English Grammar
Common mistakes when using 'the'
- Many people are worried about the bad effects of mobiles on brain. [incorrect]
- Many people are worried about the bad effects of mobiles on the brain. [correct]
- We need to look at factors such as the availability of health care. [correct]
- We need to look at factors such as availability of health care. [incorrect]
We use the before nouns which describe a general type of thing rather than a specific example of that thing:
- These are problems for students living away from the family.
- We don’t know the effects of such chemicals on the body.
- The role of the student at university level varies greatly from country to country.
- Most of our business is carried out over the telephone.
The is also used before abstract nouns which describe a situation, a quality, a process or a change. These words are often followed by of something.
- There is a problem with the availability of clean water in some villages.
- The distribution of income is uneven in most countries.
- On the whole, the standard of living is better in urban areas.
- Many residents complained about the frequency of bus services.
- This advance was brought about by the development of new antibiotics.
- He made a number of recommendations for the improvement of staff training.
We use the development / improvement, etc. of something to describe a general process of change, but developments / improvements, etc. in something to describe specific changes.
- We try to keep up-to-date with new developments in information technology.
English Grammar Quiz
Now test your grammar skills with this short quiz based on the topic above: Are these sentences right or wrong?
Check your answers when you finish.