The definite article

Once upon a time, people used to stay at hotels. It was either for business or for tourism. They would check-in and then, after a day or two, check-out. I know, I hear you. We are living in unprecedented times.

Those ‘normal’ days shall return. And my wishes go out to all those reading this post who are from the hospitality sector.

Now, let’s talk about the the — the definite article.

Which option is correct?

a. The film crew is staying at Oberoi.

b. The film crew is staying at the Oberoi.

(By the way, that’s the name of a hotel group in India, in case you are not from around here.)

Yes, it’s a. You’re 100% correct. This aspect of grammar comes naturally to you.

No, it’s not. Sorry for that. The correct answer is b. (I’m not sure whether you were actually considering the two options, or have just scrolled down to find the answer. So, I need to keep you on your toes. It’s for your own good. Trust me.)

When it comes to hotels, most of the time, we use the definite article the. So, we stay at the Oberoi, or the Taj, or the Radisson, or the Hyatt.

There is an ad with the line: ‘Take me to the Hilton.’ That’s a memorable line.

The definite article, the, creates a feeling of intimacy in the mind of the reader — an example of the subtle, yet effective, influence of the.

Here is another use of the.

Which is the correct option?

a. The conference focuses on opportunities in Middle East.

b. The conference focuses on opportunities in the Middle East.

You may have selected the correct answer (which is b), but tricky it is, especially if someone asks: but why? Don’t skim this part of the post. Slow down. Read carefully. It will help you someday.

With country names we usually do not use the definite article the. There are some exceptions (of course) such as the Netherlands and the Philippines.

However, we use the definite article the before a collection of states. For example: There are many Canadian companies operating in the United States of America. The USA is a collection of states. Similarly, you can live in the European Union, travel to the United Arab Emirates, and then visit your friend in the United Kingdom.

We use the definite article before the phrase: Republic of ______.

So you can start a company in the Republic of South Africa. And you can purchase machinery from the Republic of Korea.

Let’s talk about the Middle East (from the conference above). When it comes to place names that are ‘adjective + place’, we use the. Middle = adjective. East = place. So, there are many logistics companies in the Middle East.

When referring to geographical areas, I suggest you do a bit of research (a one-minute google search should suffice) before adding or subtracting the definite article.

It is: the company has a strong presence in Southeast Asia. And not in: the Southeast Asia. And you’ll have the definite article when saying: the company has a strong presence in the Southeast Asian market.

My previous post gives an introduction to articles. Do read it to get a better understanding of the basics.

Have you ever heard of the zero article? You may be pleasantly surprised to find out about it.

Are you curious to know more about the use (and misuse) of articles? Check out my latest book on Amazon.