Level: beginner
The definite article the is the most frequent word in English.
We use the definite article in front of a noun when we believe the listener/reader knows exactly what we are referring to:
- because there is only one:
The Pope is visiting Russia.
The moon is very bright tonight.
Who is the president of France?
This is why we use the definite article with a superlative adjective:
He is the tallest boy in the class.
It is the oldest building in the town.
- because there is only one in that context:
We live in a small house next to the church. (= the church in our village)
Dad, can I borrow the car? (= the car that belongs to our family)
When we stayed at my grandmother’s house, we went to the beach every day. (= the beach near my grandmother’s house)
Look at the boy over there. (= the boy I am pointing at)
- because we have already mentioned it:
A young man got a nasty shock when he tried to rob a jewellery shop in Richmond. The man used a heavy hammer to smash the windows in the shop.
We also use the definite article:
- to say something about all the things referred to by a noun:
The wolf is not really a dangerous animal. (= Wolves are not really dangerous animals.)
The kangaroo is found only in Australia. (= Kangaroos are found only in Australia.)
The heart pumps blood around the body. (= Hearts pump blood around bodies.)
We use the definite article in this way to talk about musical instruments:
Joe plays the piano really well.
She is learning the guitar.
- to refer to a system or service:
How long does it take on the train?
I heard it on the radio.
You should tell the police.
- The definite article the 1
- The definite article the 2
- The definite article the 3
Level: intermediate
We can also use the definite article with adjectives like rich, poor, elderly and unemployed to talk about groups of people:
Life can be very hard for the poor.
I think the rich should pay more taxes.
She works for a group to help the elderly.
Level: beginner
The definite article with names
We do not normally use the definite article with names:
William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
Paris is the capital of France.
Iran is in Asia.
But we do use the definite article with:
- countries whose names include words like kingdom, states or republic:
| the United Kingdom | the Kingdom of Bhutan |
| the United States | the People's Republic of China |
- countries which have plural nouns as their names:
| the Netherlands | the Philippines |
- geographical features, such as mountain ranges, groups of islands, rivers, seas, oceans and canals:
| the Himalayas | the Canaries | the Atlantic (Ocean) | the Amazon | the Panama Canal |
- newspapers:
| The Times | The Washington Post |
- well-known buildings or works of art:
| the Empire State Building | the Taj Mahal | the Mona Lisa |
- organisations:
| the United Nations | the Seamen's Union |
- hotels, pubs and restaurants:
| the Ritz | the Ritz Hotel | the King's Head | the Déjà Vu |
But note that we do not use the definite article if the name of the hotel or restaurant is the name of the owner:
| Brown's | Brown's Hotel | Morel's | Morel's Restaurant |
- families:
| the Obamas | the Jacksons |
- The definite article with names 1
- The definite article with names 2
- The definite article with names 3
- The definite article with names 4
Hello raj.kumar,
I'm not sure what you mean by 'general sense' here. 'Same is used very rarely without a determiner. This is almost always 'the' but could also be 'this', 'that', 'these' and 'those'. There is also a fixed expression with 'same' alone ('same difference') used in informal speech.
In your example 'the' is necessary in both positions. However, if 'similar' is used then no article is required as the noun is plural.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello kimota,
Both forms are fine. In the first sentence (without 'the') the words 'Brazilian artist' functions effectively as a title, while in the second sentence it is simply a descriptive adjectival phrase.
I think in terms of usage, the first one would be more common on your own website, while the second would be more likely to be used in a magazine article about you.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello RamMin,
Welcome to LearnEnglish! Please take a look at our Getting Started section for information on how best to use the site, and be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions page for tips and suggestions on various aspects of learning English.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Hosseinpour,
We use 'down' in this way in informal speech. It does not carry any directional sense but is simply a less formal way to describe some locations:
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello capricorn89,
When we are talking about the position we use 'the':
When we use titles before a name we do not use an article:
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Hosseinpour,
This use of 'though' is quite informal. It has a similar meaning to 'however' and shows that the statement contrasts with another statement made previously or with the listener's expectations. You need to look at the sentence in context to understand the meaning of 'though' and to look at what was said before each sentence. For example, you might see something like this:
As an aside, the use of 'did say' rather than just 'said' adds emphasis and also shows that the sentence contrasts with something else that was said.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Hosseinpour,
You can find a good explanation from Merriam-Webster here.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi EnglishZenon,
This is a complex area. In fact it is possible for all three options (the zero article, the indefinite article and the definite article) to be used with general meaning. However, there are subtle differences between them.
a + singular countable noun
We can use this with general meaning when we are talking about something which defines the group:
In other words, being an impressive sight is one of the characteristics of an elephant; if we saw an animal and it was not impressive then we could be fairly sure that it was not an elephant.
We are talking about any elephant here - it is true of them all.
the + singular noun
We can use this with general meaning when we are talking about our image or concept of the noun:
Here we are not talking about a real elephant, but rather the concept of 'elephant' in our heads.
no article + plural countable noun or uncountable noun
We use this to talk about what is normal or typical of a type. It may or may not be true of all individuals but it is typical of most:
Here we are talking about the average height of Swedes, not any particular person or concept.
The distinctions here are subtle but can be important. For example, we can say with general meaning:
However, we cannot say:
This is because being in danger of becoming extinct may be true but it does not define the whale.
I hope that helps to clarify it for you. It is a difficult area, as I said.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello EnglishZenon,
It's hard to say for sure without knowing the full context and what you mean exactly, but yes, 'the' seems correct in that sentence because you seem to be referring to some lessons that are coming in the future. By using 'the' you are showing that it's clear which ones they are. Perhaps they are the next lessons in the book, for example.
Yes, 'usage' is correct and 'the' is also.
Despite being one of the most frequently used words in English, 'the' is one of the most difficult to learn to use properly, partly because it is used in so many different contexts!
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello cbenglish,
Using 'the' signals that the writer is referring to possibilities and threats that they have already referred to in some way. It would be possible to omit 'the' here; it would slightly change the meaning by implying the full range of possibilities and threats that exist -- not just a specific set that have already been mentioned.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Student2018,
The sentence is not correct without 'the'.
Articles depend upon context. We use 'the' when both the speaker and the listener can identify specifically which item is being described. Thus:
In your example the speaker and listener can see the boy and his shirt, so it is clear that the speaker is referring to a specific, concrete and particular blue shirt and not to any other.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Hosseinpour,
You're welcome and we wish you a happy new year as well!
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team