Man: Could you tell me where the Classic Cinema is, please? Rachel: Yes, it's in Brook Street. Go along here and take the second left.
Whether a name has the depends on the kind of place it is - for example, a street (Brook Street) or a cinema (the Classic Cinema), a lake (Lake Victoria) or a sea (the North Sea).
Most place names do not have the. Europe California Melbourne Brook Street Lake Victoria
Some place names have the - for example, a name with the word cinema or sea.
the Classic Cinema the North Sea
Whether we use the can also depend on the structure of the name.
We do not use the with a possessive (*s). We often use the in structures with of, with an
adjective and with plural names.
at Matilda's Restaurant With of: the Avenue of the Americas
With an adjective: the White House With a plural: the Bahamas
B Continents, countries, islands, states and counties
Most are without the. travelling through Africa a holiday in Portugal on Jersey to Rhode Island from Florida in Sussex
Words like republic and kingdom have the.
the Irish Republic
the United Kingdom (the UK) Plural names also have the.
the Netherlands the USA
the Canary Islands
C Regions
Regions ending with the name of a continent or country are without the.
Central Asia South Wales
Western Australia
Most other regions have the. the West the Middle East the Riviera the Midlands
Phrases with of have the. the South of France
D Hills and mountains
Most are without the.
She climbed (Mount) Everest. down North Hill
Hill ranges and mountain ranges have the. skiing in the Alps over the Rockies
E Lakes, oceans, seas, rivers and canals
Only lakes are without the. near Lake Michigan beside Coniston Water
Seas, oceans, rivers and canals have the. the Mediterranean (Sea) across the Atlantic (Ocean) the (River) Thames the Suez Canal
F Cities, towns, suburbs and villages
Most are without the.
Harehills is a suburb of Leeds. Houston is west of New Orleans. We live in North London.
G Roads, streets, squares and parks
Exceptions are The Hague and The Bronx. Note also the West End (of London).
Most are without the. along Morden Road in Church Street on Fifth Avenue near Berkeley Square through Central Park
Bridges
Most are without the. over Tower Bridge on Brooklyn Bridge
There are a few exceptions.
the High Street The Avenue
The Strand The Mall Main roads and numbered roads have the.
the Bath road (= the road to Bath)
the A5 the M6 (motorway)
But there are many exceptions. across the Golden Gate Bridge the Severn Bridge (= the bridge over the River Severn)
Stations and airports; important buildings
We do not use the with most stations and airports; with religious, educational and official buildings or with palaces and houses.
to Waterloo (Station)
at Orly (Airport)
near St Mary's Church
Merton College Norwich Museum
Lambeth Palace Ashdown House
Exceptions are names with of or with a noun (science) or adjective (open).
at the University of York
in the Palace of Westminster
the Science Museum
the Open University
past the White House
Theatres, cinemas, hotels, galleries and centres
A possessive form ('s) is without the.
St Martin's (Theatre)
at Durrant's (Hotel) In the US, names with center are without the.
near Lincoln Center
But usually theatres, cinemas, etc have the. at the Globe (Theatre) the Plaza (Cinema) outside the Dorchester (Hotel) in the Tate (Gallery) the Brunei shopping centre
K Shops and restaurants
Most shops and restaurants are without the. shopping at Bloomingdale's at Matilda's Restaurant
Names with a noun (body, studio) often have the. at the Body Shop The Studio Cafe