Use of the definite article the in English
When we know the listener knows or can understand what we are talking about or who. Consider the following example:
The apple you ate was rotten
Did you lock the car?
When you talk about something that is only one thing in a place, even if it has not been mentioned before. Now look at the following example:
We went on a walk in the forest yesterday.
(There is only one forest in that place)
Where is the bathroom of this house?
Turn left and go to number 45. Our house is across from the Italian restaurant.
My father enjoyed the book you gave him.
When we talk about specific geographical locations, we use the letter the. Consider the following example:
The North Pole
The equator
We use the English word the before the names of rivers, seas and oceans. As:
The Nile
The Pacific Ocean
Our ship crossed the Atlantic in 7 days.
They are traveling in the Arctic.
The is used with the name of the decades. As:
He was born in the seventies.
This is a painting from the 1820’s.
The is used with countries that are in the plural (that is, they have the plural s at the end):
I have never been to the Netherlands.
The United States
The Alps
The definite article the is also used with the names of countries with the words “republic”, “kingdom” and “states” at the beginning:
They work in the United States.
She is visiting the United Kingdom.
If the words university and college are used before the noun, we use the definite article the:
My sister is studying music at the College of Modern Arts.
Attributes that refer to all people in a group or category are used in the definite article:
The elderly requires special attention.
She has given a lot of money to the poor.
Consider the following examples before the adjective (top) and ordinal numbers are used:
This is the oldest building house in our city.
She read the last chapter of her new book first.
Saeid is the happiest person I’ve ever seen.
In the sentence described with only, the definite article the is used. Consider the following example:
The only fast food I like is hamburger.
Real Madrid is the only team that I watch its matches.
The definite article is used before the names of the newspapers. Consider the following example:
the Christian Science Mentor
Along with the names of famous buildings, works of art, museums and monuments, the definite article is used. Note the following examples:
Have you been to the Vietnam Memorial?
Examples of the use of the letter the
The names of the planets must be preceded by the definite article the, for example:
the planet Mercury.
Before the last name used collectively and refers to two or more family members. for example:
the Johnsons
the Smiths
Before the names related to the media, the definite article the should be used, for example:
the media
the radio
the newspaper
Before the names are related to transportation, the definite article the should be used, for example:
the bus
the train
the airplane
the subway
Before certain historical events or periods, the definite article the should be used, for example:
The Middle Ages
The Civil War
The Renaissance
The names of the definite article should be used before the names of heavenly or very famous books, for example:
the Quran
