Articles - with Geographical Features

Articles
With Geographical Features	Framed \| Unframed

Read & Observe

The is used before some geographical features:

geological features
WATER	LAND FEATURES	LAND	REGIONS
canals / channels	peninsulas	territories	regions
rivers	deserts	zones	poles
*bays	mountain ranges	areas	West
gulfs	forests	straits	South
seas	plains	isthmus	North
oceans	plateaus	capes	East
BUT NOT:
lakes	mounts	canyons	island (singular)

*Proper names such as "San Francisco Bay" do not use "the". (e.g. San Francisco Bay is located in northern California. But: The San Francisco bay is being studied by biologists.)

"Geography of the U.S." http://teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/angie/geographer/activities/features/features.html

Practice 1

Select the article that goes with the geological feature.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER	IMAGE
1.	Chicago River runs through the heart of the city. but not lakes
2.	Rocky Mountains separate the West from the rest of the U.S.
3.	Mojave Desert is an arid region of southeastern California and portions of Nevada, Arizona and Utah, occupies more than 25,000 square miles.
4.	Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world, it is also the world's largest single physical feature. It is twice the size of the Atlantic Ocean and occupies nearly a third of the surface of the Earth.
5.	Corinth Channel was cut from rock to allow ships to pass through the isthmus of the Peloponnese.
6.	Mediterranean Sea attracts tourists during the summer.
7.	I live on West Coast
8.	I live in San Francisco Bay Area. Note: He swims in San Francisco Bay. (proper name) He swims in the San Francisco bay. ("the" is used with bay)
9.	I live on Peninsula.

Practice 2

"Mount", "lake", and "island" are geographical features that do not use "the".

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER	IMAGE
10.	Mount St. Helens erupted with the force of a nuclear explosion on May 18, 1980, volcanic ash shot fourteen miles into the air and fell over the entire Pacific Northwest, from Eugene, Oregon, to Seattle and beyond. Also: Mount Whitney, Mount Everest, Mount Olympus
11.	Lake Tahoe is located on the border between California and Nevada. Also: Lake Geneva, Lake Titicaca
12.	Alcatraz Island is in the San Francisco Bay.
13.	Bryce Canyon is in Utah. Also: Grand Canyon, Crow Canyon
14.	San Francisco Bay is excellent for boating. but not: "in the San Francisco Bay"

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Julie Sevastopoulos - College of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA 94402 USA