Articles

1 We use a or an the first time we mention something. When we mention it

again, we use the.

I saw a beautiful vase in an antique shop a few days ago. When I went back to the shop yesterday, the vase wasn’t there any more!

2 We do not use the:

a when we talk about people or things in general.

Dogs make very good pets.

b with the names of people and countries.

American people eat a lot of fast food.

c with many place names.

continents:	Europe, Asia	countries:	Argentina
cities:	Moscow, Madrid	lakes:	Lake Ontario
mountains:	Mount Everest	hills:	Primrose Hill
roads / streets:	Oxford Street	islands:	EasterIsland

We use the:

a with some place names

oceans and seas:	the pacific Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea
rivers:	the River Danube, the River Thames
mountain ranges:	the Alps, the Himalayas
countries which are republics or unions:	the United kingdom, the United Arab Emirates

b with superlative forms.

the longest river in the world

c when there is only one of something

the sun the Earth the Moon the sky the pope

4 Other phrases with the

at the bottom, at the top

in the east, in the west, in the centre, in the middle

in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening

on the left, on the right

BUT: at home, at school, at university, at work, at night, n bed, in hospital, in prison, on holiday