D e fi n i t e A r t i c l e : " T h e "
The article "the" is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun
is specific or particular.
Example:
"The dog in the garden is mine"
USE THE
Names of most
countries/territories:
Examples: Ecuador, Italy, Mexico
Exception:
The Netherlands, the United
Kingdom, the Philippines, the Unit
ed States, the Republic of Ireland
Names of cities, provinces, towns,
or states:
Examples: Miami, Manab,
Pichincha, California
Names of streets
Examples: Amazonas Ave.,
Washington Blvd., Main St.
Names of lakes and bays:
Examples: Lake Titicaca, Lake San
Pablo
Exception: With a group of lakes:
The Great Lakes
Names of mountains
Examples: Mount Everest, Mount
Fuji
Except with ranges of mountains:
The Andes, the Himalayas
Names of continents:
Examples: America, Europe
Names of islands
Examples: Easter Island,
DO NOT USE THE
Names of rivers, oceans and
seas
Examples: The Nile, the Pacific
Points on the globe
Examples: the Equator, the
North Pole
Geographical areas
Examples: the Middle East, the
West, the Far East
Deserts, forests, gulfs, jungles,
and peninsulas
Examples: the Sahara, the
Persian Gulf, the Black
Forest, the Iberian Peninsula,
the Amazon
Buildings,
monuments, landmarks
Examples: The White House,
the Middle of the World, the
Statue of Liberty
Ethnic groups
Examples: The Incas, the
Mayas, the Huaoranis
Earth, moon
Examples: The Earth, the
 Madagascar
Exception: With island chain: the
Galapagos Islands, the
Bahamas, the Canary Islands
Schools, institutes, universities
that begin with a proper noun
Examples: Polytechnic University,
San Francisco de Quito University
Titles (With proper nouns)
Examples: Queen Elizabeth, King
Lear, President Correa
moon, the sun
Schools, institutes, universities
that do not begin with a proper
noun
Examples: The University of
Chicago, the Medical Institute
of Minnesota
Titles (Without proper nouns)
Examples: The queen, the king,
the president

Omission of Articles

Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:

1. Names of languages and nationalities
Examples:
Chinese, English, Spanish, Russians
2. Names of sports
Examples:
Volleyball, soccer, baseball
3. Names of academic subjects:
Examples:
Mathematics, Biology, History