The „the” 1717

USE „the” as a definite article, a determiner

When you talk about a particular thing or person.

The audience cheered and clapped. The janitor opened the door

When used before nouns referring to action when they are followed by „of”

...the growth of the steel industry

To make it clear which thing or person you mean

She laughed at the birthday card. We talked to the guard

Before a plural family name, when you refer to all members of the family

The Johnsons did not come to the party.

Referring to something that everyone knows

What was the weather like? The traffic was terrible.

Before a single noun referring to an istitution, system, shop

I heard in on the radio

Referring to a part of the body

He was wounded in the kne.

Before an adjective, to make it a plural noun

A school for the deaf. Wars between the French and the English

Before an adjective to make it into a noun referring to a particular situation

Fantasy movies that the unreal seem real

Before a singular noun when referring to a particular type of thing

The computer changed everyone’s life. ...complicated dances like the tango

Referring to particulat time period

Fashions of the 60s. In the thirties....

Enough of something for a particular purpose

I haven’t the time to talk just now.

To say which type of musical instrument someone plays

He plays the violin

Referring to a sport or sport event

Who won the long jump?

Before a word describing describing someone angry jelous or surprised

He’s stolen my parking place the bastard! She is going to Hawaii the lucky devil

To emphasize a place or name. It is emphasized in speech and written with emphasis

Is she THE Elisabeth Taylor? Miami is THE place for single girls.

Before the names of certain common illnesses

If one of the children got the measles, we all got the measles

The Used as an adverb

Before comparative adjective or adverb to show that the degree of one event or situation is related to a degree to the other

The more he eats the fatter he gets.

Before an adjective or adverb to emphasize that something is bigger

He likes you the best. I had the worst headache yesterday

DO NOT USE „the”
With uncountable or plural nouns when talking about the type of thing rather than specific

We drank tee and ate sandwiches. BUT He drunk the tea, but did not eat his sandwich

With the name of a language

He understands Hungarian well

With words for institutions school, prison church when talking about it in general terms

His son is at school. Do yo go to church?

With times, days,months, seasons, esp. after at, by, on, or before „last” meaning „the one before this

At midnight,... on Tuesday,... in May, ...I saw her last week

With a date when you write it

His birthday is July 29^th. BUT IN SPEECH July the 29^th

With name of a meal

Have you had breakfast? Come around after dinner

Wth the name of a place street, town, country

This is Downing Street. We flew to Boston.

BUT some countries, places have „the” as part of their name

...the Bronx, the Rockies, the Atlantic

BUT you CAN use „the”

When you are talking about something specific, that the listener already knows about

We ate the sandwiches (that you made yesterday)

When talking about specific institutions

The church on corner , They go to the school in the village

With days or seasons when you give more information about which specific one you mean