1) What is the definite article?
The definite article is 'the'. It comes before nouns to talk about something particular.
Examples:
The sun rose at 6:17 this morning.
Jack is in the kitchen.
2) How to use the definite article
We use the article 'the' before singular countable nouns, plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
Examples:
The girl is sitting over there.
I like the dogs.
I don’t like the music on that CD.
3) When do we use the definite article?
❖ We use 'the':
- With nouns that are previously mentioned.
Example:
I saw a girl yesterday. The girl was reading under a tree.
- With specific nouns.
Example:
I saw a woman on the tram this morning. (the tram that I take every morning)
- With times of the day.
Examples:
I prefer coffee in the morning.
In the afternoon, they went shopping.
What do you do in the evening?
- With musical instruments.
Examples:
She is learning the piano.
Joe plays the guitar really well.
- With superlative adjectives.
Examples:
Jupiter is the biggest planet.
She is the tallest girl in the class.
- With unique nouns.
Examples:
The moon is very bright tonight.
Who is the president of France?
Paris is the capital of France.
- With names of oceans, seas, rivers and mountain ranges.
Examples:
Malta lies in the Mediterranean Sea between Africa and Italy.
Our ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 7 days.
I always wanted to hike the Himalayas.
We will go on a cruise down the Nile.
- With countries which have plural names and countries whose names include words like 'Kingdom', 'States' or 'Republic'.
Examples:
I have never been to the Netherlands.
My parents have gone to the United Kingdom.
She visited the United States last month.
James is from the Republic of Ireland.