The definite article

1. THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
THE

2. We use the definite article
 When the person or thing has been referred to
before. “She always makes a particular mistake.
The mistake is very common.”
 In superlative phrases: “It’s the most common
mistake”
 When we define what we are referring to: “The
mistake that she makes is very common”

3.  When a person or thing is unique: “The president
made a hilarious mistake.”
 With singular nouns which stand for a general type:
“The apostrophe is usually misused”
 With adjectives used as plural nouns: “The illiterate
in society are at a severe disadvantage”

4. In addition we use the definite article with...
 Musical instruments: “He plays the guitar”
 Dates and decades: “I grew up in the eighties”
 Seas and deserts, rivers and groups of mountains:
“They went trekking in the Himalayas. We went to a
hotel in the Red Sea.”

5. We DON’T use articles...
 With plural or uncountable nouns when we are
talking about things in general:
“They have lots of drinks but not much food.”
 Abstract nouns: “Friendship is built on trust”
 With streets, towns and most continents and
countries: “I live in Arabella Drive, that’s in Cardiff,
Wales”

6. We DON’T use articles...
 With meals: “I’m making lunch”
 With seasons: “Winter is my favourite season”
 With some institutions when it refers to a general
meaning:
“He is in hospital” (it’s not important which one, but
the fact he’s ill)
but “He works at the local school” (specific one)

7. Are the following sentences correct?
 My wife comes from Perth, in Australia
 I love autumn when the colours are amazing.
 How long have you played the guitar?
 Pam was a teenager in 1990s.
 Madagascar is an island in Indian Ocean.
 The moon is more than 350,000 kilometres from the
earth.
 What time do you have the breakfast?
 The microwave oven was invented in 1945 by Percy
Spencer.
 The British drink a lot of tea.
 It’s important not to give up the hope.

8. Complete the sentences with the definite article
or no article
 ____ Simpson Desert in Australia has some of the largest
sand dunes in the world.
 I don’t like ______ winter. It’s always so cold.
 One of the most useful inventions of the nineteenth century
was _____ electric light bulb.
 In _____ USA _____ fourth of July is a national holiday.
 Most health experts say that _____ breakfast is the most
important meal of the day.
 What’s the capital city of _____ Canada?
 When Rebecca was young she could play _____ violin.
 Dopamine and Norepinephrine are the two chemicals in our
body that cause ______ love.