[54] Definite article (The)

Generally, “the” is used with singular and plural nouns, countable and uncountable ones, to talk about something specific when the noun is mentioned for a second time.

Examples:  Can I try the green T-shirt, please? (Which? The green one; specific)

                There was a mouse in the kitchen. Our cat caught the mouse.

Also “the” is used before singular countable nouns to refer to a group of people, animals or things. But a/an can be used instead of “the” and it means the same in this case.

The/a dolphin lives in the sea. (We mean all dolphins)

Glossary

equator- równik

mountain range – pasmo górskie

possessive adjectives – przymiotniki dzierżawcze

measles – odra (choroba)

mumps – świnka (choroba)

The is used before:

• nouns which are unique (e.g. the Earth, the Colosseum, the equator)
• names of:

cinemas (The Plaza)

hotels (The Savoy)

theatres (The Palladium)

museums (The Prado)

newspapers/magazines (The Independent) BUT: (Time)

ships (The Cutty Sark)

institutions (The British Council)

galleries (The Tate Gallery)

• names of:

rivers (the Nile)

seas (the Black Sea)

groups of islands/states (the Shetland Isles, the USA)

mountain ranges (the Himalayas)

deserts (the Sahara desert)

oceans (the Atlantic)

canals (the Manchester Canal)

• names or nouns with “of” (the Valley of the Kings, the Garden of Gethsemane)
• geographical directions (the South/West/North/East; the South of France)
• musical instruments, dances (the piano, the samba)
• names of:

families (the Hunters)

nationalities ending in - sh, - ch or – ese (e.g. the English, the Dutch, the Japanese etc.)

 

• titles (the Patriarch, the Duchess of Windsor, the King) BUT: “The” is omitted before titles with proper names (King Carlos)
• adjectives used as plural nouns (the young, the unemployed, the homeless, the blind etc.) and the superlative degree of adjectives/adverbs. (She is the most beautiful girl I’ve  ever seen.)

NOTE: “Most” used as a determiner followed by a noun, does not take “the”. (Most people like eating.)

• the words: beach, cinema, city, coast, country(side), earth, ground, jungle, radio, pub, sea(side), sky, station, shop, theatre, village, weather, world etc.

BUT: Not before “man”

NOTE: “the” is optional with seasons  ((the) summer)

• morning, afternoon, evening (I’ll be home late in the evening)

BUT: at night, at noon, at midnight, by day/night, at 4 o’clock etc.

• historical references/events (the Russian Revolution, the Renaissance, the Cold War)

BUT: World War II

• only, last, first (used as adjectives)

She was the last person in the race.

The is omitted before:

• proper nouns (I’ll see Mike tomorrow)
• names of sports, games, activities, days, months, holidays, colours, drinks, meals and languages (not followed by the word “language”)

My brother plays football well.

She likes pink.

I can’t speak German.

BUT: The ancient Greek language is hardly used now.

• names of countries (England)

BUT, there are exceptions: the Argentine, the Netherlands, (the) Sudan, the Hague, the Vatican City

• names of cities (London)
• names of streets (Carnaby Street)

BUT: the High Street, the Strand, the Mall, the A11, the M4 motorway

• names of squares (Trafalgar Square)
• names of bridges (Tower Bridge)

BUT: the Bridge of Sighs, the Forth Bridge, the Severn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge

Central Park

• names of parks (Central Park)
• names of stations (Euston Station)
• names of individual mountains (Kilimanjaro)
• names of islands (Sicily)
• names of lakes (Lake Victoria)
• names of continents (Africa)
• possessive adjectives

That isn’t your pen.

• two-word names whose first word is the name of a person or place (John F. Kennedy Airport, Windsor Castle)

BUT: The White House (because the first word (White) is not the name of a person or place)

• pubs, restaurants, shops, banks and hotels which have the name of their founder and end in –s or –‘s (Woolworth’s, Lloyds Bank, Tom’s Bar)

BUT: the Red Lion (pub) (because “Red Lion” is not the name of a person or place)

• bed, church, college, court, hospital, prison, school, university, when we refer to the purpose for which they exist

John went to hospital. (He is a patient)

BUT: His mother went to the hospital to see him last week. (She went to the hospital as a visitor.

Work ( = place  of work) never takes “the”.

She is at work.

• the words “home”, “father/mother” when we talk about our own home/parents.

Father is at home.

• means of transport: by bus, by car, by train, by plain etc.

BUT: in the car, on the bus/train etc.

He travelled by bus. BUT: She caught the 5 o’clock bus.

• We say: flu / the flu, measles / the measles, mumps / the mumps

BUT: He’s got malaria.

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When this article is published, I'am probably on the beach. I'll be back in late August. So see you soon!