DETERMINERS

DEFINIE ARTICLE-‘THE’
Definite article points out a particular person or thing.
Article ‘The’ is used before the names of rivers, seas, famous buildings, groups of islands,
historical events, directions, canals, deserts, positions and a very few names of countries,
which include words like republic and kingdom article ‘the’ is used.
The Ganges is a holy river. The black sea is very rough. We visited the Tajmahal
last year. The West Indies cricket team’s performance is very good. The world war III
may happen due to water scarcity. The sun rises in the east. The suez canals run for
long distance. The sahara is a big desert. The manager of Indian bank is very active. The
U.S.A., The U.A.E., The Irish republic, The united kingdom, The Netherlands.
Article The is used to refer singular nouns again.
I saw a film. The film was nice. I read a book. The book was interesting.
Article The is used before plural nouns.
The apples are costly. The students are waiting there.
Article The is used to specify a particular Person, place or thing.
I want to meet the boy wearing a blue shirt. The boy who got the highest mark in
English was awarded a prize.
Article The is used before holy books.
The Bhagavath Gita. The Holy Bible.
Article The is used before the names of nouns which are unique and only one of its kind in the
world. The sun. The moon. The sky.
Article The is used to refer great people.
Akbar the great. Alexander the great.
Article The is used to refer to the same name of the great persons.
John Paul the second. John Paul II. Henry the fourteenth.
Article The is used before mountains, Musical instruments, Magazines, Train names etc.
The Himalayas. The Flute. The Hindu paper. The Vaigai express.
Article The is used with Superlative degrees.
She is the tallest girl in our class.
Article The is used when a singular noun represents a whole class or group.
The elephant is a huge animal.
Article The is used before inhabitants- citizen.
The Indians. The Americans.
Article The is used before the Government Sectors / Banks/ Important Events.
The ministry of finance. The Indian bank. The civil disobedience movements.
Article The is used before an adjective with a plural meaning.
This is a school for the blind. The rich should help the poor.
Article The is used with ordinals,
He was the first man to arrive. The ninth chapter of the book is very interesting.
Article The is used before a noun (with emphasis) to give force of a superlative.
The verb is the word (= the chief word) in a sentence.
Article The is used if the Language stands for its people; The Tamil. The English.
 OMISSION OF ARTICLES. [Cyber / Zero Articles]
We should not use articles before;
Before Relationship and Meals;
My father. Uncle. Mother. Aunt. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
Before Place Names, Languages, Festivals, Games:
Trichy. Pudukkottai. Tamil. English. Christmas. Pongal. Volleyball. Football.
Before Uncountable nouns, Abstract nouns:
Sand. Water. Wisdom. Air. Love. Sugar. Gold. Honesty.
When Transportations, Public institutions and Buildings are visited or used for their primary
purpose no article should be used;
Train. Ship. Flight. Collage. Market. School. Church. Home. Hospital. Prison.
Before names of Continents, Countries, Cities, Capitals, Names of Individual Mountains,
Individual Islands, Lakes, Hills etc.
Europe, Pakistan, Channai. Srilanka. Mount Everest…
When these places are visited or used for their primary purpose.
I learnt French at school. We go to church on Sundays. My uncle is still in
hospital.
Note: In phrases like ‘go to school’ ‘go to church’ ‘go to hospital’ ‘in prison’ ‘go to bed’ etc., the
primary purpose of these buildings/ objects is implied as usual activities.
1. Go to school – to study.2. Go to the school – for some other purpose.