- •Grammar Revision Tables terminology of English grammar
- •Nouns: singular and plural
- •Nouns: common and possessive case
- •Count and noncount nouns
- •Some common noncount nouns
- •Using nouns as modifiers
- •The indefinite article
- •The definite article
- •No article
- •Personal pronouns
- •Possessive pronouns
- •Reflexive pronouns
- •Indefinite pronouns
- •Quantitive pronouns
- •Demonstrative pronouns
- •Degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs
- •Numerals
- •Numbers in measurement
- •Особові форми дієслова finite forms of the verb
- •Indefinite tenses (to work, to write)
- •Continuous tenses (to work, to write)
- •Perfect tenses (to work, to write)
- •Perfect continuous tenses (to work, to write)
- •The functions of the verb «to be»
- •The functions of the verb «to have»
- •The functions of the verb «to do»
- •General Questions
- •Tag questionS
- •Question words
- •More questions with How
- •Summary chart of verb tenses Active Voice
- •Passive Voice
- •Passive Voice Present
- •Modal verbs Can; could; to be able to
- •May; might
- •Must; be to; have to; have got to
- •Should; ought to
- •Will; would
- •Indefinite pronoun «one»
- •The pronouNs «both, either and neither»
- •Sequence of Tenses Direct and Indirect Speech
- •The Infinitive
- •Reference list of verbs followed by infinitives
- •The Prepositional Infinitive Complex
- •The Objective Infinitive complex
- •The Subjective Infinitive complex
- •The Participle
- •Complexes with the Participle the Objective Participle complex
- •The subjective Participle complex
- •The absolute Participle complex
- •The Gerund. Forms and Functions
- •Reference list of verbs followed by gerunds
- •The Gerundial complex
- •Conditional sentences
- •Irregular VerBs
The definite article
Use of «the» |
Examples |
1. Before a noun which has become definite as a result of being mentioned: |
I saw a new film on TV yesterday. The film wasn't very interesting. |
2. Before a noun made definite by the addition of a phrase or clause: |
the girl in blue; the boy that I met; the place where I met him. |
3. When the object or group of objects is unique: |
the earth, the sea, the sky, the moon, the sun, the world. |
4. Before a noun which by reason of locality can represent only one particular thing: |
Ann is in the garden. (the garden of this house). Please open the window. |
5. Before superlatives and first, second etc. used as adjectives or pronouns, and only: |
the first week; the best day; the only way. |
6. Before a noun that represents a class of animals or things: But man, used to represent the human race, has no article. |
The cow is a domestic animal. The pine is an evergreen tree. If oil supplies run out, man have to fall back on the horse. |
7. The + adjective represents a class of people: |
the old = old people in general. the rich = rich people in general. |
8. Before certain proper names of oceans, rivers, seas, gulfs, groups of islands, chains of mountains, plural names of countries, deserts, and before certain other names: |
The Atlantic, the Thames, the Alps, the Black Sea, the Crimea, the City, the United States of America, the Sahara, the Persian Gulf. |
9. Before the adjectives east/west etc. + noun in certain names: |
the East/West End, the East/West Indies, the North/South Pole. |
10.Before other proper names consisting of adjective + noun or noun + of + noun: |
The National Gallery, the Tower of London. |
11.Before names of newspapers, ships, orchesras, pop groups etc. |
the Times, the Great Britain, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Beatles. |
12.the + plural surname can be used to mean «the ... family»: |
the Smiths = Mr and Mrs Smith (and children). |
13.the + a singular countable noun (type of machine, invention, musical instruments). |
The bicycle is an excellent means of transport. When was the telephone invented? The piano is my favourite instrument. |
No article
Uses |
Examples |
1. Before plural nouns: |
My friends are students. |
2. 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. |
3. After a noun in the possessive case, or a possessive adjective: |
the boy's uncle = the uncle of the boy It is my (blue) book = The (blue) book is mine. |
4. Before names of meals: |
The Scots have porridge for breakfast but: The wedding breakfast was held in her father's house. |
5. Before names of games: |
He plays golf. |
6. 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. |
7. When home is used alone, i.e. is not preceded or followed by a descriptive word or phrase: |
He is at home. He went home. I arrived home after dark. I sent him home. |
8. Before the nouns: bed, church, court, hospital, prison, school/college/university, when these places are visited or used for their primary purpose. We can be/get back from school/college/university. We can leave school, leave hospital, be released from prison. But: When these places are visited or used for other reasons the is necessary: |
We go: to bed to sleep; to church to pray; to court as litigants; to hospital as patients; to prison as prisoners; to school/college/university to study; similarly we can be: in bed, sleeping or resting; at church as worshippers; in hospital as patients; at school as students.
Sometimes he goes to the prison to give lectures. |
9. work = place of work. |
He is at work. He's on his way to work. |
10. We go to sea as sailors. To be at sea = to be on a voyage (as passengers or crew). But to go to or be at the sea = to go to or be at the seaside. We can also live by/near the sea. |