Geographical Use of the Definite Article, The (2024)

FAQs

What are the rules for articles in geographic names? ›

Generally, the definite article "the" in geographical names is not capitalized (the Indian Ocean; the Nile River; the Philippines; the Alps). But the article "the" is capitalized if it is part of a geographical name (The Hague).

A definite article is an article that indicates that a noun refers to a specific thing or to something that has been identified previously. In English, there is only one definite article: the word the. To give an example of how we use the, look at the following sentences: Luna heard wolves howling in the forest.

Definite Article: the

The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example: "The dog that bit me ran away."

Use the with names of geographical areas, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of islands, canals, and oceans.

The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known. There are certain situations in which a noun takes no article.

Rule 1 – The very basic rule of the article says that the article 'the' is used before a singular or plural noun, which is specific. It indicates a particular thing/s or person/s in case of a common noun. Example: The teacher she spoke to at the exhibition was very rude.

We don't usually use an article in expressions with bed, work and home. We also don't normally use an article in expressions with school, university, prison and hospital. But we usually use the if someone is just visiting the place, and not there as a student/prisoner/patient, etc.

What are the 7 definite articles? ›

In English, the definite article is the, and that's it… that's the only definite article! In Italian, there are seven, and they change depending on a noun's gender, number, and starting letter(s). They are: lo, il, l', gli, i, la, le.

The word "the" is one of the most common words in English. It is our only definite article. Nouns in English are preceded by the definite article when the speaker believes that the listener already knows what he is referring to.

“For” has multiple uses; it can function as a coordinating conjunction (one of the F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.) to connect words or groups of words together, but it can also function as a preposition.

Examples from Collins dictionaries

Her Royal Highness has definite views about most things. She made no definite plans for her future. We didn't have any definite proof. If you have any definite news of my husband, please let me know.

The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known. There are certain situations in which a noun takes no article.

We use the zero article, and we capitalize each name: Mercury, Venus, Mars, etc. Following this guideline, we can say we live on planet Earth. We're simply stating the name of our planet.

No article is used before most proper nouns and those nouns which are referred to in a general sense. 'Mars' is a proper noun and here, we are referring to it in a general sense. Therefore, the correct option is: D) no article.