the
Pronounced:
/ðə before consonant sounds, ði before vowel sounds, ˈði: when said with emphasis/
Function:
definite articleMeaning:
1 —used to indicate a person or thing that has already been mentioned or seen or is clearly understood from the situation ▪ He bought a house, but this is not the house he bought. ▪ This is the restaurant I was telling you about. ▪ I'll take the red one. ▪ Put the cat outside. ▪ The teacher gave a quiz. ▪ She's the boss. ▪ I am telling the truth. ▪ What is the matter/problem? ▪ I'm no fool; you're the fool for believing him.
2 a —used to refer to things or people that are common in daily life ▪ We talked on the telephone for an hour. ▪ Turn on the television. ▪ She opened the windows. ▪ You need to go to the doctor. ▪ He said he put the letter in the mail yesterday. ▪ My suit is still at the dry cleaner. b —used to refer to things that occur in nature ▪ The sky is getting dark. ▪ A strong wind was blowing from the east. ▪ The planets revolve around the sun. ▪ Our daughter has the flu. ▪ They talked for a while about the weather.
3 a —used to refer to a particular unit or period of time ▪ She is out of the office at the moment. ▪ The time has come for us to make peace. ▪ It is the best movie of the year. ▪ We are usually not home during the day. ▪ during the winter ▪ in the future/past/present ▪ The style was popular during the 1980s. b Brit —used to indicate the day on which something happened or will happen ▪ He left five days later, on the Sunday. [=(US) on Sunday]
4 —used before the name of a specific person, place, event, work of art, etc. ▪ the President of the United States of America ▪ the White House ▪ the New York Yankees ▪ the Department of Transportation ▪ the Mississippi River ▪ the American Civil War ▪ the Renaissance ▪ the Mona Lisa ▪ the Bible
5 —used to indicate which person or thing you are referring to or discussing ▪ She gave the correct answer. ▪ He is competing against the best of the best. ▪ the fastest runner ▪ I took the last piece of pizza. ▪ I never have the time to read. ▪ He doesn't have the patience to paint the house. ▪ the English language ▪ the poet William Wordsworth ▪ the right to vote ▪ the London of Victorian times ▪ He plays the hero of the play. ▪ She is from the west coast of Africa. ▪ the beginning/arrival of spring ▪ the announcement of his candidacy
6 —used in titles after a person's name ▪ Alexander the Great ▪ Elizabeth the Second ▪ Jack the Ripper ▪ William the Conqueror
7 —used before an ordinal number ▪ This is the first time he has been late. ▪ Payment is due on the fifth of each month. ▪ Friday the 13th ▪ the Fourth of July
8 a —used before a singular noun to refer in a general way to people or things of a particular kind ▪ This book gives some useful tips for the beginner. [=for beginners] ▪ The cobra is a poisonous snake. [=cobras are poisonous snakes] b —used to indicate the type of musical instrument someone plays ▪ She plays the guitar. c —used before an adjective that is being used as a noun to refer to all of the people or things that have a particular quality ▪ the rich ▪ the homeless ▪ the British ▪ the living and the dead d —used before a plural noun to indicate that every person or thing of the kind specified is included ▪ the Greeks and the Romans ▪ The newspapers covered the story. e —used before the plural form of a person's last name to indicate that all the members of the family are included ▪ the Smiths
9 a —used to indicate that a person or thing is the best of its kind ▪ This is the life. [=this is the way I want to live; this is a very enjoyable way to live, spend time, etc.] ▪ I think he's the one (for me), and I want to marry him. ▪ He is the person [=the right person] for the job. ▪ This seems to be the place to be. b —used to indicate the most famous person having a particular name ◊This sense of the is emphasized in speech. ▪ “I saw Julia Roberts when I was in L.A.” “You saw the Julia Roberts, the famous actress?”
10 —used to refer in a general way to a specific type of activity ▪ the law ▪ the arts and sciences ▪ the publishing industry ▪ I love the opera. ▪ the cinema ▪ He competes in the long jump. ▪ the backstroke ▪ The cat was on the prowl. ▪ The soldiers were on the move.
11 a —used to refer to a part of your body or clothing ▪ How's the [=your] arm feeling today? ▪ He grabbed me by the [=my] sleeve. ▪ She led him by the [=his] hand. b informal —used before a noun that refers to a person's family, job, health, etc. ▪ How is the [=your] family? ▪ I have to talk the offer over with the [=my] wife. ▪ Is the job going well? ▪ How's the headache?
2 a —used to refer to things or people that are common in daily life ▪ We talked on the telephone for an hour. ▪ Turn on the television. ▪ She opened the windows. ▪ You need to go to the doctor. ▪ He said he put the letter in the mail yesterday. ▪ My suit is still at the dry cleaner. b —used to refer to things that occur in nature ▪ The sky is getting dark. ▪ A strong wind was blowing from the east. ▪ The planets revolve around the sun. ▪ Our daughter has the flu. ▪ They talked for a while about the weather.
3 a —used to refer to a particular unit or period of time ▪ She is out of the office at the moment. ▪ The time has come for us to make peace. ▪ It is the best movie of the year. ▪ We are usually not home during the day. ▪ during the winter ▪ in the future/past/present ▪ The style was popular during the 1980s. b Brit —used to indicate the day on which something happened or will happen ▪ He left five days later, on the Sunday. [=(US) on Sunday]
4 —used before the name of a specific person, place, event, work of art, etc. ▪ the President of the United States of America ▪ the White House ▪ the New York Yankees ▪ the Department of Transportation ▪ the Mississippi River ▪ the American Civil War ▪ the Renaissance ▪ the Mona Lisa ▪ the Bible
5 —used to indicate which person or thing you are referring to or discussing ▪ She gave the correct answer. ▪ He is competing against the best of the best. ▪ the fastest runner ▪ I took the last piece of pizza. ▪ I never have the time to read. ▪ He doesn't have the patience to paint the house. ▪ the English language ▪ the poet William Wordsworth ▪ the right to vote ▪ the London of Victorian times ▪ He plays the hero of the play. ▪ She is from the west coast of Africa. ▪ the beginning/arrival of spring ▪ the announcement of his candidacy
6 —used in titles after a person's name ▪ Alexander the Great ▪ Elizabeth the Second ▪ Jack the Ripper ▪ William the Conqueror
7 —used before an ordinal number ▪ This is the first time he has been late. ▪ Payment is due on the fifth of each month. ▪ Friday the 13th ▪ the Fourth of July
8 a —used before a singular noun to refer in a general way to people or things of a particular kind ▪ This book gives some useful tips for the beginner. [=for beginners] ▪ The cobra is a poisonous snake. [=cobras are poisonous snakes] b —used to indicate the type of musical instrument someone plays ▪ She plays the guitar. c —used before an adjective that is being used as a noun to refer to all of the people or things that have a particular quality ▪ the rich ▪ the homeless ▪ the British ▪ the living and the dead d —used before a plural noun to indicate that every person or thing of the kind specified is included ▪ the Greeks and the Romans ▪ The newspapers covered the story. e —used before the plural form of a person's last name to indicate that all the members of the family are included ▪ the Smiths
9 a —used to indicate that a person or thing is the best of its kind ▪ This is the life. [=this is the way I want to live; this is a very enjoyable way to live, spend time, etc.] ▪ I think he's the one (for me), and I want to marry him. ▪ He is the person [=the right person] for the job. ▪ This seems to be the place to be. b —used to indicate the most famous person having a particular name ◊This sense of the is emphasized in speech. ▪ “I saw Julia Roberts when I was in L.A.” “You saw the Julia Roberts, the famous actress?”
10 —used to refer in a general way to a specific type of activity ▪ the law ▪ the arts and sciences ▪ the publishing industry ▪ I love the opera. ▪ the cinema ▪ He competes in the long jump. ▪ the backstroke ▪ The cat was on the prowl. ▪ The soldiers were on the move.
11 a —used to refer to a part of your body or clothing ▪ How's the [=your] arm feeling today? ▪ He grabbed me by the [=my] sleeve. ▪ She led him by the [=his] hand. b informal —used before a noun that refers to a person's family, job, health, etc. ▪ How is the [=your] family? ▪ I have to talk the offer over with the [=my] wife. ▪ Is the job going well? ▪ How's the headache?