the
[ed], [ed]
The basic meaning of the definite article is to refer to a person or thing specifically, which is pronounced [ðə] before the word at the beginning of the consonant phoneme; [ði] before the word of the vowel phoneme.
I will never forget the summer we spent in Hawaii.
I'll never forget the summer we spent together in Hawaii.
(Denotes specifically)
A waiter came and hovered. John caught my look and we both got up and, ignoring the waiter, made our way to the buffet
A waiter came over and waited nearby. John understood the look in my eyes, and we both stood up, ignored the waiter, and headed for the buffet table.
Because only I have the ability.
Because only I have that ability.
I , rather than you , should do the work .
It's me, not you, who should do the job.
1. Definition of definite articles
There are three kinds of articles in English, one is a definite article, the other is an indefinite article, and the other is a zero article.
Different from indefinite articles, definite articles are used to refer specifically to people or things, indicating that the person or thing referred to by the noun is a specific one of the same kind, to distinguish it from other people or things in the same kind, equivalent to the meaning of "this" or "that" in Chinese.
Second, the basic usage of definite articles
(a) used to refer specifically to a person or something
Example: This is the house where grandpa once lived. This is the house where Grandpa once lived.
The girl in red is my sister.
(ii) To repeat the person/thing mentioned above (first mentioned with a/an, later mentioned again with the the)
Example: He bought a house. I’ve been to the house. He bought a house. I've been to that house.
I have a pen . I have a pen. This pen is blue.
(3) Refers specifically to people or things that both parties to the conversation know.
Listen to the teacher carefully, please.
(4) Used for the direction of the table before the azimuth noun
Example: in the east in the front in front
At the back in the back
in the bottom at the top at the top
on the right on the left on the left
(5) Categories of tables used in conjunction with singular nouns
Example: I hate the telephone. I hate phone calls.
The horse is a useful animal.
Horses are a useful animal.
Note: Sentences like this one can also be written in two ways
A horse is a useful animal.
Horses are useful animals.
(f) Use before ordinal words/adjectives at the highest level
Example: January is the first month of the year. January is the first month of the year.
Spring is the best season here. Spring is the best season here.
Shanghai is the biggest city in China.
Shanghai is the largest city in China.
(7) Represents something unique in the world
Example: The sun The sun The earth Earth
The sky sky
The world
(8) Used for instrument noun pre-table performance (note the difference with balls)
Example: play the piano Play the violin Play the violin
Play basketball Play baseball Play baseball
(ix) Fixed usage: the + comparative level... The+ comparative level... : Indicates more... exceed......
Example: The earlier you start , the sooner you'll be back. The earlier you leave, the sooner you come back.
The more you drink, the more you like it.
The more you drink, the more you love to drink.
the West Lake 西湖 the Great Wall 长城
the United States The United Nations United Nations
The Pacific Ocean the Yellow River
The Tainshan Mountains the Taiwan Straits
The working class of the working class
The Chinese Communist Party
(10) Used in conjunction with certain adjectives with noun meanings, i.e. : the + adjective = noun, plural usage:
Example: The rich rich the sick patient
The young young man the poor
The sick patient the wounded wounded
The good Nice guy the beautiful beautiful thing
The deaf the blind blind man
3. Special usage of definite articles
(1) Refers specifically to people/things that both parties understand.
Example: Open the door.
(b) To denote a family or couple before a plural noun of the surname.
Example: The Greens Green Family
(3) To be used before certain proper nouns such as state names, organ groups, classes, etc., which are composed of common nouns.
Example: the People's Republic of China The United States of America
(iv) Denoting all, the equivalent of a subject pronoun, used before a noun denoting a body part
Example: He caught me by the arm. He grabbed my arm.
(e) used in certain idiomatic terms
Example: at the same time simultaneously by the way By the way
In the end Final on the other hand On the other hand
Fourth, the usage of the definite article
Specifically refers to double familiarity, as mentioned above.
Unique in the world, ordinal numbers are of the highest order.
Certain proprietary names, idioms and musical instruments.
expand:
Indefinite article + ordinal word, indicating the number concept of adding "another" to the original quantity. example:
He has tried twice, and his teacher asked him to have a third try.
He ask me a second time.
He asked me again
The cake is delicious, and I would like a second one. The cake was delicious and I wanted to eat another piece.
Mr li ,who is good at maths, has been called a second Hua luogeng.
Teacher Li is good at mathematics, and he is known as the second Hua Luogeng.
Ordinal words are used as nouns, and when denoting "rank", no article is used.
We are ninetieth in the competition so far. Currently we are 19th in the competition.
The computers are all first. These computers are first class (first class).
The city is second with a population of 1,000,000 in the province. The city has the second largest population in the province with a million people.
Before there is an indefinite article a, after there is no noun, then it is a noun:
It is a first for New York. An outdoor exhibition of Fernando Botero's sculpture on Park Avenue. The open-air display of Fernando Botero's sculpture on Park Avenue is unprecedented in New York.
The highest level of an adjective is a predicate, omitting the article the because it is an adjective in itself. For example:
This way is best.
The adjective should not omit the article thes when making a definite word; It is because the noun needs to be preceded by an article, not the highest level that needs to be an article.
This is the best way.
This is my second trip to London.