THE DEFINITE _THE

Dr.fethiza Tedjani mouna

Omission of ‘the’
Uses of the definite
Article ‘the’
”
 The elephant and the mouse
(1)…...elephant and a mouse fell in love and decided to get
married. When (2)…...elephant told his father, he said
'don't be silly (3)…... elephant cannot marry (4)…...mouse.
When (5)…...mouse told his mother, she said don't be silly
(6)…... mice do not marry (7)…... elephant.
So, (8)…... elephant who was very musical became (9)…...
pianist, (10)…... mouse who had …..good voice became
(11)…... singer. they turned(12)…...would together for
many years, giving concerts and bringing (13)…..pleasure
to everyone who heard them.
Moral: there is more than one way to live in
(14)…...harmony.
 Considere the uses of articles in the following story
The elephant and the mouse
(1) An elephant and a mouse fell in love and decided to get married.
When (2) the elephant told his father, he said 'don't be silly (3) the
elephant cannot marry (4) a .mouse. When (5) the mouse told his
mother, she said don't be silly (6) the mice do not marry (7) an
elephant.
So, (8) the elephant who was very musical became (9) a pianist, (10)
the mouse who had a .good voice became (11) a singer. they
turned(12) the would together for many years, giving concerts and
bringing (13)__ pleasure to everyone who heard them.
Moral: there is more than one way to live in (14) __ harmony.
 A. Known or unknown information
Articles

1. We use the before a noun mentioned before

 In 1907 an English soldier set up an organization …..the
organization was the beginning of the World Scout Movement.

 An elephant and a mouse fell in love and decided

to get married.When (2) the elephant told his father.
A. Known or unknown information
Articles
2. when you are talking about a particular person or thing. The
speaker and listener share knowledge about which person /thing
you mean:
How did you do for the grammar test.
Anna: Mum is out
Alix: she' is gone to the dentist.
= they both know which dentist she
goes to
A. Known or unknown information
Articles
3. Something is unique i.e. there is only one of it.
 They turned(12) the would together for many years…

 The BBC's funding is under threat again.

 general facts :the earth the sky, the sun, the sea, the stars.
A. Known or unknown information
4.Before a noun represesntsArticles
only one particular thing
where is Merry? She is in the Kitchen.=The only Kitchen in the
house
5. Before a noun made definite by addition of a phrase or a clause
 The elephant who was very musical became …, the
mouse who had a .good voice became …
The girle that I met (clause).
The girle in blue. ( phrase)
 A. Known or unknown information
6. Before superltives and first, second,
Articles etc

Alix is the only person I like at work .

Amesterdam is the first placewhere I would like to live
 Uses of the with place names
• Continents :Africa ,Russia, Europe A
Countries: Germany, Switzerland
States, regions:Alaska , Siberia
Central Africa
• Islands: Cyprus, Majorca, Rhode
Island
• Cities, towns, villages: Moscow,
Helsinki, Los Angeles
• The Netherlands, the USA, the
Philippines (plurals),
• Republic (the Irish republic),
• kingdom (the United Kingdom),
• federation (the Russian Federation),
States, regions The West, the Rivera,
the Middle East, the Midlands, the South
of France
• Plural islands : the Canary Islands
• mountain ranges: the Alps, the Rockies
• Seas, oceans, rivers, canals: the
Atlantic Ocean, the Thames,
• Deserts : the Great Sandy Desert, the
Sahara
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 B. Generic and specific reference
Articles
1. To generalise about a whole group or species:

 The African elephant has larger ears than the Indian elephant
 African elephants has larger ears than the Indian elephants.
B. Generic and specific reference
Articles
NB:The + noun (the noun usaully class of animals or
things, but with men we do not use articals)
2. We can use The +adjective= to refer to a group of
people :
The homeless will be removed from the streets and
placed in hostels.
QUICK GRAMMAR PRACTICE
B. Generic and specific reference
Articles
3. This is possible with nationality adjectives that end
with –ch, -sh, -ese, and –s
The french the welsh the Chinese, the Swiss for other
nationalities we have to use a plural form.
The british are very reserved and Algerians are very
concerted.
4. With names of families: the +plural surname such as
in the addams familly, the Smiths.
C. Generic and specific reference
Articles
With plural nouns and uncountable nouns We do not use an
artticle when we want to refer to a group or class in general.
Compare:
A. Tourists are often blamed for changing the character of the
town.=Generic reference
B. Did you notice The tourists in the castle were doing? = specific
tourists
C. It is commonly accepted that brown bread is good for you.
D. Did you remember to get the brown bread out of the freezer?
C. Generic and specific reference
Articles
We only use an article before an abstract noun if we wish to talk
about a specific type of the noun. compare:
A. It is impossible to live in the world without the hope.
B. It is impossible to live in the world without hope.
C. The hope of finding a cure for cancer drives a lot of medical
research. = specific hope
B. Generic and specific reference
Articles

A. X It is impossible to live in the world without the hope.

B. ✓It is impossible to live in the world without hope. =Generic
reference
C. The hope of finding a cure for cancer drives a lot of medical
research. = specific hope
 2. Omision of the
 places such as home, hospital, Articles
prison, school, town , work, church,
university, college, ect if we are focusing on their function i.e school as
place for learning or prison as place of punishment /correction.
compare:
A. can children live school at fourteen in your country?
B. The Prime minister is in the school now.
C. Rick's son is in prison for burglary.
D. Joanne is an administrative officer at the prison.
 2. Omision of the
Articles
2. Names of cities, streets, countries.
3. Names of continents, such as Africa
4. Before an abstract noun, possessive nouns and possessive
adjectives
E.g: I borrowed Peter's book. I borrowed his book.
5. Before names of meals, such as breakfast, pizza, etc.
6. Before parts of the body eyes, mind
7. Before names of games /sports such as
I like the taekwondo (wrong)
I like taekwondo (correct)
 QUICK GRAMMAR PRACTICE

A. ZadieSmith is the writer who shot to fame with the

publication of her first novel 'White Teeth'
B. ZadieSmith is a writer who shot to fame with the
publication of her first novel 'White Teeth'
SUMMARY

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