The

Question

Could anybody tell me when should we use the before a place or a building and when shouldn't we use the before a place or a building.

I hope you can give me many examples when you explain it to me.

great thanks in advance.

Mr Wordy · Accepted Answer

The names of some buildings/places can be used in a generic sense, to refer to buildings of that type or the function of buildings of that type. In this case they don't need an article:

"I loved school" -- I loved the general experience of going to school

"I loved the school" -- I loved some particular school

The names of buildings/places that don't admit such a generic meaning can't be used in this way:

"I loved house" -- Wrong

"I loved the house" -- Correct

Is this the sort of thing you mean, or did I misunderstand the question?

RayH · Answer

Vctory OngCould anybody tell me when should we use the before a place or a building and when shouldn't we use the before a place or a building.

I don't think there is a general rule that applies in all cases. The more I think about the use of articles in this kind of context the more convinced I am that their usage is largely (but not exclusively) idiomatic.

Examples:
I'm going down to City Hall tomorrow. No article allowed.
I'm going to the library tomorrow. Almost always "the" but in some contexts "a" could be used; an article is always required.
I'm going to the Sears Tower while I'm in Chicago. Always "the."
I'm going to Yellowstone on vacation. No article allowed.
I'm going camping in the desert for the weekend. In this context always "the." In other contexts "a" could be used; an article is always required.

I'm going to visit the Statue of Liberty while I'm in New York. Always "the."
I'm vacationing in the Poconos this year. Always "the."
I'm going to visit the Grand Canyon this year. Always "the."
I'm going to visit Yosemite while I'm out west. No article allowed.

We're going to visit Arlington National Cemetery while we're in Washington, D. C. this year. No article allowed.
We're going to visit the National Air and Space Museum while we're in Washington, D. C. this year. Always "the."

Well, as you can see there doesn't seem to be much in the way of logic in the use of articles in these contexts.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Do not use "the" in front of proper names of cities, towns, states, provinces, countries and continents unless it is part of the official name.

Do use "the" in front of proper names of buildings, rivers, oceans, lakes or general place names.

There are probably exceptions, but these are good general rules.

Here are lots of examples:

I went to Washington, DC.
I go to Europe every summer.
I visited the Pentagon, the Smithsonian, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
The tallest building east of the Mississippi river is the Sears Tower.

I visited the capital of India.
I have been to all the cities and towns in The Netherlands. (The Netherlands is the official name)

We went to the beach last summer.
Have you been to The City of London? (The City of London is an official name.)

Have you been to London?
The USSR broke apart in the early 1990's.
The United States almost broke apart in 1861 when the southern states seceded from the union.

India was formed in 1948 from the old British colony.
Antarctica was once joined to Australia, Africa, and South America.
The Antarctic peninsula is a place of ice and fire.
We sailed on the Nile in Egypt.

The United States has seashores on the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Gulf of Mexico.
The water in the Mediterranean sea is very salty.
My friends live in Towson, a suburb of Baltimore in the state of Maryland.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I would agree that such names are pretty idiomatic.

However, here are a few examples that may possibly help you a little.

He lives in France. No article. There is only one France.

He lives in The United Kingdom. The article (sometimes with a capital, sometimes not) recognizes that there are other kingdoms in the world.

He lives in the United States. Again, the article recognizes that there are other states in the world.

He visited the Statue of Liberty. There are other statues in the world.

He visited the Grand canyon. There are other canyons in the world.

He works for the Ford motor company. There are other motor companies.

He works for Ford. There is only one well-known Ford.

There are lots of exceptions to what I have described, but maybe this will be of interest to you.

Best wishes, Clive

AlpheccaStars · Answer

RayHI'm going down to City Hall tomorrow. No article allowed.

This is a case where the rules are confusing.

I use "city hall" (no "the") when it refers to its function, such as the place where we pay taxes or traffic fines or serve on juries. In Ray's sentence, the listener would understand that I have some business there tomorrow.

Sometimes "the" can be used when it refers to the structure, not the purpose for which it stands.
They tore down the old city hall and built a new one.

The protesters will march past the city hall on their way to the capital building.

The

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions