THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

The definite article the is used before uncountable nouns, or singular plural countable nouns.

Before Countable and Uncountable Nouns

1. The definite article the is used the second time a speaker mentions a noun. Compare: For lunch I had a sandwich and an apple. The sandwich wasn't very nice.

2. The is used when it is clear in the situation which person or thing you mean. For example, in a room you talk about the light/ the floor/ the ceiling/the door etc.: Can you close the door, please? (= the door of this room)

3. The speaker uses an attribute to point out a particular object: This is the house that Jack built, And this is the mouse that lives in the house that Jack built.

4. The is also used with nouns denoting unique things (the moon, the sun etc.): The sun was bright.

5. You can use the with nouns used in the generic sense to talk about a type of plant, animal, or a type of machine, invention or musical instrument: The bicycle is an excellent means of transport. Can your daughter play the piano?

6. You can also use the with nouns in word-groups the first component of which is some, many, most, none, and the second one is a noun with the preposition of: Most of the novels by G. Durrel are devoted to animals.

7. The definite article is used with nouns modified by the pronoun same or by the following: next, wrong, right, very etc. She asked me the same question again.

8. The is used with nouns modified by adjectives in the superlative degree: The Volga is the longest river in Russia.

9. You can use the with some adjectives (without a noun). The meaning is always plural. So the is used with the following adjectives: the rich, the poor, the old, the young, the blind, the deaf, the sick, the dead, the disabled, the unemployed, the injured. Do you think the rich should pay more taxes?

10. You can use the with some nationality adjectives when you mean "the people of that country":

— The French are famous for their food.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 1830