Should the definite article “the” be used?
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 704.
Should an indefinite article ( “a”' or “an” ) be used?
AND OTHER DETERMINERS
PRACTICE WITH ARTICLES, DEMONSTRATIVES
Ask yourself these questions when checking articles and demonstratives and note some aspects of the subject.
Use “a” or “an” in expressions of price, speed, and ratio.
60 miles an hour
four times a day
50 pence a dozen
half a pound of tea / a half pound of tea
a quarter of a pound of coffee / a quarter pound of coffee
“The” is used:
a. before adjectives used as nouns:
The poor have to think hard about how to meet their needs for goods and services.
b. before some nationality words e.g. the English (the people of England), the Dutch (the people of Holland), ... etc.
Note that these words all end in -sh (the English), -ch (the French), or
-ese (the Japanese).
With other nationalities we use a plural noun ending in -s with or without the (e.g. (the) Italians, (the) Germans).
c. with canals, deserts, forests, oceans, rivers, seas, and plural islands, lakes and mountains (the Suez Canal, the Black Forest, the Hawaiian Islands, the Atlantic Ocean).
d. when the name of a country, or state includes the word “of”, the type of government, or a plural form.
The Republic of Ireland, The United Kingdom, The Philippines.
e. with the following states, cities, and places.
(the Netherlands, the Argentine (but Argentina), the Vatican, the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Hague, the City (of London).
f. with the names of hotels, cinemas, museums, clubs, restaurants, pubs: the Plaza Hotel, the Odeon Cinema, the Swan Restaurant.
g. before names with of: the Bank of England (but: Moscow Narodny Bank, or Mellon Bank), the University of London (but: London University).
h. with the names of newspapers and journals: The Times, The Guardian.
“The” is not used with:
a. planets and singular islands, lakes, mountains, and parks: Central Park, Fiji Island, Lake Baikal, Mount Everest.
b. the names of countries and states, continents and cities, streets: Japan, Russia, Africa, Chicago, Mexico City, Oxford Street
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