When to Use “The” in English

“The” is typically used in accompaniment with any noun with a specific meaning, or a noun referring to a single thing.
The important distinction is between countable and non-countable nouns: if the noun is something that can’t be
counted or something singular, then use “the”, if it can be counted, then us “a” or “an”.
1. With the names of countries and continents
In these instances we do not use the articles at all, BUT if the country is made up of different parts or if the name is
taken from common nouns, for example USA, UK, UAE, then we use the article the and say the USA, the UK, the UAE,
the Czech Republic, The Netherlands.
t is the same when speaking of continents and islands. It is not used at all with the continents. We usually do not use an
article when speaking about islands, but if the name is made up of different parts, then use the definite article.
For example, Africa, Europe, Bermuda, Tasmania, BUT the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas
 She lived in America.
 They live in England.
 My friend is from the Czech Republic
 I will go to the Galapagos Islands next year.
2. With the words breakfast, lunch, dinner
When it comes to eating in general, the article is not used. But if you are speaking about a particular breakfast, lunch or
dinner, use the.
For example:
 I don’t eat breakfast.
 We didn’t like the dinner.
3. With the names of jobs and professions
In these instances, use the indefinite article a/an.
For example:
 I want to be a politician.
 My younger brother wants to be a vet.
4. With compass directions
Compass directions are written with capital letters when they designate definite regions (the North, the South, the East,
the West), but not when they indicate direction or general location.
If the compass direction follows a preposition or if it designates a definite region, use the definite article the. If it follows
a verb, no article is used.
For example:
 They went east.
 Look to the north and you will see the lake.
 The North is cooler than the South.
5. With names of oceans, seas, rivers, and canals
 Remember that the definite article is always used with these bodies of water.
For example, the Amazon, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal.
 I would like to swim in the Red Sea, and you?
 The Amazon is the longest river in the world.
6. With the names of unique objects
This means that only one of the object or thing exists; it is one of a kind. Specifically, the sun, the moon, the internet,
the sky, the earth.
For example:
 The sun is a star.
 We looked up at all the stars in the sky.
 He is always on the internet.
7. With uncountable nouns
Uncountable nouns are nouns that we cannot count. A way to identify these nouns, in most cases, is that they do not
add –s in the plural form.
But remember that for every rule there are many exceptions. If you are speaking about any uncountable noun in
general, do not use the article. But when speaking about something specific, the is used.
For example:
 I like bread/milk/honey.
 I like the bread/the milk/the honey. (specific bread/milk/honey)
8. With surnames
When speaking about members of the same family collectively, the article the is used before the surname. In this way,
you designate a group of people –a family – with one word. Remember, the surname must be in the plural form.
For example:
 The Smiths are coming for dinner today.
 Have you seen the Johnsons recently?
This information does not cover all the uses of the articles in English. However, remember these rules as a start, and
gradually increase your knowledge of English grammar.
Good luck!
When to Not Use “The” in English
Here are some situations in which you don’t need to use the.
1. Things in general
You don’t need an article when you talk about things in general.
The does NOT = all.
Use plural count nouns:
Cats are great pets!
You’re not talking about one specific cat or one specific pet. You’re talking about all cats and all pets in general.
I love reading books.
Women love it when men send them flowers!
Houses are expensive in that neighbourhood.
Americans drive big cars.

Use non-count nouns:

I love listening to music.
You enjoy music in general, not any specific song or kind of music.
She’s afraid of heights, so we couldn’t go to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
I love chocolate!
Have you eaten lunch yet?
She’s a vegetarian. She doesn’t eat meat.

2. Names
Names of holidays, countries, companies, languages, etc. are all proper nouns. You don’t need to use an article with a
proper noun.
a. Holidays
I got a beautiful new dress for Christmas.
I got my mom a necklace for Mother’s Day.
Everybody wears green on St. Patrick’s Day.
What are you doing on Valentine’s Day?

b. Geography
Articles are not used before countries, states, cities, towns, continents, single lakes, or single mountains.
I live in Canada.
Mt. Rosa is part of the Alps mountain range.
Mt. Rosa is one mountain. The Alps describe a group of mountains.
I’m going to Europe next month on vacation.
Lake Ontario and Lake Huron are 2 of the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes are a group of lakes on the border between Canada and the US.
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.
NOTE: There is an exception to every rule in English. The is part of the names of these countries:
the United States
the Czech Republic
the Philippines
c. Companies
I use Twitter and Facebook every day.
Bill Gates founded Microsoft.
Wal-Mart is the largest employer in the U.S.
McDonald’s has restaurants in 119 countries.
d. Universities
Her son graduated from Harvard.
She goes to Oxford.
He applied to Cambridge, Yale, and Stanford.
However, if the name of the university begins with University, then you must use the:
He has a master’s degree from the University of Toronto.
e. Languages
I am studying Russian.
I speak French.
In Brazil people speak Portuguese.
I teach people how to speak English.
3. Places, locations, streets
Streets, some locations, and some places do not need an article:
I left my book at home.
I have to go to work early tomorrow.
He was found guilty of murder and sent to jail for life.
My office is located on Main Street.
I usually go to church on Sundays.
Good night everyone! I’m going to bed.
Did you go to school today?
When I was in high school, everyone had to study French.
She’s studying business at university.
NOTE: You don’t need an article for subjects you study at school: math, geography, business, history, science.
Places where you DO need to use an article:
I need to go to the bank.
Let’s go to the movies.
My dad is in the hospital.
She works at the post office.
What time do you have to be at the airport?
Please drop me off at the bus stop.
She doesn’t like to go to the doctor or the dentist.
4. Sports
Sports and other physical activities do not need an article:
I love to go skiing in the winter.
I play football every day after school.
He loves watching hockey on TV.
She does yoga 3 times a week.
My daughter really enjoys dancing.
5. Noun + number
He’s staying at the Hilton hotel in room 221.
The train to Paris leaves from platform 2.
My English class is in room 6 on the first floor.
First is an adjective in this sentence. It describes the floor.
6. Acronyms
An acronym is an abbreviation (a short form) of a name. It uses the first letter of each word to form a new word.
a. If the acronym is pronounced as a word, don’t use the.
NATO ambassadors met to discuss the situation.
NATO is the acronym used for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO is pronounced as one word, /’neɪtoʊ/.
UNESCO was formed in 1946.
UNESCO is the acronym used for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO is
pronounced as one word, /ju’nɛskoʊ/.
You need to use the before acronyms when the letters are pronounced individually, not as a word.
The UN was created after the Second World War.
UN is used to represent the United Nations. UN is pronounced you-N /ju’ɛn/. It is not pronounced un /ʌn/, like in the
word under.
Other acronyms that need the:
the EU
the US
the CIA
the FBI

b. The is not used before university acronyms:

John Smith got his MBA at UCLA.
She has a Ph.D. from MIT.