Page 40 - Basic English Usage

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c. when it is clear from the situation which people or things we mean.
Could you close the door? (Only one door is open.)
‘Where’s Ann?’ ‘in the kitchen.’ | Coufd you pass the sait?

We do not use the with other determiners (for exampie my, this, some.)
This is my uncle. (NOT ... the#myonefe-)
| like this beer. (NOT ... thethisbeer-)
We do not usually use the with proper names (there are some
exceptions — see 45.).
the
Mary lives in Switzerland. (NOT FheMarytivesin -Gwitzertand)
We do not usually use the to talk about things in general — the does not
mean ‘all’. (See 42.)
Books are expensive. (NOT Fhe-beeks-are-expensive-)
For the pronunciation of the, see 44.

41 articles: the difference between a/an and the

Very simply:
a/an just means ‘one of a class’
the means ‘you know exactly which one’.
Compare:
A doctor must like people. ( = any doctor, any one of that profession)
My brother's a doctor. ( = one of that profession)
I'm going to see the doctor. ( = you know which one: my doctor)
{ live in a small flat at the top of an old house near the town hall.
(a small flat. there might be two or three at the top of the house — it
could be any one of these.
an old house: there are lots near the town hall — it could be any one.
the top: we know which top: it's the top of the house where the person
lives — a house only has one top.
the town hall: we Know exactly which town hall is meant: there's only
one in the town.)

42 articles: talking in general

We do not use the with uncountable or plural nouns (see 92) to talk
about things in general — to talk about all books, all people or all life, for
example. The never means ‘all’. Compare:
Did you remember to buy the books? (= particular books which |
asked you to buy)
Books are expensive. (NOT Fhe-beoks are-expensive- We are talking
about books in general — all books.)