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Using the definite determiner the

1.163  The is the most common definite determiner; it is sometimes called the definite article.

This, that, these, and those are often called demonstratives or demonstrative adjectives. For more information on these, see paragraphs 1.184 to 1.193.

My, your, his, her, its, our and their are possessive determiners. They are also sometimes called possessive adjectives or just possessives. For more information about these, see paragraphs 1.194 to 1.210.

Here is the list of definite determiners:

the

~

this

that

these

those

~

my

your

his

her

its

our

their

Note that in English you cannot use more than one definite determiner before a noun.

1.164  Because the is the most common definite determiner, you can put the in front of any common noun.

She dropped the can into the grass.

The girls were not in the house.

In these examples, the use of the can means that a can has already been mentioned; the grass is definite because it has already been stated that she is outside, and the presence of grass may also have been stated or is presumed; the girls, like the can, must have been mentioned before; and the house means the one where the girls were staying at the time.

pronouncing the

1.165  The always has the same spelling, but it has three different pronunciations:

/ðǝ/ when the following word begins with a consonant sound

…the dictionary…the first act…the big box.

/ði/ when the following word begins with a vowel sound

…the exhibition… the effect… the impression.

/ði/ when it is emphasized

You don’t mean the Ernest Hemingway?

See paragraph 1.181 for more information about emphatic uses of the.

the with a noun

1.166  You can use a noun phrase consisting just of the and a noun when you know that the person you are talking or writing to will understand which person, thing, or group you are referring to.

The expedition sailed out into the Pacific.

…the most obnoxious boy in the school.

He stopped the car in front of the bakery.

nouns referring to one thing only

1.167  Some nouns are used with the because they refer to only one person, thing, or group. Some of these are specific names or proper nouns, for example titles such as the Pope, unique things such as the Eiffel Tower, and place names such as the Atlantic.

…a concert attended by the Queen.

We went on camel rides to the Pyramids.

See paragraphs 1.52 to 1.58 for more information about proper nouns.

Some are singular nouns, that is they refer to something of which there is only one in the world, such as the ground, or the moon.

The sun began to turn red.

In April and May the wind blows steadily.

See paragraphs 1.34 to 1.40 for more information about singular nouns.

specific places and organizations

1.168  Other nouns are used to talk about just one person, thing, or group in a particular place or organization, so that if you are talking about that place or organization or talking to someone in it, you can use just the and the noun.

For example, if there is only one station in a town, the people who live in the town will talk about the station. Similarly, people living in Britain talk to each other about the economy, meaning the British economy, and people working for the same organization might talk about the boss, the union, or the canteen without needing to specify the organization.

The church has been broken into.

There’s a wind coming off the river.

We had to get rid of the director.

The mayor is a forty-eight-year-old former labourer.

What is the President doing about all this?

generalizing about people and things

1.169  Normally, if you want to talk generally about all people or things of a particular type, you use the plural form of a noun without a determiner.

However, there are some countable nouns that are used in the singular with the to refer to something more general.

For example, you can use the theatre or the stage to talk about all entertainment performed in theatres. Similarly, the screen refers to films in general, and the law refers to the system of laws in a country.

For him, the stage was just a way of earning a living.

He was as handsome in real life as he was on the screen.

They do not hesitate to break the law.

Some nouns that normally refer to an individual thing or person can be used in the singular with the to refer generally to a system or service in a particular place. For example, you can use the bus to talk about a bus service and the phone to talk about a telephone system.

How long does it take on the train?

We rang for the ambulance.

Nouns referring to musical instruments can be used in the singular with the when you are talking about someone playing, or being able to play, a particular kind of instrument.

You play the oboe, I see, said Simon.

I was playing the piano when he phoned.

using adjectives as nouns

1.170  When you want to talk generally about groups of people who share the same characteristic or quality, you often choose an adjective preceded by the.

This project is all about giving employment to the unemployed.

See paragraphs 1.66 to 1.72 for more information about using adjectives as nouns.