (the Royal Theatre),

newspapers (The Guardian), etc.

•with nationalities (the French) and names of families (the Browns), etc.

•with historical periods/events (the Iron Age, the Second World War but: World War II), etc.

•with the words morning, afternoon, station, city, village, etc.

He gets up at 6 o'clock in the morning.

They drove into the city.

•with adjectives used as nouns to refer to a group of people e.g. the poor, the blind, the sick, etc.

She always helps the poor.

•with only, last, first used as adjectives and with the superlative degree of adjectives/adverbs.

He was the first person to leave.

She is the most intelligent person I know.

• with titles when the name of the person is not mentioned (the President, the Prince but: Prince Charles).

We do not use the with:

•uncountable and plural countable nouns when we talk about something in general.

Koalas live in Australia.

•proper nouns This is Anna.

•names of countries (Brazil) (but: The Netherlands),

cities (Glasgow),

streets (Oxford Street but: The High Street),

parks (Hyde Park),

bridges (London Bridge),

continents (Europe),

squares (Leicester Square),

stations (Charing Cross Station),

Islands (Rhodes),

lakes (Lake Geneva), etc.

•two-word names when the first is the name of a person or place. (Heathrow Airport)

•names of meals (dinner),

sports/games (tennis,chess),

months (July),

celebrations (Mardi Gras),

colours (red),

drinks (coffee)

And languages when they are not followed by the word language.

/ speak Portuguese, but: The Portuguese language is spoken in Brazil.

•the words school, college, church, bed, court, hospital, prison, university, home, etc. When we refer to the purpose for which they exist.

Jim's in hospital, (as a patient)

We went to the hospital to visit Jim.

•the words this/that/these/those

(this boy, those trees) NOT: (the)this boy

•possessive adjectives or the possessive case

That isn't my house - it's Sue's.

•means of transport (by bus/train, etc.)

Are you travelling to Paris by train?

We use the:

• with nouns when talking about something specific. / have got a car and a motorcycle. The car is second-hand and the motorcycle is brand new.

• with nouns which are unique (the sun, the Acropolis, etc.).

• with names of cinemas (the Odeon),

hotels (the Hilton),

theatres (the Plaza),

museums (the Louvre),

newspapers/magazines (the Guardian),

ships (the Titanic),

organisations (the United Nations),

galleries (the National Gallery).

• with the names of rivers (the Mississippi),

seas (the Mediterranean Sea),

groups of islands (the Channel Islands),

mountain ranges (the Rockies),

deserts (the Kalahari),

oceans (the Pacific),

canals (the Suez Canal),

countries when they include words such as State, Kingdom, Republic, etc. (the USA) and names or nouns with "of" (the Houses of Parliament).

Note: We also say: the equator, the Arctic/ Antarctic, the North of Italy, the South/North/ East/West.

• with the names of musical instruments and dances (the guitar, the foxtrot).

• with the names of families (the 0' Brians) and nationalities ending in -sh, -ch or -ese (the Welsh). Other plural nationalities are used with or without 'the' (Egyptians/the Egyptians).

• with titles (the princess, the Prime Minister).

But: "the" is omitted before titles with proper names (Prince Charles).

• with adjectives/adverbs in the superlative form. He's the most successful businessman I know. But: when "most" is followed by a noun, it doesn't take 'the'. Most people like ice cream.

• with the words morning, afternoon, evening and night. I leave the house early in the morning. But: at night, at noon, at midnight, by day/night.

• with historical periods/events the Ice Age, the Vietnam War But: World War II.

• with the words only, last, first (used as adjectives). She was the only person who came on time.

• with the words beach, station, cinema, theatre, coast, country(side), ground, jungle, seaside, weather, world, shop, library, city, sea, etc.

But: to be at sea = to be sailing. Why don't we spend the afternoon at the seaside?

NO ARTICLE