"The" is called the definite article because it refers to definite things. It can be used with singular as well as plural nouns. It is also the same for all the genders.
Uses of Definite Articles
Use No.1 The definite article the is used before a noun which is the only one of its Kind (i.e unique) or considered to be one.
The sun the moon the earth
The north the equator the sea
Use No.2 The is used before a noun which has become definite as a result of being mentioned a second time.
My father gave me a book. The book was very interesting.
Use No.3 The is used before a noun which has become definite by the addition of a phrase or a clause.
The girl in blue is my cousin.
The boy who is wearing a red cap is my brother.
Phrase and Clause
Phrase:
It is part of a sentence which has no subject and no verb. In other words. It is a group of words without a verb.
e.g. Sunday evening , in the park
Clause:
It is part of the sentence which has subject and verb. OR it is group of words that contains a subject and a verb and forms a sentence or part of a sentence.
e.g. if you work hard.you will succeed
(sub-ordinate clause) (main clause)
Unit No.4 The is used before superlatives.
She is the best girl in our class.
Unit No.5 The is used before first. second, third and only (when used as adjectives or pronouns):
My sister won the first prize
Sindhu is the only daughter of her parents.
Use No.6 The is used before a singular noun represent a class of animals or things:
The dolphin is an intelligent animal. = (All dolphins)
The computer is a wonderful invention = (All computers)
Note: the + a singular noun takes a singular verb.
Use No.7 The is used before an adjective to represent a class of persons:
a poor=poor people in general the rich= rich people in general
We should help the poor and the needy.
Note: The + adjective structure takes a plural verb and the pronoun they.
Use No.8 The is used before certain proper names of seas,rivers,mountains, plural names of countries,deserts regions and groups of islands:
The Pacific Ocean The Arabian Sea
The Indus river The Nile
The Alps The Himalayas The Sahara
The Netherlands The United Arab Emirates
The Cook island The West Indies
The north/south pole The Gulf of Mexico
Use No.9 the is used before other proper names consisting of adjective+noun OR noun+noun:
The National Museum The Eiffel Tower
The Tower of London The Pyramids
Use No.10 The is used before names of musical instruments when we talk about playing them:
I can play the guitar
But, She bought a guitar yesterday.
Use No.11 The is used before names of newspapers, chairs,orchestras, pop group etc.
the Dawn the Time the Sydney Orchestra
Use No.12 The is used with two comparatives in a special way to say that two changes happen together:
The bigger, the better
The more he reads, the less he understands.
The more he gets, the more he wants.
Use No.13 The is used before a unit of measurement to mean every:
her car does fifty miles to the gallon.
Use No.14 The is used before the plural of somebody's last name or surname to refer to a whole family or a married couple with that name:
the Morrison's = Mr. And Mrs. Morrison's (with Children)
Have you invited the smiths?
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The girl, the girls, the boy, the boys, the man, the woman, the books, the cats.
Uses of Definite Articles
Use No.1 The definite article the is used before a noun which is the only one of its Kind (i.e unique) or considered to be one.
The sun the moon the earth
The north the equator the sea
Use No.2 The is used before a noun which has become definite as a result of being mentioned a second time.
My father gave me a book. The book was very interesting.
Use No.3 The is used before a noun which has become definite by the addition of a phrase or a clause.
The girl in blue is my cousin.
The boy who is wearing a red cap is my brother.
Phrase and Clause
Phrase:
It is part of a sentence which has no subject and no verb. In other words. It is a group of words without a verb.
e.g. Sunday evening , in the park
Clause:
It is part of the sentence which has subject and verb. OR it is group of words that contains a subject and a verb and forms a sentence or part of a sentence.
e.g. if you work hard.you will succeed
(sub-ordinate clause) (main clause)
Unit No.4 The is used before superlatives.
She is the best girl in our class.
Unit No.5 The is used before first. second, third and only (when used as adjectives or pronouns):
My sister won the first prize
Sindhu is the only daughter of her parents.
Use No.6 The is used before a singular noun represent a class of animals or things:
The dolphin is an intelligent animal. = (All dolphins)
The computer is a wonderful invention = (All computers)
Note: the + a singular noun takes a singular verb.
Use No.7 The is used before an adjective to represent a class of persons:
a poor=poor people in general the rich= rich people in general
We should help the poor and the needy.
Note: The + adjective structure takes a plural verb and the pronoun they.
Use No.8 The is used before certain proper names of seas,rivers,mountains, plural names of countries,deserts regions and groups of islands:
The Pacific Ocean The Arabian Sea
The Indus river The Nile
The Alps The Himalayas The Sahara
The Netherlands The United Arab Emirates
The Cook island The West Indies
The north/south pole The Gulf of Mexico
Use No.9 the is used before other proper names consisting of adjective+noun OR noun+noun:
The National Museum The Eiffel Tower
The Tower of London The Pyramids
Use No.10 The is used before names of musical instruments when we talk about playing them:
I can play the guitar
But, She bought a guitar yesterday.
Use No.11 The is used before names of newspapers, chairs,orchestras, pop group etc.
the Dawn the Time the Sydney Orchestra
Use No.12 The is used with two comparatives in a special way to say that two changes happen together:
The bigger, the better
The more he reads, the less he understands.
The more he gets, the more he wants.
Use No.13 The is used before a unit of measurement to mean every:
her car does fifty miles to the gallon.
Use No.14 The is used before the plural of somebody's last name or surname to refer to a whole family or a married couple with that name:
the Morrison's = Mr. And Mrs. Morrison's (with Children)
Have you invited the smiths?
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