UNIT 3.

2
Definite Articles

Students often find the rules for using articles (‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’) in English
confusing. This unit focuses on the definite article, ‘the’, and provides
guidelines, examples and practice.
1 Use of articles
Unless they are uncountable, all nouns need an article when used in the singular.
The article can be either a/an or the. Compare:

a) Research is an important activity in universities.

b) The research begun by Dr Mathews was continued by Professor Brankovic.
c) An interesting piece of research was conducted among 200 patients in the
clinic.

In a) research, which is usually uncountable, is being used in a general sense.

In b) a specific piece of research is identified, started by Dr Mathews.

In c) the research is mentioned for the first time, and the word ‘piece’ is used to
‘count’ the research.

See Unit 3.6 Singular or Plural? – Uncountable nouns

2 Using definite articles
The rules for using the (the definite article) are quite complex.

Decide why it is used, or not used, in the following examples.

a) The world’s fastest animal is the cheetah.

b) The US was founded in the eighteenth century.
c) The government increased taxation in the 1990s.
d) The French Revolution was partly caused by bad harvests.
e) The New Scientist is published every week.
f) The south is characterised by poverty and emigration.
g) Pablo Picasso, the Spanish artist, was born in Malaga.
h) The River Seine runs through the middle of Paris.
i) The United Nations was founded in 1945.
j) The euro was introduced in 2002.

In general, the is used with:

i) superlatives (fastest)
ii) time periods (eighteenth century/1990s)
iii) unique things (government, world)
iv) specified things (French Revolution)
vi) regular publications (New Scientist)
vii) regions and rivers (south/River Seine)
viii) very well-known people and things (Spanish artist)
ix) institutions and bodies (United Nations)
 x) positions (middle)
xi) currencies (euro)

It is not used with:

xii) things in general (bad harvests)

xiii) names of countries (except for the UK, the US and a few others)
xiv) abstract nouns (e.g. poverty, love)
xv) companies/things named after people/places (e.g. Sainsbury’s, Heathrow
Airport)

Note the alternate forms:

The deserts of Australia are expanding.

Australian deserts/Australia’s deserts are expanding.

a) The is used because "the cheetah" refers to a specific species.

b) The is used because "the US" refers to a specific country.
c) The is used because "the government" refers to a specific entity.
d) The is used because "the French Revolution" refers to a specific event.
e) The is used because "The New Scientist" is a specific publication.
f) The is used because "the south" refers to a specific region.
g) The is used because "the Spanish artist" specifies which Pablo
Picasso is being referred to.
h) The is used because "the River Seine" is a specific river.
i) The is used because "the United Nations" refers to a specific
organization.
j) The is used because "the euro" refers to a specific currency.
3 Practice A
It can be difficult to decide if a noun phrase is specific or not. Compare:

Climate change is a serious threat for many people. (not specific)

The Russian climate is characterised by long, cold winters. (specific)

Mobile phones are vital tools for many businesses. (not specific)

The mobile phone she bought was a Samsung. (specific)

In the following sentences, decide if the words and phrases in bold are
specific or not and whether ‘the’ should be added.

Example:

_________________ inflation was a serious problem for _________________

Brazilian government.
Inflation was a serious problem for the Brazilian government.

a) _________________ engineering is the main industry in

_________________ northern region.
b) _________________ insurance firms have made record profits in
_________________ last decade.
c) _________________ global warming is partly caused by
_________________ fossil fuels.
d) _________________ mayor has been arrested on suspicion of
_________________ corruption.
e) _________________ moons of Jupiter were discovered in
_________________ eighteenth century.
 f) _________________ tourism is _________________ world’s biggest
industry.
g) _________________ forests of Scandinavia produce most of
_________________ Britain’s paper.
h) _________________ Thai currency is _________________ baht.
i) _________________ computer crime has grown by 200% in
_________________ last five years.
j) _________________ main causes of _________________ Industrial
Revolution are still debated.
k) Three percent of _________________ working population are employed
in _________________ call centres.
l) _________________ latest forecast predicts _________________ warmer
winters in the next decade.
m) Research on _________________ energy saving is being conducted in
_________________ Physics Faculty.
o) _________________ best definition is often _________________ simplest.
p) During _________________ last recession there was a sharp increase in
_________________ child poverty.

a) The engineering is the main industry in the northern region.

b) Insurance firms have made record profits in the last decade.
c) Global warming is partly caused by fossil fuels.
d) The mayor has been arrested on suspicion of corruption.
e) The moons of Jupiter were discovered in the eighteenth century.
f) Tourism is the world's biggest industry.
g) The forests of Scandinavia produce most of Britain's paper.
h) The Thai currency is the baht.
i) Computer crime has grown by 200% in the last five years.
j) The main causes of the Industrial Revolution are still debated.
k) Three percent of the working population are employed in call centres.
l) The latest forecast predicts warmer winters in the next decade.
m) Research on energy saving is being conducted in the Physics Faculty.
o) The best definition is often the simplest.
p) During the last recession, there was a sharp increase in child poverty.
 4 Practice B
Note the difference in meaning between:

A government minister (one of several/many)

The Minister of Health (the only one)

Complete the following text by inserting a/the (or nothing) in each gap.
(Note that in some cases more than one answer is possible).

A Northern model?
Norway is a) global leader in b) ___________ use of electric cars: in 2016
nearly 30% of vehicle sales were battery-powered or hybrid models. In c)
___________ past five years sales have increased sharply due to d)
___________ development of better batteries, so now e) ___________
country’s five million people are f) ___________ world’s largest electric
car market. g) ___________ Transport Minister talks of ending sales of cars
powered by h) ___________ fossil fuels by 2025. i) ___________
government is subsidising j) ___________ installation of charging points
on main roads and shopping centres. In addition, drivers of k)
___________ zero-emission vehicles pay no sales tax or parking fees and
b) the may use bus lanes in cities. But this pattern may not be l) ___________
c) the model for other countries: Norway has m) ___________ surplus of cheap
d) the electricity thanks to n) ___________ hydropower, and it taxes petrol and
e) the diesel fuel heavily.
f) the
g) The
h) fossil fuels
i) The
j) the
k) zero-emission
l) a
m) a
n) hydropower