The is called Definite Article because it points to some particular person or thing: the man ( The man whom I know.), the students , the girls. The Definite Articles can be used before singular or plural nouns whether countable or uncountable.
Definite Articles: The : Special Rules:
(A) As a General Rule, Proper Nouns do not take Articles before them, but the is used in the following Special Cases :
Rule 1 : The names of :
Holy books : The Geeta, the Bible, The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, The Koran, The Arabian Nights, The Paradise Lost.
[If the title of a book is the name of a person no article is used : Robinson Crusoe.]
Newspapers' : The Statesman, The Ananda Bazar Patrika, The Times of India, The Hindustan Times.
Group of islands : The Andamans, The British Isles.
Mountain ranges :The Himalayas, The Alps
[But not before a single mountain or a single island : Everest, Java.
Descriptive geographical o
Significant names : The Punjab, the Deccan, the U.S.A.,the U
Rivers : The Ganga, the Thames, the Godabari, The Nile, The Amazon
Seas : The Black sea, the Arabian sea. The Caspian sea, The Red Sea
Ships : The Titanic, The Harshavardhana , The Ace,
Important events : The French Revolution, the Sepoy Mutiny ,
Trains, planes and spacecrafts : The Rajdhani Express, The Kalka Mail, The Kaniska,
Gulfs : The Persian gulf, the Gulf of Thailand.
Noted public places : The Secretariat", the cinema, the theatre,
the High Court, the Senate House.
Definite Articles : The : General Rules:
Rule 1 : A National name with a plural denotes a people collectively. Without the, such a noun indicates the language of the people.
The English (=the English people) are industrious.
English (=the language) is an international language.
The German (= people of Germany) fought hard.
I am learning Spanish (= the language).
Rule 2 : Proper, Material and Abstract nouns to make them Common :
Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.
The water of the Ganga.
Rule 3 : When a person or thing is introduced for the first time that indefinite article A /an is used. The definite article The, is used to refer again to that person or thing :
A woman came to visit Lord Buddha.
The woman wanted her son’s life back.
Rule 4 : Singular Common Nouns to represent a whole class :
The dog is a faithful animal.
The cows( cows in general) eats grass.
The lion is called the king of beasts.
The mango(mangoes as the class) is sweetest fruits.
Rule 5 : Singular nouns referring to things of which only one exists :
the earth,
the sun,
the sky,
the east,
the Kohinoor.
Rule 6 : Some Adjectives and Common Nouns in the singular number to express an abstract idea :
Do not leap in the dark.
The future (= futurity) is unknown to us.
Check the beast (=animal nature) in you.
At last, the mother (=motherly feelings) rose in her.
I saw the father( fatherly affection) in him.
Rule 7 : A Common Noun in the Plural does not require The, unless we want to particularise :
Boys love games but the boys( those already referred to or those before us) are playing.
Come into the garden ( the garden already mentioned before).
I went to the club.
I do not like the fellow (the fellow already referred to.)
Rule 8 : Adjectives used as plural Nouns, to indicate a whole class of persons. But we should not combine both the forms.
The rich (=rich men) are not always happy.
Rich men are not always happy.
The rich man is not always happy.
But , [The rich men are not always happy. – Incorrect.]
Rule 9 : Nouns defined by adjectives or adjectival phrases or clauses:
the black dog ;
the immortal Kalidas ;
The men who came here yesterday are my friends.
Rule 10 : Ordinal numbers written in letters; but when written in Roman notation, no article is used :
George the Fifth (but, George V);
The second chapter (but, chapter II)'.
Rule 11 : Nouns to indicate a profession :
He joined the Bar or the Church (became a lawyer or a clergyman.)
Rule 12 : The plural names of families :
The Browns;
The Boses.
Rule 13 : The names of musical instruments :
He plays the violin.
Rule 14 : Adjectives to denote particular parts of things :
He likes the yellow of an egg.
He entered the thick of the forest.
Rule 15 : Superlatives : The is sometimes used before a noun to give it the force of a superlative :
He is the best of them.
He is the singer of the day.
Rule 16 : Common nouns as a substitute for the Possessive Adjective :
I struck him on the (his) head.
He stared me in the (my) face. (Possessive ‘The').
Rule 17 : Comparatives :
(i) as adverbs : The more the merrier.
(ii) as contrast : He is the cleverer of the two boys.
Rule 18 : 'In writing the date we nowadays omit the and of but in reading that date we generally put them in :
March 10th (The tenth of March):
16th August (The sixteenth of August or August the sixteenth).
Omission Of Articles:
Omission of Articles mean we can’t / shouldn’t use articles in English sentences according to English Grammatical Rules. In Modern Grammar the Article omitted is called Zero Article.
No article is normally used :
Rule 1 : Before Proper, Material, or Abstract Nouns, except when they are particularised :
Ashoka (but, the kind Ashoka),
Homer (but, the Homer of India),
gold (but, the gold of Australia),
honesty (but, the honesty of the boy).
Gold is a precious metal.
But ,This necklace is made of the gold of India.(Material Noun)
Wisdom is the gift of heaven.
But, The wisdom of Soloman is well-known. (Abstract Noun)
Rule 2 : Before Common Nouns in the plural number, except when they
are particularised :
Dogs bark.
Cows eat grass;
But the dogs of house ;
But the cows that I bought.
Rule 3 : Before a Common or Collective Noun, preceded by the phrases
kind or species or sort of, or when used in its widest sense :
What kind or sort of man is he ?
Man, bird and beast-all are subject to death.
Always keep good company.
Rule 4 : Before man in the sense of mankind, and before father, mother,
and baby when a particular one of them is meant:
Man is mortal.
Father or Mother (i.e., my father or mother) says so.
Cook, nurse, etc. take no article in the sense of our cook', 'our nurse':
Cook has given notice.
Rule 5 : In many idiomatic phrases:
to take root (to be firmly established);
to call to mind (to remember);
to give ear to (to hear);
to set foot on;
by boat; at night;
send word;
at home;
to attend school ;
by land; on
horseback, etc.
Rule 6 : Before the words school, church, prison, hospital, college, court,
market and a few other names of localities, besides table and bed. These take no article when we think of the use made of the building or object.
Ram has gone to school/college (to learn).
Ram has gone to the school/college (not to learn but just to see the place).
Robin once hit a ball right over the top of the school (building).
They took him to hospital (for treatment.)
They went to the hospital (just to see the place).
Rule 7: Before the names of squares, buildings, parks, streets, etc.,
consisting of a proper name (either a person or a place) :
Buckingham
Palace,
Jatin Das Park,
Rasbhari Avenue.
Rule 8: Before the names of meals (as a part of the daily routine) :
We have dinner at 8 p.m.
Rule 9: Before names of seasons and festivals, diseases , games though the definite article may also be found in certain general statements :
Winter is the best time for picnic.
The first time I was in Kashmir was in the autumn.
Diwali is the festival of lights.
We paly football.
Rule 10: Before titles when they are used in apposition to a Noun:
Mr Bose, Principal of our college, is a well-known man.
Rule 11: Before complements to factitive verbs :
Sumit was elected captain.
They made him president.
Rule 12: Before few nouns denoting time, such as day, night, morning, evening, dawn, twilight, dusk when used in an abstract or general sense (night=darkness):
The boy left home at night.
We always get up at dawn.
He works hard from morning to night .
Rule 13: Before singular Common countable denoting rank or title:.
Queen Victoria reigned in the 19th century.
Professor Ray is known to me.
He is prince of Morocco.
He became king of Jordan.
Repetition of Article : The
Rule 1: When two or more Nouns joined by and refer to the same thing,
the Article is used only before the first; but if they refer to different persons or things, the Article should be repeated before each.
The Cashier and the Member have done this (two separate men).
The Cashier and Member has done this (the same man),
Write either ' The first and the second student ' or ' The first and second students ' to refer to two students.
Rule 2: In a comparison, if two Nouns refer to the same object, the article is used before the first Noun only. But if the Nouns refer to different objects, the Article is used before each Noun:
The same person :
He is a better teacher than player.
Different persons:
He is a better poet than a speaker .
Rule 3: When two or more Adjectives refer to different Nouns, the Article is used before each Adjective :
I have a brown and a white cat (2 cats).
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