Definite articles

The definite article THE is used:

• before singular nouns
• before plural nouns
• when the noun is specific or particular.

The noun is definite when it refers to a particular item or member of a group. 

Examples:

• Apples are good. - I want the apples that you have.
• Flowers are beautiful  - The flowers in my garden are beautiful.
• I love blue hats - The hat on the armchair is blue.

Download the worksheet below to learn and practise!

Use THE before: 

• nouns related to house and garden
• mountains, sky, air, country
• office, bank, disco.

Examples:

• We are in the kitchen. - We play in the garden.
• We are in the mountains. - Birds sing in the sky. 
• Mary is in the office. - I go to the bank. - My friends go to the disco.

Download the worksheet below to practise these new rules!

Never use THE before: 

• specific nouns like College, Hospital, School, Televsion/TV, University, Work
• years, days, festivity
• individual mountains and lakes
• Mr, Miss, Mrs, Doctor
• continents, countries, islands, languages.

Examples: 

• I go to school every day. - Robert is watching TV. - Jim is working in hospital.
• Jim was born in 2015. - Shops are closed on Sundays. - I work all week. - Christmas Day is on 25 December.
• Lake Como is beautiful. - Mount Everest is very high.
• Miss Smith is nice. - Doctor House is late.
• Italy is beautiful. - Sicily is an island. - French is a beautiful language.

Download the worksheet below to learn how to perfectly use THE!

Watch out! You can use THE before:

• The Alps - The Apennines

and

• The United States of America / The USA
• The United Kingdom / The UK
• The Netherlands
• The Philippines.

Examples: 

• I live in the United States of America.
• I study in the Netherlands.
• There are beautiful beaches in the Philippines.

Download the worksheet below to learn all the exceptions!