THE DEFINITE ARTICLE COMPARISON INDEFINITE ARTICLE to talk

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

COMPARISON • INDEFINITE ARTICLE to talk about: • a person/thing in a general way. (I’m looking for a job) job • Something/someone for the first time (There’s a man waiting to see you) • A person/thing-one of many (He’s a director [he’s 1 of many]) • DEFINITE ARTICLE to talk about: • a person/thing in a specific way (the job advertised in the paper) • The same thing/person for the second time (It’s the man I told you about) • A person/thing –only one in that context (He’s the director [there’s only 1 in this company]).

Comparison cont’d • What job someone does (I’m a teacher) • Singular, countable nouns • Sth /sb -clear in a particular context (I’ve come about the job. [it’s a particular job]) • All nouns (singular, plural and uncountable)

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE with names • When to use THE: • PEOPLE in plural (e. g. the Smiths, the Smith family) • TITLES with “of” ( The Prince of Wales) • LANGUAGES (The French language) • COUNTRIES in plural (The USA, ) • Periods of time: the nineties, the weekend • When not to use THE: • PEOPLE in singular (e. g. John Smith • TITLES (Prince Charles) • LANGUAGES ( French, Italian, English) • COUNTRIES in singular (Italy, France, Spain) • ACADEMIC SUBJECTS (English, geography etc. )

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE with names • When to use THE: • Geographical regions: the north, the coast • Mountains (plural) (The Alps) • Oceans /seas: (the Pacific) • Rivers: ( the Nile) • not to use THE • Months, days • Lakes : ( Lake Garda) • Mountains (sing. ) Mont Blanc

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE • When to use THE: • School, hospital, prison, church(not used in proper function) • Radio, television, cinema, theatre • The superlative • not to use THE • School, hospital, prison, church, work • Sports • By + transport • The more ……the less