Articles - Expressions with "the"

Articles
"The" - Every Town Has One	Framed \| Unframed

Read & Observe

"Every town has one"

"The" is used before things every town is expected to have: buildings, services and people.

You can drive into "a town" anywhere in the U.S. and ask:

BUILIDINGS

PEOPLE

Where's the police station?
Where's the hospital?
Where's the fire station?
Where's the library?
Where's the airport?
Let's go to the movies.
Let's go to the park.

I have to go to the doctor

Tell it to the judge

Call the police (plural)

"I have to go to the doctor." (Uses "the" even though the listener may not know exactly which doctor.)

"I have to go to an 'eye doctor' ("I'm not sure which one yet.")

"I am going to the doctor I saw before at Stanford Hospital." (specific)

Practice 1

Select the best option and then read the feedback.

#	SENTENCE & FEEDBACK	OPTIONS
1.	Would you like to go to the movies ? Feedback 1	We both know which movie. We don't know which one. We'll go look one up.
2.	Do you know of a funny movie we could see? Feedback 2	The speaker is referring to a particular movie. The speaker is referring to any funny movie.
3.	Let's go to the movie "Star Wars". Feedback 3	The speaker is referring a particular movie. The speaker is referring to any movie.
4.	Would you take this box to the post office and mail it for me? Feedback 4	The speaker is indicating a particular post office. The speaker is indicating any post office.
5.	"Which post office should I take it to?" "Take it to the post office next to the bank, not the one on University Ave. Feedback 5	The speaker is indicating a specific post office. The speaker is indicating any post office.
6.	is moving to a new location.
7.	Where are they moving it? Next, to
8.	Do you mean the fire station next to ?
9.	No, I mean the one next to .
10.	People are going to be complaining to about that!

Read & Contrast

Expressions of Quantity

A NUMBER	THE NUMBER
UNSPECIFIC	SPECIFIC
A number of the students had questions.	The number of the student who had questions was low.
MOST STUDENTS	MOST OF THE STUDENTS
UNSPECIFIC	SPECIFIC
Most students have questions.	Most of the students in my class have questions.

Practice 2

Select an option and then read the feedback.

#	SENTENCE & FEEDBACK	OPTIONS
1.	Most movies put me to sleep. Feedback 1	The speaker is referring to specific movies. The speaker is referring to unspecific movies. (movies "in general")
2.	Most of the movies made by Clint Eastwood appeal to older people. Feedback 2	The speaker is referring to specific movies. The speaker is referring to unspecific movies. (movies "in general")
3.	A number of the people in the audience start whistling. Feedback 3	The speaker is indicating "several people". The speaker is indicating the quantity of people.
4.	The number of people who can be seated in the theater is 250. Feedback 4	The speaker is indicating "several people". The speaker is indicating the quantity of people.
5.	prefer to order movies online.
6.	Still receive them in the mail.
7.	are available online.
8.	that I like are not available online.
9.	available is increasing daily.
10.	Within a couple years, that are released commercially will be online within a few weeks of their theater release dates.

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