Definite article THE English is interesting

Example of use When the object or the group of objects is unique:..the earth....the sea....the sky.. When a noun in mentioned a second time: We saw a cat. The cat looked scared. Page 1 THE English is interesting

Example of use Before a noun made definite by the addition of a phrase or clause:..the girl in blue....the man with the banner....the boy that I met....the place I went to.. Before a noun which by reason of locality can represent only one particular thing: Ann is in the garden. Please pass the wine. Page 2 THE English is interesting

Example of use Before superlatives and first, second etc. used as adjectives or pronouns, and only:..the first (week)....the best (day)....the only (way).. Page 3 THE English is interesting

Example of use The is used before certain names of seas, rivers, groups of islands, chains of mountains, plural names of countries, deserts, regions:..the Atlantic the Netherlands the Thamesthe Sahara the Azores the Crimea the Alps the Riviera Page 4 THE English is interesting

Example of use The is also used in names consisting of nouns + of + noun:..the Bay of Biscay the Cape of Good hope the Gulf of Mexico the USA The is used in names consisting of adjectives + noun: … the Arabian Sea the New Forest the High Street Page 5 THE English is interesting

Example of use The is also used in names choirs, orchestras, pop groups, etc.:..the Beatles the Bach choir the Philadelphia orchestra..and before names of newspapers and ships : … The Times The Great Britain (ship) Page 6 THE English is interesting

Example of use- other use When we combine the with some word classes, the combination can carry a specific meaning: a. the+ singular noun can represent a class of animals or things: The whale is in danger of becoming extinct. The deep-freeze has made life easier. Page 7 THE English is interesting

Example of use- other use When we combine the with some word classes, the combination can carry a specific meaning: b. the+ adjective represents a class of persons: The old = old people in general The poor= poor people Page 8 THE English is interesting

Exercises Insert the if necessary. 1. … youngest boy has just started going to … school, … eldest boy is at … college. 2. She lives on … top floor of an old house. When … wind blows, all … windows rattle. 3. … darkness doesn't worry cats,... cats can see in … dark. 4. Do you know … time? Yes, … clock in … hall has just struck nine. Then it isn't … time to go yet. 5. He was sent to … prison for … six months for … shoplifting. When … six months are over he'll be released. … difficulty then will be to find … work. Do you go to … prison to visit him? 6. Peter's at... office but you could get him on … phone. There's a telephone box just round … corner. English is interesting

Key 1. THE youngest boy has just started going to -- school, the eldest boy is at -- college. 2. She lives on the top floor of an old house. When the wind blows, all the windows rattle Darkness doesn't worry cats, -- cats can see in -- dark. 4. Do you know the time? Yes, the clock in the hall has just struck nine. Then it isn't -- time to go yet. 5. He was sent to -- prison for -- six months for -- shop-lifting. When the six months are over he'll be released. The difficulty then will be to find -- work. Do you go to the prison to visit him? 6. Peter's at the office but you could get him on the phone. There's a telephone box just round the corner. English is interesting

Sources All the texts used in this presentation were taken or adapted from: Thomas, A.J., Martinet, A.V. A Practical English Grammar. Fourth edition, OUF, Oxford, All the exercises used in this presentation were taken from: Thomas, A.J., Martinet, A.V. A Practical English Grammar Exercises 1. Third edition, OUF, Oxford, English is interesting