determiner denoting one or more people or things already mentioned or assumed to be common knowledge. "what's the matter?" used to point forward to a following qualifying or defining clause or phrase. "the fuss that he made of her" used to make a generalized reference to something rather than identifying a particular instance. "he taught himself to play the violin" enough of (a particular thing). "he hoped to publish monthly, if only he could find the money" (pronounced stressing ‘the’) used to indicate that someone or something is the best known or most important of that name or type. "he was the hot young piano prospect in jazz" used adverbially with comparatives to indicate how one amount or degree of something varies in relation to another. "the more she thought about it, the more devastating it became"
What is the point of the word the?
The word the is considered a definite article because it defines the meaning of a noun as one particular thing. It's an article that gives a noun a definite meaning: a definite article. Generally, definite articles are used to identify nouns that the audience already knows about.
What do we need the word the?
The is one of the grammatical words of English. It does not have any real meaning by itself, but rather it is used as a way of sending a signal about other words. The words it sends signals about are always nouns. In that sense English is a rather materialistic language.
Why does English have the word the?
The is the most frequently used word in the English language; studies and analyses of texts have found it to account for seven percent of all printed English-language words. It is derived from gendered articles in Old English which combined in Middle English and now has a single form used with pronouns of any gender.
When can we use the?
Use "the" with any noun when the meaning is specific; for example, when the noun names the only one (or one) of a kind. Adam was the first man (the only 'first man'). New York is the largest city in the United States (only one city can be 'the largest'). We live on the earth (the only Earth we know).
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
When should I use of the?What part of speech are words like the and A?
