The Definite Article

Gimnazija fra Grge Martia
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
Prof. Vanja Majerski
Ivana uljak VI.4
Mostar, sijeanj 2015.

1

A definite article indicates that its noun is a particular one (or ones) identifiable to the
listener.
It may be something that the speaker has already mentioned, or it may be something uniquely
specified.
The definite article in English, for both singular and plural nouns, is the.
It is the same for singular and plural and for all genders:
the boy / the boys the girl / the girls the cat the dog
Sometimes we use the article and sometimes we do not. It often depends on the context.
USE AND OMISSION OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

1. 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
before a noun which has become definite as a result of being mentioned a second time:
She has a house. The house is beautiful.
before a noun which, by reason of locality, can represent only one particular thing:
She is in the garden (= the garden of this house)
He has to go to the doctor (= his own doctor)
before superlatives and first/ second etc and only, used as adjectives or pronouns:
Most people think that Monday is the worst day in the week.
before singular nouns used to represent a class of objects:

The book is educational (= all book are educational)
before singular nouns used to represent a class of persons:

The old and the young should be able to agree about that.
before names of seas, rivers, chains of mountains, groups of islands and plural names of
countries:
The Atlantic Ocean / the Alps / the Rocky Mountains / the USA / the Netherlands /
the Adriatic Sea
2. the definite article is not used:

before countries, towns, proper names:
Mr Smith returned to US and bought a house in LA.
The Mr Smith would be possible in sentences in such sentences as:
I dont want the Mr Smith who was here last wek; I want the other one/ the other Mr Smith.
before abstract nouns except when they are used in a particular sense:
Music was amazing last night.
after a noun in the possessive case, or a possessive adjective:
The mother of the boy = the boys mother
before names of meals:
The Americans have pancakes for breakfast.
before parts of the body and articles of clothing, as these normally prefer a possessive adjective:
Raise your right hand
In English the definite article is never used before indefinite plural nouns:
Women are expected to like dresses (Women in general)
(If we put the before women, it would mean that we were referring to a particular group of women)
Common Mistakes
No article (the) before indefinite plural nouns (e.g. people, women, books, tips, trees)
The people think you live in Paris
People think you live in Paris
No article (the) before uncountable (abstract and concrete) nouns (e.g. music, life, happiness,
freedom, idea, coffee, advice, information)
The life is always surprising
Life is always surprising
No article (the) before indefinite plural nouns (e.g. people...)
General: People are strange People in the world are strange ...
(generally speaking).
Specific: The people in this area are kind of strange (a group within the total people).
However, we could also say: People in this area (as a general statement).
We use the seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter) with or without the definite article.
in summer or in the summer
The American English word for autumn >fall< is always used with the definite article.
Sometimes we use the article and sometimes we do not. It often depends on the context. Watch the
following example:
The student goes to school.
The mother goes to the school.
In the first sentence we do not use the definite article, in the second we do. The student goes to
school for its primary purpose, so we do not use the article.
The mother might talk to a teacher, for example. She visits the school for a different reason. That's
why we use the definite article in the second sentence.
WITH THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
WITHOUT THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
general words (definite)

I like the flowers in your garden.
family names in the plural
The Smiths live in Chicago.
public buildings, institutions, means of
transport (definite)
The school that John goes to is old.
The bus that takes John to school is often late.
names of countries in the plural; mountain
ranges; regions
the United States of America, the Highlands, the
Rocky Mountains, the Middle East, the west of
Australia
general words (indefinite)

I like flowers.
names of persons on the singular, relatives
Peter and Ann live in London.
public buildings, institutions, means of
transport (indefinite)
John doesn't like school.
We go to school by bus.
names of countries in the singular; summits of
mountains; continents; towns
Germany, France;
Mount Whitney, Mount McKinley;
Africa, Europe;
Cairo, New York
groups of islands
the Bahamas, the British Isles
name with of-phrase; oceans; seas; rivers
the Statue of Liberty, the Tower (of London),
the Atlantic (Ocean);
the Mediterranean (Sea);
the Nile, the Rhine, the Suez Canal
months, days of the week (definite)
single islands
Bermuda, Sicily
parks; lakes; streets
Central Park, Hyde Park;
Lake Michigan, Loch Ness;
42nd Street, Oxford Street
months, days of the week (indefinite)
I always remember the Monday when I started to The weekend ends on Monday morning.
work.
August is the most popular month for holidays.
The August of last year was hot.
TEST -
1. We went to the cinema.

2. We usually have dinner at seven o'clock.
3. He plays tennis very well.
4. Can you play the guitar?
5. This is my last year at school.
6. Jane loves listening to the radio.
7. They went to London by plane.
8. We are going to see my cousins on Sunday.
9. Last night at eight we were watching the news on BBC.
10. That was an important day in history.

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Gimnazija fra Grge Martia

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

Prof. Vanja Majerski

Ivana uljak VI.4

Mostar, sijeanj 2015.

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

USE AND OMISSION OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

before singular nouns used to represent a class of objects:

before singular nouns used to represent a class of persons:

2. the definite article is not used:

WITHOUT THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

general words (definite)

general words (indefinite)

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

1. We went to the cinema.

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