Please, learn the rules! When do we use “THE” in English? (+ when DON’T we?)

Sdílet
Vložit
  • čas přidán 26. 04. 2024
  • When do we use THE in English? When do we NOT use THE in English? Learn the rules for when to use the definite article, when not to use the definite article, and the pronunciation of THE!
    📝 GET THE FREE LESSON PDF here 👉🏼 bit.ly/knowaboutthePDF
    📊 FIND OUT YOUR ENGLISH LEVEL! Take my level test here 👉🏼 bit.ly/EnglishLevelTest12 👩🏼‍🏫 JOIN MY ONLINE ENGLISH COURSES: englishwithlucy.teachable.com... - We have launched our B1 and B2 Complete English Programmes!
    🌐 VISIT MY WEBSITE for an interactive pronunciation tool and more free lessons: englishwithlucy.com/
    🗣 ENGLISH SPEAKING PRACTICE
    Are you looking for private language lessons? Find your perfect 1-on-1 language tutor with LanguaTalk! Make sure they are right for you with a free trial class here 👉🏼bit.ly/LanguaTalkOffer (Ad - affiliate)
    I've been learning Italian on LanguaTalk and have been blown away so far! I am so excited about this new platform! So much so, I decided to become a part of it!
    🇬🇧 LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH CONFIDENTLY AND FLUENTLY
    Join my 3-month Beautiful British English Programmes! Use code CZcams15 for a 15% discount:
    Join B1 (Lower-Intermediate) Level here 👉🏼b1course.com/youtube-descript...
    Join B2 (Upper-Intermediate) Level here 👉🏼b2course.co.uk/youtube-descri...
    ⏱ TIMESTAMPS:
    0:00 Introduction
    00:35 FREE PDF and QUIZ
    01:05 Pronunciation of ‘THE’
    02:30 Why do we use ‘THE'?
    03:50 When to use ‘THE’
    08:22 When to not use ‘THE’
    12:05 FREE PDF and QUIZ
    12:18 Social Media
    12:28 Courses
    12:50 OUTRO
    🎥 Video edited by Liva Barkar
    👥 MY SOCIAL MEDIA:
    Personal/Vlogging Channel: bit.ly/LucyBella​​​
    Instagram: @englishwithlucy
    TikTok: @english_with_lucy
    Email for business enquiries ONLY: business@englishwithlucy.co.uk
    #learnenglish #english #grammar

Komentáře • 2,3K

  • @EnglishwithLucy
    @EnglishwithLucy  Před rokem +372

    I'm preempting some chat about American English using THE before hospital! Don't worry, I've got you covered! Check 11:50 onwards :)
    Don't forget to download the free lesson PDF! It's super detailed and it has a quiz! Perfect for revision! bit.ly/knowaboutthePDF

    • @yxeanget-any
      @yxeanget-any Před rokem +7

      thank you

    • @mederic394
      @mederic394 Před rokem +7

      Thanks a lot Lucy! You're a gorgeous English Teacher! Cheers from Morocco!:)

    • @lili806....
      @lili806.... Před rokem +2

      Mam, i want to ask if you could make a video on reporting dialogues and how to do editing tasks in grammar
      It would be a great help in my English exam
      Thank you ❤️

    • @deandavis7862
      @deandavis7862 Před rokem +8

      That is insanely complicated. So who is technically (according to the rules) right, the Brits or the Americans (on the hospital topic)? Or is it "on hospital topic"?

    • @muneebahmad7633
      @muneebahmad7633 Před rokem +3

      Very good effort 😊👍

  • @jaxonmcalley
    @jaxonmcalley Před rokem +895

    After all these years of teaching us, you don't get lazier like some other CZcamsrs, instead, you're doing much more to help us better understand each lesson. That's what I call dedication.

    • @basiCKschool
      @basiCKschool Před rokem +11

      Exactly bro

    • @raullemus7874
      @raullemus7874 Před rokem +8

      I agree

    • @orderla8877
      @orderla8877 Před rokem +11

      Honestly, I've learned almost nothing from her channel, (but she's a pleasure to watch, isn't she).
      Cheers!

    • @HxTurtle
      @HxTurtle Před rokem +23

      @@orderla8877 so, you're insinuating, English is your first language but you watch her anyways? 😅

    • @user-gk3du6wu7k
      @user-gk3du6wu7k Před rokem +4

      Brilliant Lucy! Lovely teacher ❤️!

  • @rumi9005
    @rumi9005 Před rokem +500

    I was born and bred in the UK. I'm 74 years old and I ONLY speak English. And this is the FIRST time I've actually noticed that I pronounce 'THE' differently depending on whether the following word starts with a consonant or a vowel. I always DO that correctly. But I do it completely unconsciously. Up until now I've never been aware I do it!
    I listened to the whole video and I'm astounded at how "THE' is used in English. Even though English is the ONLY language I speak

    • @user-rd1hz9zj9l
      @user-rd1hz9zj9l Před rokem +45

      You do it completely unconsciously 'cause you heard it thousands times from your parents in childhood.

    • @longkesh1971
      @longkesh1971 Před rokem +20

      As an American, I have never pronounced 'the' like 'Thee'. Also, it would sound weird to me because it would sound like King James bible.

    • @leecowell8165
      @leecowell8165 Před rokem +7

      In England ENGLISH is spoken a bit different than here in the states. here we say In "the" hospital but in England its In hospital. I actually prefer your version and I started using it that way.. I'm 80yo. Something else. these politicians here never declared ENGLISH as the DEFAULT language. everything here is alleged to be "universal". well I like the Aussie approach. there you better speak ENGLISH because no other language is recognized! here we have our DL tests in like, 5 languages. In Australia its in ENGLISH ONLY! Finally if you live in the land you speak THAT LANDS language or learn it if you don't already know it. I have a lotta latino's around me here (in FL) that speak only Spanish (that refuse to learn English). it seems that we're losing it in our schools here too.

    • @l4rjy
      @l4rjy Před rokem +18

      The English came to Sri Lanka 400 years ago and lived there for 300 years but they never learned the language of the land except one word Curry 😂. All of the English came in a boat without documents. How’z that?

    • @longkesh1971
      @longkesh1971 Před rokem +15

      @@leecowell8165 Yeah, agreed we should make Seminole the official language of Florida and not let people change the language of the land. Or at least make it Spanish. Why would Florida allow all those white English speaking people to come in and think they have any claim to the language of the land?

  • @olablc531
    @olablc531 Před 10 měsíci +231

    As a Polish native speaker, where we don't use articles at all, being fluent in English and having been taught about the articles since the first English lesson ever, it is still one of the most obscure and unintuitive topics for me. Thank you a lot!

    • @Marie-ys6yw
      @Marie-ys6yw Před 9 měsíci +2

      Why so few Poles speak English despite being in the EU?

    • @alal4852
      @alal4852 Před 9 měsíci +43

      ​​@@Marie-ys6yw because we have our language, what is your second language??? EU has got 24 languages, I know three of them. How about you?

    • @Erik20766
      @Erik20766 Před 9 měsíci +3

      @@alal4852 but this applies to all Europeans, yet knowing English is by far the most common. Is this that strange?

    • @sticky-soup
      @sticky-soup Před 9 měsíci +19

      @@Marie-ys6yw you would be surprised, but since the UK left EU there's close to none native English speaking countries left in the EU. English being the "universal language" in EU has more to do with the influence of both UK and the US in the international cooperation, than with any EU mandated regulations regarding common language (outside of international politics its just not a thing).
      Getting to Poles, (I'm from Poland myself) I do see most young people being pretty good or at least decent at English, its more that the old folks who were raised in Soviet Union didn't really learn it cuz they had to learn Russian when they were young, and prior to the fall of Soviet Union, there wasn't much use for English for an average USSR citizen. Learning languages is just much easier when you're younger, compared to when you're already old, already have it all figured out in life, and don't really care about expanding your horizons.
      Hope that answers your question

    • @Marie-ys6yw
      @Marie-ys6yw Před 9 měsíci +1

      @@sticky-soup Poland was part of USSR? Okay I understand that refugees from Ukraine and Belarus, travellers from Lithuania etc understand Russian, but poles themselves... It's like in Finland - some border area/capital city area people speak Russian, but very few compared to Tallinn or Riga

  • @Aspen7780
    @Aspen7780 Před 14 dny +13

    As an American, I think of hospital and university as a specific place: a campus or building. Without the word “the” both hospital and university sound more like a vague concept rather than a real physical place. If I were to say “I went to the hospital” I would know exactly where you went. By saying “I went to hospital” my follow up questions would be “what hospital, which one, where?” It sounds about as vague to me as saying “I went to healthcare”. It sounds more conceptual than physical.
    Very cool and weird differences all from the same language. I love it. I have to say, I am thoroughly enjoying your channel and learning quite a lot about the English language. And that’s coming from someone whose primary language is English. I speak it but I have never had a strong grasp of the rules and grammar behind it so this is great!
    Great video!

    • @Baritone45
      @Baritone45 Před 2 dny

      But we do say "I'm in college." and my son is "going to college". We NEVER say "My daughter is going to the college". Also, you can tell an American from a Briton, Canadian, or European because we say "He's in college". They say "She's at university". Even though most of us and our kids go to a university, we use "college" as a generic.

    • @DeadCat-42
      @DeadCat-42 Před dnem +1

      You attend a college at a university. ... Making people mad lol.

    • @mattwilson6552
      @mattwilson6552 Před dnem

      It's about the situation rather than the place. The fact that someone is in hospital is the primary fact, the follow up should be "oh no, what's wrong" rather than "which hospital?" .

  • @peterzavon3012
    @peterzavon3012 Před rokem +319

    As a native speaker of American English, I found your listing of the circumstances when "the" is used in English to be very enlightening for the patterns it reveals. Native speakers generally know what "feels" right, but often miss the patterns..

    • @biljanas7931
      @biljanas7931 Před rokem +40

      “feel” is actually recognizing the pattern from extensive exposure to it, being subjected to it by listening, but never consciously acknowledging the rule, id say 😊
      and yes, it is fun to realize one is following the rule without being aware of it ‘cognitively’

    • @weirdboi3375
      @weirdboi3375 Před rokem +19

      The thumbnail is clickbait tho ngl

    • @celesterosales8976
      @celesterosales8976 Před rokem +8

      So funny that native speakers enjoy these videos too! Glad I’m not the only one.

    • @peterzavon3012
      @peterzavon3012 Před rokem +2

      @@biljanas7931 That's it, exactly

    • @Ice.muffin
      @Ice.muffin Před rokem +1

      ​@@biljanas7931 Took the words out of my mouth, excellent.

  • @neilfurby555
    @neilfurby555 Před 3 měsíci +12

    What a captivating tutor, she really buzzes with enthusiasm and energy!

    • @rcschmidt668
      @rcschmidt668 Před 14 dny

      She reminds me of the actress from a gum commercial.

    • @jimnaden5594
      @jimnaden5594 Před 4 dny

      And none of the arrogance from so many who believe that their way of saying things is the only way permissible.
      I enjoy this kind of lesson.

  • @georgetaspano
    @georgetaspano Před rokem +24

    I am a Romanian native speaker, and I've started to study English by myself when I was 14, and I have managed to learn it pretty well, I wish I had these kinds of video then. Fantastic job! Regards from 🇷🇴

  • @MrBloodyLook
    @MrBloodyLook Před 11 měsíci +44

    THANK YOU!!! I've been learning English for over 30 years. However, since we don't have definite and indefinite articles in Slavic languages, mastering this topic presents a tremendous challenge for us. Despite completing my Master's and PhD in English and speaking English with most of my friends and my girlfriend, I continue to make many mistakes related to articles. This video is THE best one on this topic.

    • @NeverLucky520
      @NeverLucky520 Před 10 měsíci

      You learning english in 30 years and don’t know when to use the in eng

    • @velyotinkov5282
      @velyotinkov5282 Před měsícem +1

      With all due respect I have to correct you. Although the only one amongst slavic languages, Bulgarian does have definite and indefinite articles.

    • @JayTemple
      @JayTemple Před 15 dny

      I had barely started watching the video before I read your comment, and it has affected how I listen to her examples. For example, when she mentions saying "THE best meal," I wonder how you express it without a definite article.

  • @tobortine
    @tobortine Před rokem +48

    I'm a native English speaker with over 50 years of experience of speaking English. I'm really glad I learned English by listening to everyone around me speaking English as I grew up because if I'd had to learn these rules I don't think I would have mastered it yet.

    • @heroe1486
      @heroe1486 Před rokem +5

      That's litteraly how most people learn their native language

    • @tobortine
      @tobortine Před rokem +1

      @@heroe1486 Of course it is, what's your point?

    • @dannyjorde2677
      @dannyjorde2677 Před rokem +4

      I’m more grateful for having learned Spanish before, since the only difficulty that English has is spelling and pronunciation, but Spanish grammar is more complex.

    • @ichigo-roku
      @ichigo-roku Před 6 měsíci +1

      I'm not a native English speaker but I'm not sure it's that useful to learn these rules, I've never learnt them, but by listening and reading a lot of English content, these rules seemed natural to me.

    • @ibhistory106
      @ibhistory106 Před 3 měsíci

      on the contrary, english is the easiest to learn even from european languages

  • @Hazelaesthetic99
    @Hazelaesthetic99 Před rokem +37

    We never get bored while watching you😁
    Your beauty + voice + knowledge=💜😻

    • @gurdyalsingh7817
      @gurdyalsingh7817 Před rokem

      Please ma'am ka course kaise purchase kre or kya price h b1 ka

    • @frankdsouza2425
      @frankdsouza2425 Před rokem +1

      ​@@gurdyalsingh7817 I hope you can understand what you have just written, Gurdyal. I am afraid, I cannot.

  • @KyushuSensei
    @KyushuSensei Před 6 měsíci +3

    I have been teaching English in Japan for the past 23 years. This video has been most helpful and I am considering taking it into classes to demonstrate exactly what is the definite, and indefinite article.

  • @petersuozzo1227
    @petersuozzo1227 Před 8 měsíci +3

    As someone that learned American English in the house concurrently with two other languages as their native tongue, I’ve been fascinated with languages but never really give much thought about some rules and none to others. This is one that I never stopped to think about at all. For this, and the other videos that I’ve found entertaining so far, thank you!

  • @Robin-wj5pd
    @Robin-wj5pd Před rokem +64

    Dear Lucy!
    I'm so grateful for your helpful videos. No other English teacher does it as well as you.
    Regards,
    Robin

  • @ersrvd
    @ersrvd Před rokem +13

    This video is "THE" answer to questions I've had for years. Thank you!

    • @AfroKing.
      @AfroKing. Před 3 měsíci +1

      I see what you did there 😂nice

    • @Fred2-123
      @Fred2-123 Před 9 dny +1

      Yup. That's the "thee" for extra emphasis.

  • @hassankrisht718
    @hassankrisht718 Před 8 měsíci +2

    As a foreigner who learned the English language through movies and reading, I naturally learned to speak like a native without focusing too much on the rules. However, after a while, I noticed that there were some gaps in my English. I referred back to the rules to learn the basics, and over time, I became able to detect most mistakes in someone's speech, including pronunciation. However, I still make a few mistakes if I am too exhausted, nervous, or speaking with someone for hours about diverse subjects

  • @barborahalova3514
    @barborahalova3514 Před rokem +1

    Love this, as a non-native speaking I will use this wisdom wisely both in my hobby writing and in my essey writing! Thanks

  • @yasminayahiaoui47
    @yasminayahiaoui47 Před rokem +9

    The most beautiful teacher on CZcams ❤️
    Thank you for your efforts 😘

  • @ashikihsan1946
    @ashikihsan1946 Před rokem +7

    Thank you Lucy for teaching me these rules to use " The" in certain situations and when not to use The in some sentences. I love learning English from you Lucy everyday. I want to speak like you like a native speaker

  • @jeremybrambles7992
    @jeremybrambles7992 Před 10 měsíci

    When i was at school I wasn't keen on english you make it sound a lot more interesting than I ever thought it was. You speak beautifully & explain things exceptionally well.

  • @akengere5682
    @akengere5682 Před 3 měsíci

    Thank you Lucy for always smiling while teaching.

  • @alessandrodior4914
    @alessandrodior4914 Před rokem +3

    The explanation with specific examples is easy to understand. Thank you Lucy💖💖

  • @beniciocp
    @beniciocp Před rokem +4

    Again, thank you very much for the video! I've always felt that something was still missing in my English spelling, and now I see these "details" watching your videos. It's helping me a lot!

  • @chamara000
    @chamara000 Před 10 měsíci +1

    I am from Sri Lanka. You have mentioned Sri Lanka in this video. So happy 😃 . Thank you so much for the valuable lesson.

  • @nunyabeezwacks1408
    @nunyabeezwacks1408 Před rokem

    OMG, what a revelation! I'm a native English speaker, and I'm aware that I pronounce "the" both ways instinctively and correctly, but I never knew why. I've just subscribed and look forward to learning even more about English grammar and pronunciation. Thank you!

  • @Superskull85
    @Superskull85 Před rokem +85

    As a native English speaker, I think it is very hard to give an exhaustive list of examples of when the is appropriate to use. It mostly comes down to how it feels when used and if it sounds misplaced. A big example is the hospital example. I have also witnessed a different feel for using the when talking with English speakers from India.
    That said I do think you did a great job at trying to describe that intuitive feeling.

    • @rocketmoonshine9205
      @rocketmoonshine9205 Před rokem +6

      Would you get confused if a non-native speaker leaves the out or uses a instead of the article when speaking to you? I'm just wondering.

    • @cedricmallett4548
      @cedricmallett4548 Před rokem +8

      ​@@rocketmoonshine9205 It won't usually cause confusion if you leave "the" out, but it will stand out as unnatural-sounding. Using "a" instead of "the" can really change the meaning, though. Example: "Okay, I will wear the shirt" (maybe I didn't want to wear this specific shirt, but since you want me to, I will) vs. "Okay, I will wear a shirt" (I was going to go topless, but you've convinced me that I need to put on a shirt).

    • @DarenC
      @DarenC Před rokem +9

      Yeah, as a native English speaker for more than 50 years, I'll definitely say "the hospital" sometimes. It very much depends on the context, such as whether I'm going as a patient or attending for some other reason. "I'm going to hospital", "I left my bike at the hospital" for example.

    • @Koolumi
      @Koolumi Před 11 měsíci +1

      That is what a teacher does... The "feeling" you talking about happens with native speakers of a language, basically because they do speak the language but not really know it

  • @aria_stein
    @aria_stein Před rokem +18

    I got my B2 certificate exam in June and your videos help me a lot. Tysm Lucy

  • @sarathamarasekera891
    @sarathamarasekera891 Před rokem +4

    Thanks for mentioning the name of my country -SRILANKA!. I am a follower of your lessons on CZcams and find them very useful. Wish you the very best in all your endeavours.

  • @alexwinner3980
    @alexwinner3980 Před 4 měsíci

    Another well-crafted educational video content in English. The use of both definite and indefinite articles poses difficulty to many non-native speakers.

  • @vinnynz
    @vinnynz Před rokem +9

    Great job Lucy you're incredibly easy to listen to.

  • @arcticfoxism
    @arcticfoxism Před rokem +37

    OMG Lucy! This is ALL I NEEDED!! It's wonderful and I can't thank you enough! I'm a teacher myself and have sent this video to the majority of my students! Lots of love, Kinga

  • @EricTheOld
    @EricTheOld Před 19 dny

    I love Lucy, she gives away her (vast) knowledge ❤

  • @pablo_bachi
    @pablo_bachi Před 11 měsíci

    I've never imagined all these rules to follow about the right use of THE. Great video! Thank you.

  • @EnglishTeacherAnita
    @EnglishTeacherAnita Před rokem +14

    Loved this! Very clear and concise. Thank you Lucy.

  • @originalsklaus
    @originalsklaus Před rokem +8

    It's really amazing, after basically six decades of living and graduating from college (university), you have given me greater understanding of the (😊) usage and pronunciation of "the". I have many times pondered the pronunciation. Thanks.

  • @taipo101
    @taipo101 Před 8 měsíci +2

    Hi Lucy, as you mentioned in your English dialects video about different speech patterns, , I am from north west England i.e. Wigan through Manchester, and we have a third pronunciation of "the"; we tend to say "th'" if followed by a vowel. For Example "thee elelephant" would be pronounced. "th' elephant" 😊

  • @shockingheaven
    @shockingheaven Před 9 měsíci

    This is one of the things I was never taught to do. Most of my English knowledge came from curiosity, lyrics and other media, so I don't remember learning this. Same for the way you pronounce it when it's a consonant sound or a vowel. However, as you started talking, I realized how much I actually learned by mimicking speech patterns.

  • @MyDanymax
    @MyDanymax Před rokem +6

    Juicy Lucy, I'm so grateful for all your work here teaching us.
    Loveyousomuch.😀❤😀

  • @davidmccormack99
    @davidmccormack99 Před rokem +12

    Use of ‘the’ by native speakers is sometimes dialectal and/or done just for colour. For example, many Irish people say things like “what did you do for the Christmas?” or “he really struggles with the German at school.” Also, to my Irish ears at least there is a subtle difference in meaning between “I need to go to hospital” and “I need to go to the hospital.” The former suggests something in the medium to long term but the latter suggests a more urgent need of treatment.

    • @headlibrarian1996
      @headlibrarian1996 Před 11 měsíci +1

      “To the hospital” is American dialect and “to hospital” is English dialect.

    • @richardofoz2167
      @richardofoz2167 Před 11 měsíci +4

      ​@@headlibrarian1996 No, you're just repeating a point Lucy made. David has picked up on a valid point. There IS a subtle distinction

    • @davidmccormack99
      @davidmccormack99 Před 11 měsíci

      @@richardofoz2167 Thanks!

    • @jasperkok8745
      @jasperkok8745 Před 11 měsíci +1

      Isn’t it also true that British English would use “the hospital” if someone is visiting a friend or relative who had been admitted to hospital rather than for receiving treatment or some kind of test themselves?

    • @davidmccormack99
      @davidmccormack99 Před 11 měsíci +1

      @@jasperkok8745 I would think so, yes. If I say, “John is going to the hospital” I mean that he is actually going to the hospital building. But if I say, “John is going to hospital” I mean that he will be going to a non-specific hospital at some point, possibly right away but possibly in the future. It is really another way of saying, “John needs to go for medical treatment”. I should clarify though that I speak Hiberno-English (English spoken in Ireland) which, although very similar to British English, isn’t quite the same.

  • @ayuashari402
    @ayuashari402 Před 10 měsíci

    Its so happy learning with you Lucy…keep health and to be nice person ❤❤

  • @skybladeby
    @skybladeby Před měsícem

    This is the best tutorial I've seen! Thank you, Lucy!

    • @adrianandrews2254
      @adrianandrews2254 Před měsícem

      Yes, but...
      I am 75 years old, English, "received" speaker: privately educated.
      I have NEVER pronounced the definite article as "thee" but always as "thu".
      To indicate specificity I would use "that hospital" rather than "the hospital".

  • @dophoyongznaga152
    @dophoyongznaga152 Před rokem +3

    💥
    Lucy is the only one,, brilliant English teacher ever in this generation ...we need to deserve more teacher like Lucy .... l💓ve fr💓m (Nagaland )

  • @NrutyaPatel
    @NrutyaPatel Před rokem +11

    Finally!!! I was waiting to get a lesson on the topic "THE" as I've seen people using both pronunciations and I often got confused about which way to pronounce them...Thank You So Much, Lucy❤

  • @acp45blue
    @acp45blue Před 9 měsíci +1

    Excellent tutorial. Even though I'm a native English speaker (American) I always learn something interesting from your videos.

  • @aryankaran1
    @aryankaran1 Před 6 měsíci

    Closing and opening music is just loving ...❤

  • @SandpigVolleyball
    @SandpigVolleyball Před rokem +3

    Thank you so much for this video. That last "don't" scenario has been bugging me my entire life. My job requires me to do a fair amount of translating and I never understood when and when not to use "the" before acronyms of large organizations, as sometimes I see "the" used before an acronym but sometimes I don't. It all makes sense now.

  • @rmmccoy51
    @rmmccoy51 Před rokem +6

    THANK YOU for identifying the difference between American (the) and English (no the) hospitals. Just got introduced to your videos. Just for the record, here in the state of Oregon in the United States, we have a small city named The Dalles.

    • @JonRowlison
      @JonRowlison Před rokem

      By her rules, I believe you live in United States. Not "The" United States. :)

  • @frankfrei6848
    @frankfrei6848 Před 6 měsíci

    Didn't need this lesson at all but when *the* Lucy presents I cannot turn away, so very charming!

  • @anafurlanes
    @anafurlanes Před rokem +1

    I recently started studying English again but the word THE has always left me confused. This video clarified a lot!

  • @jlpack62
    @jlpack62 Před rokem +22

    As an American, I don't know that I always pronounce "the" in the 2 different ways based on the rules you described. I'll have to pay attention to it. That said, it's astonishing how many things that native speakers take for granted and don't have to learn. Thank you for making me reflect on the privilege of having English as my native tongue!

    • @sti15v
      @sti15v Před rokem +3

      I agree. As an American I use the first pronunciation almost exclusively. The second only for emphasis.

    • @iamalphabetsoup1102
      @iamalphabetsoup1102 Před rokem

      ​@Dana Jacobsen So you say "thuh owl," "thuh Andes Mountains," "thuh icicle," "thuh umbrella," and so on?
      I don't mean that to sound judgemental, I'm just trying to clarify.
      I don't think I could talk to someone for 5 minutes without being internally "driven up the wall" by that. I wouldn't be rude to them. I would probably try to gently express to them that their pronunciation was not aligning with the general standard, in case they were learning English as a secondary/tertiary/etc. language or something.
      But in my head I would be correcting them every single time; to "thuh" point that I would probably lose track of "thee" entire flow of the conversation.
      I don't expect perfection from others because I understand that they might not have the education I was privileged enough to have, or they might not be native English speakers. Goodness knows my Spanish is not on par with a native speaker!
      My discomfort in that above-mentioned conversation would have no bearing on my view of the speaker as a person. I just mean that "thuh" vs "thee" is such a fundamental habit for native speakers that it would stick out to me like a sore thumb and bother me internally even though I would never ascribe any value based judgements to the person speaking based on their mistake.

    • @sti15v
      @sti15v Před rokem +4

      ​​@@iamalphabetsoup1102 Yes, if there is a difference it is very subtle. Definitely not a 'thee' like in the video. I've listened to a few other sound clips and no, I sure don't say "thee ace of spades" like some clips I've heard. I'll try paying attention to movie pronunciations.
      After living in Thailand for a few years, I get used to hearing all sorts of different English pronunciations and accents as I meet visitors from various regions of the USA, England, Australia, NZ, India, etc. It's fascinating to hear the differences.
      I'm trying hard to not take your reply as extremely condescending to a large group of native speakers.

    • @dodgermartin4895
      @dodgermartin4895 Před 10 měsíci +5

      @@iamalphabetsoup1102 Yes, that is correct. In American English aka "American-lish," we do NOT have a vowel vs consonant way of saying "the," like this lesson indicates. So if you want the American way of using "the," this lesson would not apply. The only time I hear "thee" is in church when it is used as the Biblical way of saying "you." as in, "I pray to Thee, O Lord." I would never say, "thee Andes Mountains, I would most definitely say, "thuh Andes Mountains.

    • @myspin9680
      @myspin9680 Před 6 měsíci +2

      As an American also, I exclusively use "the" with a shwa sound. Only a long E when using Old English for "thee".

  • @user-kj2fj8qr9l
    @user-kj2fj8qr9l Před rokem +10

    Something I find interesting about Californian English vs other American English (maybe depends on NorCal vs SoCal) is the use of "the" before freeway numbers. People don't say "I405", but "the 405". idk if it's unique to SoCal geography, but there's also a tendency to use "the" before a generic noun to refer to something specific, like "THE Valley", "over THE hill", "North vs south of THE boulevard".

    • @DAB2640
      @DAB2640 Před rokem +4

      The use of "the" before a highway number is definitely a difference between Northern California and Southern California dialects. I've lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1954 and only hear "the 405" or "the 101" from Southern Californians or people who grew up there. Another difference I ran into when I went to UCLA way back in 1966 was calling Highway 1 "PCH." We don't call it that up here, and it's only officially named that in Southern California. Near here it's the Cabrillo Highway officially, or just the Coast Highway conversationally. Not too surprising that there would be differences in dialect within California, since California is larger than the entire island of Britain.

    • @john12mclaughlin
      @john12mclaughlin Před rokem +1

      My NorCal brother gives me grief for this all the time. I suspect the origin of this has to do with the original names of the freeways as place names -- The Ventura Fwy (aka the 101), the San Diego Fwy (aka the 405), the Artesia Fwy (aka the 91). The places were replaced with numbers but "the" was retained.

    • @vmhanlon
      @vmhanlon Před rokem

      @@john12mclaughlin This is the best (only?) explanation for this north/south oddity I've ever heard. Makes perfect sense. Still annoying though.

    • @mattsmith1126
      @mattsmith1126 Před rokem

      And you call your sister bro

    • @rorytribbet6424
      @rorytribbet6424 Před rokem +1

      It’s not. Idk about everywhere but I’ve lived in Chicago, Boston, and Phoenix and in all of those places they refer to highways as “the”

  • @slowlearner4341
    @slowlearner4341 Před 25 dny

    Hello Lucy. No doubt that it's a highly needed for immigrants and well organized information. As you mentioned, usage of English will refill our lack and hesitations.
    So far your masterpiece is ordering coffee in Starbuck, I do believe. Especially the last few fragments. Stay healthy, you and your spouse. Thank you!

  • @grahamnewton4381
    @grahamnewton4381 Před 6 měsíci

    Always interesting to see the actual rules of the language you use daily but rarely think about why you say things the way you do.

  • @lyndaek99
    @lyndaek99 Před rokem +16

    Its really hard to learn a language without adequate exposure. Even native speakers don't know the rules so trying to learn through rules is really hard. You can learn the basics but after that you just really need to immerse yourself in it.

  • @ionela_andreea30
    @ionela_andreea30 Před rokem +4

    Hi, Lucy💜! I hope you're doing well. I recommend you do a ROLE-PLAY Dialogue, I find them useful. Does anyone think the same???? As always your lesson was incredibly useful. Thank you! ❤

  • @lsittig
    @lsittig Před 4 dny

    Excellent as always. It got me thinking about how it’s a bit hard to hear the long e sound in many common uses before a vowel sound, because the long vowel is unstressed, which is not typically true of long vowels. So if I say, “The eggs were overcooked,” the long e sound is very brief, though truly a long e. Sometimes the word ‘the’ is stressed, as in “Lucy is the single greatest English teacher on CZcams.” In that case the long e is more drawn out, as a stressed syllable, for emphasis.

  • @user-oc4fu7gp2b
    @user-oc4fu7gp2b Před 4 měsíci

    I can't appreciate how you help me with English. Now, I'm improving my vocabulary and grammar with your videos. You're so helpful and I can understand 70% of your videos without subtitles

    • @stonefireice6058
      @stonefireice6058 Před měsícem

      you wanted to write: I can not appreciate ENOUGH your help ….. vOtherwise your sentence sounds negative.

    • @user-oc4fu7gp2b
      @user-oc4fu7gp2b Před měsícem

      @@stonefireice6058 oh, excuse me

  • @cocosa8131
    @cocosa8131 Před rokem +5

    Lucy is the most beautiful , fun £ entertaining teacher to learn from , thank you for sharing your videos GB!😘🌞

  • @gabriellagirardi4741
    @gabriellagirardi4741 Před rokem +3

    Wonderful lesson, as usual. Thank you very much

  • @jefrreylanga6231
    @jefrreylanga6231 Před rokem

    My best teacher forever. Thanks a bunch for the lesson. I've been improving my English skills.

  • @emregeylani
    @emregeylani Před 9 měsíci

    Lucy you're the sweetest English teacher ever. Thank you!

  • @sandaniwithanage1998
    @sandaniwithanage1998 Před rokem +3

    Well I'm a Sri Lankan and this made me happy! :) Thankyou for the lesson lucy!!

  • @loulytanasri8129
    @loulytanasri8129 Před rokem +3

    😍😍😍😍 I love seeing you around more often . Thanks Lucy

  • @naabhaavaalu
    @naabhaavaalu Před 3 měsíci

    "The" most beautiful English tutor teaching "the" most confusing concept of "the" usage of "the" for "the" non-native speakers of English like me. Thanks a lot Lucy for "the" tutorial.

  • @aportlimitedliabilitycompa6058

    Thank you, Lucy! This was really helpful.

  • @jamesmay5088
    @jamesmay5088 Před rokem +3

    Just another great video from Lucy🎉 Thank you very much❤

  • @hemanthadesilva527
    @hemanthadesilva527 Před rokem +3

    Wow, Super Amazing..! A huge topic in a nutshell. Thank you so much 💖
    Ma'am...!!!

  • @mjustjeanette7026
    @mjustjeanette7026 Před 3 měsíci

    I do this, but I'd never really noticed the different voicing. Yay, I learnt something new today.

  • @ByzantineCalvinist
    @ByzantineCalvinist Před 3 měsíci

    Exception for mountains: the Matterhorn. Canadian usage also follows “in hospital” without the definite article.

  • @matthewbuck5067
    @matthewbuck5067 Před 10 měsíci +14

    As a native English speaker it’s so fun to have our language quirks pointed out. I didn’t even notice how and when we say ‘thah’ and ‘thee’. I think it’s a bit different in Canada but in many ways the same. Love your channel! Very interesting and educational.

  • @czuswoe
    @czuswoe Před rokem +34

    For the Slavic group of languages this is a great help. We use our articles less often and in a different context, so it is always quite a struggle. Thank you!

    • @andriikolesnyk279
      @andriikolesnyk279 Před rokem +6

      The only way for Slavic people (including me) not to be confused with using THE is Grammarly. I bet 90% of native speakers don't know these rules: their usage is based on what "feels" right.

    • @coucouziki4792
      @coucouziki4792 Před rokem +1

      most of them don't even have articles

    • @WhiteNightsCity
      @WhiteNightsCity Před rokem +4

      I didn't know Slavic languages have articles.

    • @TheJykub
      @TheJykub Před rokem +1

      @@WhiteNightsCity We can use demonstrative pronouns if it's necessary to emphasize a particular object for example, "Send me the homework" (talking about one specific homework), we would say, literally "Send me that homework". But yeah, we don't have any single word or words that would function as articles generally speaking

    • @neotokyo5154
      @neotokyo5154 Před rokem +1

      @@WhiteNightsCity I think the Bulgarian language has it (and maybe Slovenian too), but what is used there for the "the" article becomes a suffix for the noun.

  • @High-Tech-Geek
    @High-Tech-Geek Před 16 dny

    This is so weird. I'm a native English speaker and I don't know ANY of these rules. But it's fascinating to hear you go through them and realize that, yes, we adhere to all of them subconsciously. I've heard English is hard to learn, but this helps me realize why, haha!
    And it's "Math", not "Maths", lol. Yes, I'm American.

  • @user-nr9bj6uv7j
    @user-nr9bj6uv7j Před 5 měsíci +1

    Dear Lucy! Thanks a lot for your easy-going explanation of 'THE' topic! Good job! 👍From Russia with (my) love ❤

  • @happylife-pn7ew
    @happylife-pn7ew Před rokem +28

    Hi ma'am, would you please do a video about the whole topics ( from beginners to advanced level) that come under grammar so as to approach it systematically?😊Hope you will see this comment 🙂

    • @artem41k
      @artem41k Před 9 měsíci +1

      I think she has it, but not for free)

  • @alexandermando2286
    @alexandermando2286 Před rokem

    Thanks... You're an amazing and beautiful teacher. Appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication. ❤

  • @tranminhnhat7645
    @tranminhnhat7645 Před 10 měsíci

    I actually had to rewind several times because I was distracted by her perfect golden hair but didn't want to miss a single tip.❤

  • @F16_viper_pilot
    @F16_viper_pilot Před 15 dny +2

    The multiple online grammar checkers I tried either accepted both “She is in the hospital” and “She is in hospital” as correct, or only accepted “She is in the hospital” as correct. I did not find any that flagged “She is in the hospital” as being incorrect.

  • @aromaticsnail
    @aromaticsnail Před rokem +5

    9:25 one of the exceptions: The Hague

  • @revbobuk
    @revbobuk Před 3 měsíci +1

    Controversial - I think there might be (in UK English) a difference in meaning when using 'the' with 'hospital'. I work in a hospital, and I think that if I am talking to somebody on the phone, and they ask me where I am, I might say 'I am in the Hospital'. If I said 'I am in Hospital', they would think I was a patient. Leaving out the 'the' implies I am in hospital as a patient, but including the 'the' implies that I am just talking about the building. Same applies for other institutions: 'I am in school' means I am a student, or a teacher. 'I am in the school' just indicates that I am in the building.

  • @aslfriendship6236
    @aslfriendship6236 Před měsícem

    Just found your channel recently and enjoying listening to your appealing siren voice. Although not much for the as word will listen.

  • @alokbalsekar
    @alokbalsekar Před rokem +4

    I've also observed that "The" is used with places whose name means something:
    The Punjab (The Land of 5 rivers)
    The Ukraine (The Borderlands)
    The Sudan (The Land of the Blacks)
    The Gambia ( As the country is named after the River Gambia)
    The Hague (The Hedge)

    • @binxbolling
      @binxbolling Před 11 měsíci +4

      The Ukraine is now referred to as Ukraine. I never heard the phrases the Gambia or the Sudan.

    • @flatuser
      @flatuser Před 10 měsíci

      @@binxbolling как правильно: на the ukraine или в ukraine?

  • @ribionakzalatoi
    @ribionakzalatoi Před rokem +3

    Hi Lucy, very useful thanks :) I’d like to see a lesson about the word “only”, where to place it in a sentence. I find it very confusing sometimes, since the meaning can change completely. For example, should we say “I only eat vegetables” or “I eat vegetables only”…

    • @noragar
      @noragar Před rokem

      As a native English speaker, I don't interpret any difference between "I only eat vegetables", "I eat only vegetables", and "I eat vegetables only" and I think any would be acceptable based on personal preference. There may be a small difference depending on which word you want to emphasize. If you said "Only I eat vegetables", then that would have a totally different meaning than the other three.

    • @richardofoz2167
      @richardofoz2167 Před 11 měsíci

      So glad to see your comment. That's something that has always bugged me, because so few people place it correctly, producing such ambiguity. Most people place it early in the sentence, widely separated from the thing qualified, and leaving it to the listener to interpret the correct meaning.
      As in "I only eat vegetables" as opposed to sticking them up my ass.

  • @kahokekcomet8091
    @kahokekcomet8091 Před 4 měsíci

    I think the lesson on the is the best the lesson that the the word can have…I mean the best the…oh, what the heck…as an American, I just love THE English people! 😃 Nice job, Lucy!!!

  • @Stefanox36
    @Stefanox36 Před 22 dny

    Thanks. Of course if the following word starts with a silent consonant followed by a vowel, the "thi" pronunciation is used. Example: "The" hour.

  • @unhappykhan
    @unhappykhan Před rokem +3

    Thanks mam for my deeply heart ❤️❤️
    From message Bangladesh Rohingya refugee camp

  • @NotKarolinaL
    @NotKarolinaL Před rokem +3

    You've done a bang up job! 🙂

  • @MahfuzurRahman-wm8vs
    @MahfuzurRahman-wm8vs Před 3 měsíci

    Your style is as charming as you. Your knowledge is as deeper as your look.

  • @stefdimitrovski6206
    @stefdimitrovski6206 Před 9 měsíci

    Great lesson Lucy! Thank you very much for explaining very well the difference! Otherwise, can anyone please send the solutions of the quiz?

  • @gosiakidd5646
    @gosiakidd5646 Před rokem +3

    Never enough of this specific knowledge, thank you! Have lived in Scotland for 20 years, yet I still find the use of articles tricky.
    (Edited) Ps. I work in hospital and I hear my British colleagues say "in the hospital" at times...hmmm ;-)

    • @billps34
      @billps34 Před rokem +1

      That's because it's accepted usage in Standard Scottish English. I'm Scottish, and I say "in the hospital" just like Americans do.

    • @GeraldM_inNC
      @GeraldM_inNC Před rokem

      I could swear my recollection from living in England during the 1980s was that the English say "in hospital".

  • @ajay_ff44
    @ajay_ff44 Před rokem +3

    Salute your teaching pattern 🌹😘🔥🔥

  • @zack_120
    @zack_120 Před 9 měsíci

    Lucys such beautiful pronunciation is because she seems to hold a marble effectively in mouth when speaking.

  • @johntoncinich1176
    @johntoncinich1176 Před 3 měsíci

    I enjoy this. I am American, it is entertaining that I never realized I was using "tha" and "Thee" based on the letter of the next word.

  • @User48729
    @User48729 Před rokem +7

    Very important and interesting, we were waiting for this lesson for long time, thank you very much,
    Lucy, our big other problem is how and when we use "that" could you make a video about it please? 🙏

  • @carolmclean8513
    @carolmclean8513 Před rokem +5

    As a Canadian, I find myself using some British English, some American English, and then, just for the fun of it - the odd French as well because our country is bilingual 😆

  • @tamarleigh
    @tamarleigh Před 9 měsíci

    In rural New England (I’m not sure about other rural areas in the US), I have noticed that the definite article is often used preceding ROAD names but not STREET names. For example, one might say that “Walmart is on Main Street” but “Walmart is on the Bangor Road.” This doesn’t seem to happen in cities, even when the city is in a rural area, but it happens very often in small towns.

  • @lucky-gh5ox
    @lucky-gh5ox Před 9 měsíci

    This is lady is a blessing.

  • @Btsarmyxaesthetic
    @Btsarmyxaesthetic Před rokem +3

    Hi mam I am from india I watch your all videos, I am your biggest fan

  • @sststr
    @sststr Před rokem +4

    A couple of weird exceptions for certain specific universities; Ohio State is officially known as The Ohio State University. And I don't think it's necessarily official, but I have in my head that Johns Hopkins is usually referred to as The Johns Hopkins University. Sure, the word 'university' appears in the name, but not at the beginning, and yet we still say 'the' when talking about them. And if you don't, those Buckeyes will most definitely correct you right there on the spot ;-)

    • @markholm7050
      @markholm7050 Před rokem

      I was about to comment on The Ohio State University. You beat me to it. I think you might be right about Johns Hopkins. I think it’s also The Pennsylvania State University, but that institution is almost universally referred to by the shortened form Penn State. I think another might be The Leland Stanford Jr. University.

    • @vmhanlon
      @vmhanlon Před rokem +1

      I thought saying THE (the version with emphasis) Ohio State University was simply being pretentious and such use is pretty much limited to supporters and alumni. You hear it, for example, when NFL players announce where they went to school. I think the rest of use just say Ohio State as there is only one.
      As for Stanford, I live about a half hour away and know many graduates. I've never heard it referenced to anything but Stanford.

    • @sststr
      @sststr Před rokem

      @@vmhanlon Just saying "Ohio State" is fine, but if you want to use the full name of the university, it is officially with the word "The". It's always been that way since the school was given its current name in 1878. It was literally in the legislation to include the definite article in the name of the school, that is the full legal name.

    • @dankorn
      @dankorn Před 8 měsíci

      ​@@vmhanlon Yes, it's very pretentious. I just call them "Ohio." As in, "Beat Ohio! Go Blue!"

  • @user-so5dj1ln8b
    @user-so5dj1ln8b Před 9 měsíci

    Excellent~~~ I have always confused with "the" although I have the English for more than 30 years. Your lesson is really helpful. Thanks so much.

  • @user-vj8sg2qh3g
    @user-vj8sg2qh3g Před 4 měsíci

    Your lessons is very interesting. Thank you so much for teaching me English language!❤🤗