Grammar-Quizzes › Noun Phrases › Determiners › Articles–The › The in Geographical Features

The with Geographical Features

Recognize natural land forms marked with the

The is used before some geographical features:

WATER	LAND FEATURES	LAND	REGIONS
canals	peninsulas	territories	regions
rivers	deserts	zones	poles
bays¹	mountain ranges	areas	equator
gulfs	forests	straits	West
seas	plains	isthmus	South
oceans	plateaus	capes	North
channels	valleys	islands	East

The is not with these geographical features

lakes

mounts / peaks

canyons

island (singular)

Bays

NO ARTICLE
No article is used before the formal name of a bay, especially when the bay is named after a person.
San Francisco Bay	Paradise Bay
San Diego Bay	Bay of Bengal
Santa Monica Bay	Elliott Bay
Drakes Bay	Chesapeake By

THE
The is included with some formal names, and before a bay of ___ (city name).
*the San Francisco Bay (Area)	the bay of Izmir
the Bay of Pigs	the bay of Baracoa
the Bay of Biscay	the bay at San Sebastián

*San Francisco Bay is located in the U.S. state of California, surrounded by a contiguous region known as the San Francisco Bay Area (often simply "the Bay Area"), dominated by the large cities San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. The waterway entrance to San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean is called the Golden Gate. Across the strait spans the Golden Gate Bridge.

"San Francisco Bay." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 20 Augt. 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay. Accessed on 25 Aug. 2016.

"World: countries, states, water, mountains." LizardPoint. n.d., lizardpoint.com/geography/mega-quiz.php. Accessed on 25 Aug. 2016.

"World Geography Games." Toporopa. EastDock Media, n.d., http://world-geography-games.com. Accessed on 25 Aug. 2016.

Practice 1

Articles with Geographical Features

Decide whether to use the with the geographical feature.

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check" button.

Chicago River runs through the heart of the city.

Feedback 1

Rocky Mountains separate the West from the rest of the U.S.

Feedback 2

Mojave Desert is an arid region of southeastern California and portions of Nevada, Arizona and Utah, occupies more than 25,000 square miles.

Feedback 3

Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world, it is also the world's largest single physical feature.

Feedback 4

Corinth Channel was cut from rock to allow ships to pass through the isthmus of the Peloponnese.

Feedback 5

Mediterranean Sea attracts tourists during the summer.

Feedback 6

California is on West Coast.

Feedback 7

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)

Feedback 8

I live on Peninsula.

Feedback 9

10.

We visitied Galapagos Islands.

Feedback 10

Practice 2

Others

Decide whether to use "the" with the geographical feature.

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check" button.

11.

Mount St. Helens erupted with the force of a nuclear explosion on May 18, 1980.

Also: Mount Whitney, Mount Everest, Mount Olympus

Feedback 11

12.

Lake Tahoe is located on the border between California and Nevada.

Also: Lake Geneva, Lake Titicaca

Feedback 12

13.

Alcatraz Island is in San Francisco Bay.

Feedback 13

14.

Bryce Canyon is in Utah.

Also: Grand Canyon, Crow Canyon

Feedback 14

15.

San Francisco Bay is excellent for boating.

But not: "The Bay of Pigs" (La Batalla de Girón, or Playa Girón in Cuba)

Feedback 15

Practice 3

Geographical Features

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check" button.

1-12

United States is a very large country. From East Coast to West Coast , it is about 3000 miles wide. Atlantic Ocean lies in East and Pacific Ocean lies in West. Canada is the country to the north and Mexico is the country to the south. Rio Grande River is the boundary in the South. In central area is Great Plains a huge, flat, grassy area.

United States is a very large country. From East Coast to West Coast, it is about 3000 miles wide. Atlantic Ocean lies in East and Pacific Ocean lies in West. Canada is the country to the north and Mexico is the country to the south. Rio Grande River is the boundary in the South. In central area is Great Plains a huge, flat, grassy area.

13-21

In the western-central area is Great Divide , the highest ridge of Rocky Mountain chain . From this point, rainfall either flows east or west. In South is Grand Canyon, a huge deep canyon; however, it is not the lowest point - Death Valley is. In the west is San Fernando Valley where much of the country's fruit and vegetables are grown. In the Northwest, is Redwood Forest. The two newest states are Alaska and Hawaii.

In the western-central area is Great Divide, the highest ridge of Rocky Mountain chain. From this point, rainfall either flows east or west. In South is Grand Canyon, a huge deep canyon; however, it is not the lowest point -- Death Valley is. In the west is San Fernando Valley where much of the country's fruit and vegetables are grown. In the Northwest, is Redwood Forest. The two newest states are Alaska and Hawaii.