Use of "The" 2 - Func. Grammar

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Use of the Article
Sources: Revision issue raised by Beatriz (Y5B, 2006-07), the OWL website, A Practical English Grammar by Thomson & Martinet, teacher’s knowledge/experience, including info from students' Lists of Mistakes.

Common Mistakes: USE OF THE & ITS OMISSION!

* No article (the) before indefinite plural nouns (e.g. people, women, books, tips, trees)
The people think you live in Paris > People think you live in Paris

* No article (the) before uncountable (abstract and concrete) nouns (e.g. music, life, happiness, freedom, idea, coffee, advice, information)
The life is always surprising > Life is always surprising
 
Reading the theory is helpful but not enough. Understanding it is helpful, too, but that doesn’t mean we’ll remember it. We need to learn the theory, but that is not enough! In order to have knowledge or consolidate it AND in order to put theory into practice (learn to use our knowledge), we can leaf through our books, our corrected compositions, our minds! (this last one is metaphorical), so as to find different examples and cases, and compare them. After that, we can look for our own examples, always keeping in mind real life, the potential messages we could be using to communicate with other people. Look at my own work. I tried to find out potential conflicts in the use of “the” to see if the theory could actually explain it all! (to see if it actually worked!)

* No article (the) before indefinite plural nouns

Studying examples with the plural noun “people”

General statement: People are strange – People in the world are strange – People in Spain … – People in Madrid … (generally speaking)
Specific reference: The people in this area are kind of strange (a group within the total “people”)
However, we could also say: People in this area… (as a general statement)
It often depends on your approach or point of view!

More examples about using the article or not, incl. issue of point of view:
The group (in general), no article: People who go on excursions have lots of energy!
Particular group: The people going on our next excursion should bring warm clothing.
The people in this class are really nice (particular group of people)
Compare: If this class were my whole world, I’d be in that position. I would say: People in this class are really nice. Can you see the difference?

More examples, with the article, a particular group within the whole group:
I don’t like children much, I mean, having children.
The children playing over there are rather noisy
What’s the situation of women in Spain?
Women are beginning to make their way in the world of paid work
The women who are wearing black should move to the right.

* No article (the) before mass/uncountable (abstract and concrete) nouns

A mass noun, or uncountable noun, used in the general sense and in the particular sense: Coffee

Coffee is really strong in Spain
My friend loves (drinking) coffee
My friend loves the coffee her mum makes

The coffee people drink in Spain is really strong
The coffee in this mug has a dead mosquito in it!
I’d like a coffee, please (= a cup of coffee)
2 coffees, please (= coffee stands for cups)

More examples to think about
English is a Germanic language
The English you learn in textbooks is not the same as the English you learn in a ghetto!
English-speakers can be found almost everywhere in the world
The English-speakers in this area of the world are Canadian.

Music is a great thing!
Rock music is not exactly relaxing!
The music in this pub is really good

Intelligence is hard to define
Human intelligence is hard to define
Generally speaking, people don’t think much of their* own intelligences
We need to measure the intelligence of this individual!

More on the use and omission of the and printer-friendly version of this webpage: intro