Thus 'the': the members of a known list, just as the planets are Mercury, Venus . If the compass direction follows a preposition or if it designates a definite region, use the definite article. For example, Africa, Europe, Bermuda, Tasmania, BUT, When it comes to eating in general, the article is not used. A way to identify these nouns, in most cases, is that they do not add. For example, the Amazon, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal. He lives near the … She lived in America. Remember that the definite article is always used with these bodies of water. If it follows a verb, no article is used. Carver lives in the United States. If the compass direction follows a preposition or if it designates a definite region, use the definite article the. 'The continents are mostly surrounded by oceans' refers to most of the continents (of present-day Earth), so a simple change of adverb gets you the meaning you want there without the unwanted generalization of 'usually'. Which continent does Hawaii belong to? Singular nouns and the first time we refer to a person, animal or thing. (whatever :-)) and "President Mr X arrived in Tokyo yesterday." Do you use the definite article with the words "planets" "continents" and "oceans" when they are used in the general sense, have not been mentioned before and there is not any determiner like 'all', 'eight' 'seven' and 'five'? I can definitely see the progress. More than a century ago, the scientist Alfred Wegener proposed the notion of an ancient supercontinent, which he named Pangaea (sometimes spelled Pangea), after putting together several lines of evidence.The first and most obvious was that the \"continents fit together like a tongue and groove,\" something that was quite noticeable on any accurate map, Murphy said. If I am referring to a named continent, then I would say “in Europe” or “in North America”. Among: How to Use Each in English (+Examples), English Verbs of Motion: Take, Ride, Drive, Walk, Get, Using the Verb “To Be” in Present Simple Tense, 8 Best Netflix Shows to Learn English Easily [+Tips], Learning English on Your Own: What Will Help You Succeed, English Exam Study Guide: Advice From Experienced Tutors on How to Ace Your Exams, 10 Great Online English Courses for Beginners, Interjections Guide: List of Most Common Interjections & Examples, 300 Most Common English Words (and How to Learn Them Fast), Learn English by Reading These 15 Classic Stories. The definite article 'the' is used before both singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific. Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. 1. continents (North America, Asia, Africa) mountains (Mount Rushmore, Mount Everest) islands (Saint Lucia, Antigua, Grenada) streets (Broad Street, Wilson Avenue) cities and towns (Birmingham, Seattle, Las Vegas) states (Alabama, Washington, Nevada) Learn more about continents in this article. The continents are large areas of land into which the earth is divided. Improve your knowledge on the 7 continents of the world and their names with fun facts for kids. Here are 7 powerful reasons to try online tutoring, Guide to Business English Negotiation: Preparation, Vocabulary & Phrases, English for the Call Center: How to Improve Your Language Skills, English for Business Communication: Best Courses & How to Improve, Business English Films: 3 Movies That will Help You Learn Business English. You mention the earth, so we know what the continents are: they're Africa, Asia, and so on. Coronavirus was on many continents before Wuhan outbreak, Chinese team says Paper by Chinese researchers says a strain can be traced to eight countries from four continents before the … Duolingo vs Babbel: Which should you use to learn a language? But remember that for every rule there are many exceptions. Below you will find a some helpful guidelines for remembering when to use the definite article in Spanish. It often depends on the context. In English, there are two different types of articles: the definite article (the) and the indefinite article (a/an). However, remember these rules as a start, and gradually, 8 Rules for Using the Article The in English, increase your knowledge of English grammar, Case study: I Improved My English to Work for a Startup, “I learned my partner’s language for love — and you can too”, Case Study: How I Learned to Speak English in 6 Months, Case study: How Preply’s English classes helped me relocate to New York, Guide to Symbols in English: List + How to Use Them, Present Tense in English: What It Is, How to Use It & Examples, Between vs. This information does not cover all the uses of the articles in English. In the general knowledge section, students were asked to write the names of planets/the planets. The following eight rules regarding the use of the articles in English will help you make fewer mistakes when you speak English. On Preply, you can meet and learn from thousands of native speakers and professional tutors. In these instances we do not use the articles at all, BUT if the country is made up of different parts or if the name is taken from common nouns, for example USA, UK, UAE, then we use the article the and say the USA, the UK, the UAE, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands. The first continent system is the seven continent system consisting of Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania/Australia, North America, South America and Antarctica.. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven regions are commonly regarded as continents. But if you are speaking about a particular breakfast, lunch or dinner, use the. If I am referring to an unnamed continent, then, as a native speaker, I would say “on the continent” or “on a continent”. A simple explanation of "Using le, la, l', les with continents, countries & regions names (definite articles)". If you are speaking about any uncountable noun in general, do not use the article. Read our cookies policy. . * When a singular noun is used to indicate a whole class. Other Rules for the Geographical Use of the Definite Article, The Do not use the before the names of. (specific bread/milk/honey), When speaking about members of the same family collectively, the article. 2. However, in the list of continents, we had to place Russia in one continent or the other, so we placed it in Europe, following the United Nations classification. It used to be common to refer to any star as a sun, and in this context it makes sense to say "the" before it to make sure we are talking about our sun. W; Continents; Continents Continent Definition "Continent" derives from the Latin terra continēns [terra = “land”, continēns = present participle of the verb contineō = con ‎(“together”) + teneō ‎(“I hold”).The meaning is therefore ‎“land held together” or "connected land.". Very Patient, Relevant and culturally aware with a lot of International Experience, Certified English teacher with over 10 years experience. He worked for IBM. If we assume that present day conditions persist, so that the Atlantic continues to open and the Pacific keeps closing, we have a scenario where the next supercontinent forms in the antipodes of Pangea. The handful of geologists who promoted the notion of continental drift were accused of indulging in pseudoscientific fancy. For example, Africa, Europe, Bermuda, Tasmania, BUT the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas. (not used with cities)With countries, islands, continents, and regions the definite article is used. Depending where you are from variations with fewer continents may merge some of these. This site uses cookies and by continuing to browse it you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Preply is one of the leading educational platforms that provide 1-on-1 lessons with certified tutors via the exclusive video chat. Geologists say that in 250 million years the Atlantic Ocean could be just a distant memory while Earthlings will be able to walk from North America to Africa. Remember, the surname must be in the plural form. When to Use the Definite Article 1. It is not used at all with the continents. This car is expensive. (referring to a specific game), In these instances we do not use the articles at all, BUT if the country is made up of different parts or if the name is taken from common nouns, for example USA, UK, UAE, then we use the article. = All of the names. It is used - * When we refer to some particular person or thing. Sometimes we use the article and sometimes we do not. Watch the following example: The student goes to school. You cannot count non-count nouns. Variations with fewer continents may merge some of these, for example some systems include Eurasia or America as single continents. Non-count (or uncountable nouns) are nouns that do not have a plural form. In these instances, use the indefinite article a/an. 3. The mother is going to the school. Six continents However, there is no standard definition for the number of continents. I'm really confused with the way the definite article is used with words like "president", "minister" etc. Explicitly saying "continental" before the name of a continent makes it clear that you only mean to discuss the part of the continent that is actually on the main landmass of that continent… So there is no reason to panic if your native language does not use articles. Though this list is not exhaustive, it gives you a good idea of some uses of Spanish definite articles that don't match up with English usage. (there can only be one who’s best), Lions are the most dangerous animal. Close. Mother is cooking lunch. He lives in Canada. Middle East, the lands around the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing at least the Arabian Peninsula and, by some definitions, Iran, North Africa, and sometimes beyond. We usually do not use an article when speaking about islands, but if the name is made up of different parts, then use the definite article. Importance of Reading: Why Reading is Such an Important English Language Skill, Learning English for Business? One of the reasons is that his theory had no credible mechanism. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. ), but not when they indicate direction or general location. It is the same when speaking of continents and islands. Each of the four continents was seen to represent its quadrant of the world—Europe in the north, Asia in the east, Africa in the south, and America in the west. My shirt is dirty. Today, the opinion is reversed. An article is a word that modifies a noun. The important distinction is between countable and non-countable nouns: if the noun is something that can’t be counted or something singular, then use “the”, if it can be counted, then us “a” or “an”. Uncountable nouns are nouns that we cannot count. A way to identify these nouns, in most cases, is that they do not add –s in the plural form. I will go to the Galapagos Islands next year. Uncountable nouns are nouns that we cannot count. 1. Here's some more: "Mr Y, Deputy Chairman at Softworks, was absent today". However, remember these rules as a start, and gradually increase your knowledge of English grammar. Grammar rule 1 When you have a single, countable English noun, you must always have an article before … JavaScript is disabled. Geographical Use of the Definite Article (Is NOT used (Continents (North…: Geographical Use of the Definite Article But Spanish also uses a definite article in many situations where English does not. It is very important to be able to use the articles properly, both when writing and speaking. One person is in the reception. Why no article before "president" in the second example? A continent is one of several very large landmasses. (NOT The India …) Paris is the capital of France. In accord with the designations, the indefinite article is used when we speak about something for the first time, or something non-specific. Creeping more slowly than a human fingernail grows, Earth's massive continents are nonetheless on the move. Revise and improve your French with detailed content, examples, audio, personalised practice tests … For example, you can’t say one music, t… But if you are speaking about a particular breakfast, lunch or dinner, use, In these instances, use the indefinite article, Compass directions are written with capital letters when they designate definite regions (. Compass directions are written with capital letters when they designate definite regions (the North, the South, the East, the West), but not when they indicate direction or general location. There are rules to help you decide which one to use, but first, you need to know what type of noun you are using. For example: "Mr X is the President of Humbalumba". The definite article is used when we speak about something specific or something that has already been mentioned in the conversation. Ordered from largest in area to smallest, these seven regions are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. John is the best at piano. We have online tutors in more than 50 languages. Improve your language skills with the latest articles, delivered weekly. Specifically, the sun, the moon, the internet, the sky, the earth. Together these make up the 7 continents of the world. We usually do not use an article when speaking about islands, but if the name is made up of different parts, then use the definite article. It is the same when speaking of continents and islands. The supercontinent that would then form has been named Novopangea, or Novopangaea. Dinner is ready. This means that only one of the object or thing exists; it is one of a kind. Thank you, eb. We don't use A/AN with possessive pronouns, demonstratives or cardinal numbers. Some geographers list only six continents, combining Europe and Asia into Eurasia. Though all seven/five may not be included in 2 because of "usually", what if I deleted "usually" and the fact were still true? But remember that for every rule there are many exceptions. Although there are a few exceptions, as a general rule a definite article is used in Spanish whenever "the" is used in English. Greetings. We do not use articles before the names of countries, people, continents, cities, rivers and lakes. Just 6 months ago I could only say "My name is..." Now I can speak fluent English! Examples: 2. . In the first sentence we do not use the definite article, in the second we do. However, " star " is now used much more commonly to denote stars other than the Sun, so it would make sense to drop the "the" before mention of the Sun. When it comes to eating in general, the article is not used. For example, Africa, Europe, Bermuda, Tasmania, BUT the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas. India is a democratic country. It is not used at all with the continents. Before proper nouns. . Many languages in the world use articles, but just as many languages don’t have them at all. This article consists of a list of countries by continent, along with their capitals.. Twenty years ago geologists were certain that the data correlated perfectly with the then-reigning model of stationary continents. The is a definite article. There are multiple continent classification systems in use. Europeans in the 16th century divided the world into four continents: Africa, America, Asia and Europe. Before proper nouns, we generally do not use an article. None. Learn more about the history of the classification of the region in this article. The Amazon is the longest river in the world. When speaking about members of the same family collectively, the article the is used before the surname. Thank you very much. and say the USA, the UK, the UAE, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands. In parts of the world, students learn that there are just five continents: Eurasia, Australia, Africa, Antarctica, and the Americas. (Author provided) A smart swapping of the adverb. . Thank you very much, eb. The names of geographic places are specific names and may require definite articles: names of rivers, oceans, seas, geographical areas, deserts, forests, gulfs, peninsulas, groups of lakes (the Great Lakes), mountain ranges, and chains of islands. We use ONE (or more) instead of A/AN when the number is important. “The” is typically used in accompaniment with any noun with a specific meaning, or a noun referring to a single thing. 3. You don’t need an article when you talk about things in general.The does NOT = all.Use plural count nouns: Use non-count nouns:NOTE: Count nouns (or countable nouns) are nouns that have a singular and plural form because you can count them, for example one cat, two cats, three cats. “I see progress myself, and my colleagues give me feedback about my improvement. 2. Get our free English language course and take your career to the next level! Boost your business English skills in 6 days. But when speaking about something specific, the is used. The student goes to school for its primary purpose, so we do not use the article. * The woman sitting in the car is a teacher. Specifically. (there can only be one most dangerous), We are going to the ballgame tonight. In this way, you designate a group of people –a family – with one word. He believed that all eight continents were once a single supercontinent before separating. However, you say there could be others like Pangae, and I got the point. However generally we may be talking, for example 2 in the OP, we have only seven continents and five oceans to talk about. The Americas would collide with the northward drifting Antarctica, and then into the already collided Africa-Eurasia. No problem, Featured Tutors out of 5297 English Teachers Online. This means that only one of the object or thing exists; it is one of a kind. Certified Canadian English tutor with 10 years of experience and a Master's in Applied Linguistics. To some geographers, however, "continent" is not just a physical term; it also carries cultural connotations. Remember, the surname must be in the plural form. That's why I proposed deleting "usually". We do not use articles before the names of meals. This is a tricky question. About 75% of the Russian population lives in the European continent. Are articles used before continents name Ask for details ; Follow Report by Nisha5373 12.07.2019 Log in to add a comment is used before the surname. This information does not cover all the uses of the articles in English. On the other hand, 75% of Russian territory is located in Asia. The (/ ð ə, ð iː / ()) is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers or speakers.It is the definite article in English. We use A/AN with: 1. Find out more about continents and learn more from DK Find Out. In this way, you designate a group of people –a family – with one word. Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free.