| PART FIVE: Exceptions |
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| Though exceptions lay beyond the real focus of this guide,
we’ll touch on them briefly, because they’re good
to be aware of even when you’re not focusing on them.
A student may ask, “Why do they say, ‘Here come
the cops!’ in a movie when they don’t know which
cops are coming?”, and you can tell them with confidence
that it’s an exception. |
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We can use a/an with something numbered or
unique in the context if we mean it only as a possibility
I’d like a second wife.
I wish we had an Eiffel Tower! |
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We can use a/an to describe an instance of
something otherwise unique, to emphasize that it’s not
unique in this meaning.
I used to go to high school with a Michael Jackson. |
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We often use the for things that are considered
a usual part of society: the bank, the fire department, the
police, the bus station, the grocery store, the park, the pharmacy
(Am. Eng.) / the chemist's (Br. Eng.), and more!
The hotels are full, so let’s try to sleep
at the library.
Hide this kidney; the cops are coming!
I love the morgue! |
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We often use the for things that are considered
a usual part of a home: the ceiling, the floor, the wall, the
bathroom, the telephone, and more!
Today I was in the kitchen, looking out the window,
and I saw the roof lying in the back yard. |
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We often use the for some general kinds of
places that aren’t necessarily specific: the beach, the
ocean, the forest, the countryside, the woods, the mountains,
and more!
Yesterday we relaxed in the country, but I prefer
my whiskey in the city or at the seaside.
(Note: 'at the sea' is like 'at the seaside' and means at the
beach, but 'at sea' means in the water—hopefully on a
boat.) |
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We sometimes use the when referring to a
class or species of nouns, such as animals, plants, and objects.
The honeybee loves most flowers, but the Venus flytrap
escapes this affection.
I love it when she plays the ukulele while dancing
the tango!
I’ve just invented the wheel! (Now, to patent it!) |
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Though most proper nouns have no article, many exceptions
use the. These include rivers, oceans, and
mountain ranges (but usually not mountains); many
newspapers, hotels, and theatres; and some countries and even
some cities: the Rocky Mountains, the Amazon, the Arabian
Sea; the Washington Post, the Apollo Theatre; the United States,
the Netherlands, and more!
She chased me through the Alps and along the Danube.
The New York Times says that the Hague has been
sold to the Czech Republic. |
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Many combinations that could be phrased as ‘an X’s
Y’ are sometimes stated as ‘the Y of an X’.
Here, the may be used even if Y is neither
known nor unique.
The witch’s brew included the wing of a
bat and the hand of a monkey. She stirred it with the leg
of a politician.
X can have any article, or no article, as usual.
I hear the sound of birds.
This is the the arm of the man who tried to steal
my wallet.
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When describing certain activities that occur at particular
places (including church, school, prison, jail, bed, college,
and work; also, university and hospital in British English),
we sometimes use no article.
He drank so much before going to work that he
mistakenly thought that he was in prison again.
This is not the case if we’re talking about the location,
and not the activity.
He doesn’t go to church, but he sells beer
at the church on Sunday afternoons.
In British English: My sister's in hospital having
a brain reduction. (In American English: My
sister's in the hospital.)
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There are many other expressions which use no article. Why,
why, why??? Life is short. Just memorize them!
They’d been at sea for two days before they
realized that they’d left the captain behind.
Why did you sign the contract in pencil when I
asked you to do it in blood?
Excuse me—are you brother and sister or husband
and wife? |
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Other exceptions seem to exist just to confuse
people.
These shoes are the wrong size!
Go right, then go to the second left and take a
right.
In jokes: Why did the chicken cross the road? (We
don't know about this chicken! This is common in some jokes
and stories.)
The Time Machine (The reader doesn't
know which time machine
before reading the story. Using the about something
that is only known in the story is common in titles.) |
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| Remember: There is no need to terrorize students
with all of these terrible exceptions when they haven’t
learned the foundational patterns! These are only included to
help you out! |
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| Start with simple and consistent rules. Build
confidence at the beginning. You will have plenty of time to
destroy it later! |
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| Now that we have all that out of the way… |
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