Before indefinite plural nouns
Before abstract nouns except when they are used in a particular sense
Before home; market, college, school, hospital, court, prison, work, sea, bed, church (orig. use)
After a noun in the possessive case, or a possessive adjective
Before the names of meals
Before parts of the body and articles of clothing (+ some other personal objects) - possessive adjective
Before names of places except as shown below, or before names of people except the + plural surname
Before names of countries, streets, lakes, mountain chains, continents, islands (except exceptions!)
nature
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Before nouns of which there is only one, or which are considered as one
Before a noun which has become definite as a result of being mentioned a second time
Before a noun made definite by the addition of a phrase or clause
Before a noun which by reason of locality can represent only one particular thing
Before superlatives, and first, second etc. and only, used as adjectives or pronouns
the + singular noun can represent a class of animals or things (also, group of people, but)
the + adjective represents a class of persons
Before musical instruments
Before the names of meals IF these are qualified by a clause (+ case of +adj)
With rivers, oceans/seas, geographical areas, deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas
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