×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

When to use "the"

When to use "the"

When to use "the"

(OP)
English is my second language, I still have problems with when to use "the" in a sentence. I appreciate a simple hint,

 

Best Regards

RE: When to use "the"

In general, always when a noun is the subject of an action.

Action THE noun.

Please close the door.

I broke the window.

Did you eat the last cookie?

RE: When to use "the"

Mostly,I think it's the distinction between common and proper nouns.

In general, common nouns (man, language) need "the" (or a possessive pronoun or "a/an" instead), while proper nouns (RSAidun, English)don't

hence:

I learnt English at the local school from RSAidun

I learnt the language at St Pansie's from the teacher

A.

 

RE: When to use "the"

It also depends on how many there are

If there is only one option the it is 'the school'
If it is any one of many then it is 'a school'

RE: When to use "the"

One might say "I am going to college to study the natural sciences" ...but we would not normally say "I am going to college to study the mathematics" ... and we would not say "I am going to college to study the engineering."  I don't know whether there's a rule that describes all that.


 

RE: When to use "the"

The can be tricky in some cases, such as:

We go to church
We go to the temple
We go to temple (I am told this in used in NY)
I am going to hospital/university (UK)
I am going to the hospital / university / (US)  

RE: When to use "the"

What is your original language - someone might know that language and tell you the "the" equivalent.  It might be that your language doesn't have an equivalent.

RE: When to use "the"

the phrase "going to church" implies you are going to a place  which is often treated similarly to a pronoun.  For example, "I am going to Los Angeles or I am going to work".  Sometimes this is shortened even further by eliminating the word "to" such as "I am going home"

The phrase "big changes are occurring in the church" refers to the church as a body.  Many churches and many people belonging to the church, not just a building or a place.

I don't think a simple hint is available for RSAidun...

RE: When to use "the"

Going to Church - going to a worship service.
Going to the Church - going to the building in which worship service services are held for some reason other than a worship service.

RE: When to use "the"

" davidbeach (Electrical) 17 Jun 08 21:49  
Going to Church - going to a worship service.
Going to the Church - going to the building in which worship service services are held for some reason other than a worship service. "

No problem with the above - correct usage, however my point was:-  

"we go to church every Sunday to pray"
"we go to the temple every day to pray"  
 

RE: When to use "the"

I think the confusion with "temple" is contextual.  

Non-pagans refer to a pagan place of worship as "the temple".  

Jews refer to their place of worship as "temple" as in "I'm going to temple" just like a Christian would say "I'm going to church".

But everyone would point to a blaze and say "The church/temple is on fire".

David

RE: When to use "the"

RSAidun,

As you can see, there is little consistency in the use of "the".  Even those of us who have English as our first language differ.  It is a small issue, one which you will adjust to over time, so don't let it worry you.

RE: When to use "the"

agreed - there are rules in most cases - the others just learn the correct usage by rote, as there appears to only be a couple of expections - just like "i" before "e" except after "c", again there are a few exceptions to be learnt / learned.   

RE: When to use "the"

I went to school.
I went to the school.

The first means I wasn't home educated.
The second means there is a particlar school already part of the discussion and I went to that particular one.

School is an education system.
The school is a particular building.


Did I pray yesterday?
Yes, I went to church.

Did I go to Saint Mary's yesterday?
Yes, I went to the church.

Church is a religious system.
The church is a particular building.
 

RE: When to use "the"

A general observation I've made - people whose first language is NOT English tend to underutilize "the". Even above, I would say that the more common usages are usually those where "the" would be appropriate. (with exceptions :-P

RE: When to use "the"

fcsuper (Mechanical) 2 Sep 08 19:25  
Just don't pray at the home, or maybe that's ok. :)
Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
 
It's ok if -- I prayed at the home of / my friend / my family etc

RE: When to use "the"

"fcsuper (Mechanical) 2 Sep 08 19:25  
Just don't pray at the home, or maybe that's ok. :)
Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst"
 
It's ok if -- I prayed at the home of / my friend / my family etc

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources