Intermediate grammar · Unit 75 · B1

the 3 (children / the children)

Articles and nouns

Leave out the when you talk about things or people in general, and use the when you mean particular ones.

Go to the exercises

A Things in general: no the

When we talk about things or people in general, we do not use the.

In I'm scared of spiders, the word spiders means spiders in general, every spider in the world, not a particular group of them sitting in your bath.

This applies to plural nouns (dogs, teachers, cars) and to uncountable nouns (music, life, sugar, history). Sports and school subjects work the same way.

We also say most people, most shops, most towns and so on, not 'the most ...'.

  • I'm scared of spiders.
  • Nurses deserve to be paid a lot more than they are.
  • Do you know anybody who still collects coins?
  • Life was very different before mobile phones.
  • Do you like jazz / Indian food / old films?
  • My favourite sport is rugby / swimming / darts.
  • My best subject at school was geography / chemistry / French.
  • Most supermarkets stay open late on Thursdays.

B Particular things and people: the

We use the when we mean specific things or people.

In general (no the) Specific (the)
Children need plenty of sleep. (children in general) We took the children to Scarborough. (a particular group, probably ours)
I couldn't get through the day without music. The play was dull, but I liked the music. (the music in the play)
All dogs need walking. All the dogs at the rescue centre have been chipped.
Salt is bad for your blood pressure. Could you pass the salt, please? (the salt on the table)
Welsh people are very proud of their choirs. (Welsh people in general) The Welsh people in my office never stop singing. (only the ones I know)
  • Children need plenty of sleep.
  • We took the children to Scarborough for the day.
  • Salt is bad for your blood pressure.
  • Could you pass the salt, please?

C When the line is less clear

The difference between in general and specific is not always obvious. A noun with a description attached can still be general.

In general (no the) Specific (the)
I like working with people. (people in general) I like the people I work with. (a particular group)
I like working with people who are honest. (not all people, but still a general idea)
Do you like tea? (tea in general)
Do you like strong tea with two sugars? (not all tea, but still a general idea) The tea at the station café was dreadful. (particular tea, sadly)
  • I enjoy working with people.
  • I like working with people who are honest.
  • I like the people I work with.
  • Do you like strong tea with two sugars?
  • The tea at the station café was dreadful.

Exercises

75.1 Choose four of these things and write what you think about them. You may use: I like ..., I don't like ..., I love ..., I hate ..., I think ... is/are ..., I don't mind ..., I'm (not) interested in ....

campingcricketearly morningshorror filmsjazzkaraokemotorwaysmushroomsmuseumsrainreality TVspicy food

  1. Write about one thing from the list.

    Example answer: I don't mind rain, as long as I've got a decent coat.

  2. Write about another thing from the list.

  3. Write about another thing from the list.

  4. Write about another thing from the list.

  5. Write about another thing from the list.

75.2 Which is right? Choose the correct form.

  1. ___ (Carrots / The carrots) are good for your eyes, or so my mum always said.

    Carrots

    Carrots are good for your eyes, or so my mum always said.

  2. Have you seen ___ (carrots / the carrots) on Dad's allotment? They're enormous.

  3. Who are ___ (people / the people) in this photo?

  4. It drives me up the wall when ___ (people / the people) talk in the cinema.

  5. I'm hopeless at remembering ___ (birthdays / the birthdays).

  6. What were ___ (names / the names) of that couple we met at the wedding?

  7. ___ (Second World War / The Second World War) ended in 1945.

  8. My great-aunt was a Quaker and was against ___ (war / the war) of any kind.

  9. Tariq isn't keen on ___ (hard work / the hard work). He'd rather be fishing.

  10. Have you finished ___ (work / the work) I gave you on Monday?

75.3 Complete the sentences using the words in the box. Use the where necessary. Each word is used once.

(the) answers(the) children(the) cricket(the) excuses(the) fish(the) geology(the) instructions(the) milk(the) mud(the) patience(the) shops(the) wasps

  1. My dad's favourite sport is cricket.

    My dad's favourite sport is cricket.

  2. The instructions that came with the bookcase were in Swedish.

    The instructions that came with the bookcase were in Swedish.

  3. Lots of people are frightened of .

  4. A pescatarian doesn't eat meat, but does eat .

  5. The quiz was easy. I knew all .

  6. Do you know who live at number twelve?

  7. is the study of rocks and how they are formed.

  8. Making won't help. Just tell her what happened.

  9. We couldn't buy anything on Sunday evening. were all shut.

  10. Don't put from that jug in your tea. It's been out since yesterday.

  11. Take your boots off! from them is all over the kitchen floor.

  12. You need to look after toddlers all day.

75.4 Which is right? Choose the correct form.

  1. Our Nathan is brilliant at telling ___ (jokes / the jokes).

  2. I'd sing along, but I don't know ___ (words / the words).

  3. Don't book that B&B. It's damp and ___ (beds / the beds) are like concrete.

  4. I don't drive, so I use ___ (public transport / the public transport) for nearly everything.

  5. ___ (All plates / All the plates) in the top cupboard belong to my mother.

  6. ___ (Life / The life) is full of surprises, most of them involving the boiler.

  7. We had a great week in Whitby. ___ (Weather / The weather) was perfect.

  8. All living things need ___ (oxygen / the oxygen).

  9. I don't enjoy ___ (books / the books) with sad endings.

See also