On our vacation in the Europe, we went to the Netherlands, the Spain, the UK, the Germany, and the Czech Republic.

The...

Always use the definite article with the following:

The Top / Bottom / Middle

His office is at the top of the building.

I hate sitting in the middle.

The Titanic is now at the bottom of the sea.

The Same

  • I have the same shoes as you!
  • He wears the same clothes every day.

The Moon, Sun, World, Sky, Ocean, Sea

The moon is beautiful tonight.

He is the best in the world.

I want to live by the ocean.

We saw a UFO in the sky last night.

The Internet, Radio

  • The Internet is very fast in this school.
  • You need the Internet to use Smrt.
  • I never listen to the radio. Do you?

The Police, Fire Department, Army

We should call the police.

The fire department is coming to put out the fire.

My brother is in the army.

Names of Mountain Ranges

Use the with the names of mountain ranges in English. We do not use the when saying the names of individual mountains:

The Andes are in South America.

He lives near the Alps in Switzerland.

I would like to try to climb the Mt. Everest one day.

The Mt. Fuji is in Japan.

Names of Oceans, Seas, & Rivers

Use the with the names of oceans, seas, and rivers. Do not use the with the names of lakes.

The Pacific is the biggest ocean in the world.

When I went to Turkey last summer, I swam in the Black Sea.

The Amazon River runs through Guyana, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

The Lake Superior is between Canada and the USA.

The...

Do not use the definite article with...

(Most) Names of Countries & Continents

I am from the Mexico.

There are so many different languages in the Europe.

The Kenya has very fast runners.

Use the definite article with the following country names:

  • The Netherlands
  • The Philippines
  • The United Kingdom
  • The United States of America
  • The United Arab Emirates
  • The Czech Republic

Names of Cities

The Seattle is about 200 km south of the Vancouver.

I was born in the Tokyo, Japan.

Names of People

  • The Joe Robbins
  • The Mr. Lewis
  • The President Barack Obama
  • The Angela

Names of Streets

My apartment is on the Main Street.

Turn left on the 32nd Avenue.

My school is on the Alberni Street.

Names of Airports & Stations

The JFK Airport is in New York.

Excuse me. Do you know how to get to the City-Centre Station?

Languages & Subjects

  • the English
  • the French
  • the math
  • the science
  • the art

Games & Sports

  • the soccer
  • the bowling
  • the poker
  • the basketball

Go to...

The following are popular phrases that use the definite article:

  • go to the movies
  • go to the bank
  • go to the post office
  • go to the airport
  • go to the dentist
  • go to the doctor

My girlfriend and I went to the movies last night.

If you feel sick, let's go to the doctor.

James isn't here. I think he went to the bank.

We do not use the definite article with the following phrases:

  • go to work
  • go to bed
  • go to prison
  • go to school
  • go to university
  • go home

I'm going to work now. Bye!

I'm tired. I need to go to bed.

A: Why didn't you go to school yesterday?

B: I was sick.

The man went to prison because he didn't pay his taxes.

Exercise

Open the exercise to begin the activity. Follow the instructions in the document.

Exercise

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