THE DEFINITE ARTICLE:

«THE»

WHEN TO USE?

WHEN TO USE? We use the seasons of the year (spring,

summer, autumn, winter) with or without the definite article.

E.g.: in summer or in the summer

The American English word for autumn >fall< is always used with the definite article.

In the fall of 2011, Lily and Marshall received a surprising gift from Lily’s grandparents.

WHEN TO USE? Sometimes we use the article and

sometimes we do not. It often depends on the context. Watch the following example:

The student goes to school. In the first sentence we do not use the

definite article before «school».

Because the student goes to school for its primary purpose, so we do not use the article.

WHEN TO USE? The mother goes to the school.

In this sentence, we use the definite article before «school».

Because the mother might talk to a teacher, for example. She visits the school for a different reason.

HOW TO PRONOUNCE?

· COMPLETE WITH «THE» WHEN NECESSARY:

A) I´m going to buy ______ stamp she needs because she is helping ______ old lady who is sick.

B) ______ Peter´s house is closer than ______ mine. C) ______ Atlantic Ocean separates ______ Europe from ______

America. D) ______ last year we went to ______ Paris and we visited ______

Eiffel Tower. E) ______ poor people need help from ______ everybody. F) ______ Port Wine is known all over the world. G) ______ America is ______ richest country in ______ world. H) ______ Switzerland is one of ______ nicest countries in ______

Europe. I) Can you turn off ______ television, please? J) I really love ______ music. K) The last time I was in London I went on a boat ______ Thames. L) Mark likes playing ______ football at weekends. M) We lived in ______ Morton Street when we first came to town. N) ______ food in this restaurant is very expensive. O) ______ dinner we had at ______ Gold Restaurant was simply

fabulous.

ANSWERS: A) I´m going to buy the stamp she needs because she is

helping the old lady who is sick. B) Peter´s house is closer than mine. C) The Atlantic Ocean separates Europe from America. D) Last year we went to Paris and we visited the Eiffel Tower. E) Poor people need help from everybody. F) The Port Wine is known all over the world. G)  America is the richest country in the world. H) Switzerland is one of the nicest countries in Europe. I) Can you turn off the television, please? J) I really love music. K) The last time I was in London I went on a boat the

Thames. L) Mark likes playing football at weekends. M) We lived in Morton Street when we first came to town. N) The food in this restaurant is very expensive. O) The dinner we had at the Gold Restaurant was simply

fabulous.