The definite article "the" can be used according to the following rules:--
1. Used before name of a particular person or thing.
2. Before a common noun in the singular number to represent the whole class.
3. To express a possessive case.
4. Before the nouns that represent well-known single object.
5. Before the names of sacred books, newspapers, journals, etc.
6. Before the names of oceans, seas, rivers, mountains, etc.
7. Before the names of well-known buildings.
8. Before the names of ships, trains, aeroplanes, etc.
9. Before the descriptive names of countries, provinces, etc.
10. Before an adjective used as noun.
11. Before adjectives of the superlative degree.
12. Before an adjective of the comparative degree when selection is meant.
13. Before the proper noun used as common noun.
14. Before words showing great historical events.
15. Before words of titles.
16. Before adjectives used as abstract nouns.
17. Used along with comparatives.
18. Before proper, abstract, material nouns, when they are particularised.
19. Used in some phrases.
20. Before a proper noun, when it is qualified by an adjective.
21. To give special emphasis to a noun.
22. Before the adjective same and after the adjective all and both.
23. Before common nouns used as abstract noun.
24. When we think of a thing as the best of a kind or when the meaning of an adjective makes the thing unique.
25. can be used before audience.
26. Before the names of direction preceded by preposition and natural phenomena.
27. Before organs of the body.
28. Before words indicating numbers, weight and measure, to express the idea of the rate.
29. Before proper nouns used in the plural.
Sample Usage
1. The book is on the table.
2. The camel is the ship of the desert.
3. I pulled him by the ear.
4. The sun is a star.
5. The Gita is holy book of Hindus.
6. The pacific ocean is the largest one in the world.
7. The Tajmahal is one of the seven wonders.
8. The Godavari express runs between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
9. The United States of America is under high alert.
10. The poor needs a lot of help from the Government.
11. Hari is the weakest student.
12. Your house is the bigger of the two houses.
13. He is known as the Shakespeare of India.
14. The green revolution has completely changed the picture of India.
15. Alexander, the great was a very good warrior.
16. The love can never be bought.
17. The higher we go, the cooler it is.
18. The rice of Burma is exported.
19. By the way I am not coming with you.
20. The late Mr. Sinha done a lot for his village.
21. This watch is correct to the second.
22. All the boys are present.
23. He felt the coward in him.
24. He is the best teacher in our school.
25. The first boy on the third bench is my friend.
26. The wind blew from the South.
27. The liver gets spoiled on over alcohol consumption.
28. Cloth is sold by the yard.
29. The Guptas went to Bombay.
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