077 : Names with and without the 1

   A   

We do not use the with names of people ('Helen', 'Helen Taylor' etc.). In the same way, we do not use the with most names of places. For example:

 

continents	Africa (not the Africa), Europe, South America
countries, states etc.	France (not the France), Japan, Brazil, Texas
islands	Sicily, Bermuda, Tasmania
cities, towns etc.	Cairo, New York, Bangkok
mountains	Everest, Etna, Kilimanjaro

 

But we use the in names with Republic, Kingdom, States etc. :
- the Czech Republic
- the United Kingdom (the UK)
- the Dominican Republic
- the United States of America (the USA)

 

Compare:

• Have you been to Canada or the United States?

 

 

   B   

When we use Mr/Mrs/Captain/Doctor etc. + a name, we do not use the. So we say:
- Mr Johnson / Doctor Johnson / Captain Johnson / President Johnson etc.
- Uncle Robert / Saint Catherine / Princess Maria etc. (not the ... )

 

Compare:

• We called the doctor.
  We called Doctor Johnson. (not the Doctor Johnson)

We use Mount (= mountain) and Lake before a name in the same way (without the):
- Mount Everest (not the ... )
- Mount Etna
- Lake Superior
- Lake Victoria

• They live near the lake.
  They live near Lake Superior. (not the Lake Superior)

 

 

   C   

We use the with the names of oceans, seas, rivers and canals:
- the Atlantic (Ocean)
- the Indian Ocean
- the Mediterranean (Sea)
- the Red Sea
- the Channel (between France and Britain)
- the Amazon
- the Nile
- the Suez Canal

 

We use the with the names of deserts:
- the Sahara (Desert)
- the Gobi Desert

 

 

   D   

We use the with plural names of people and places:

 

people	the Taylors (= the Taylor family), the Johnsons
countries	the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United States
groups of islands	the Canaries / the Canary Islands, the Bahamas
mountain ranges	the Rocky Mountains / the Rockies, the Andes, the Alps

• The highest mountain in the Andes is (Mount) Aconcagua.

 

 

   E   

We say:
- the north (of Brazil) but northern Brazil (without the)
- the south-east (of Spain) but south-eastern Spain

 

Compare:

• Sweden is in northern Europe; Spain is in the south.

 

Also the Middle East, the Far East

 

We also use north/south etc. (without the) in the names of some regions and countries:
- North America
- South Africa

 

Note that on maps, the is not usually included in the name.

 

 

 

※ range : 

 

 

 

※ arrange : 

 

a(=to, at) + range(=rank, in rank, in order)

 

arrange something

arrange for something  (ex.) The president arranged for a meeting in his office.

arrange to do something

arrange that…