How do you use the in a sentence?

Use “the” in a sentence to modify a specific version of a noun. Anytime your reader knows the exact noun you mean, use the definite article “the” or any other determiner besides the indefinite articles “a” or “an” (which are for general versions of nouns).

“The” can modify nouns that are singular, plural, countable, or uncountable. Some examples of “the” in a sentence include the following:

  • Nick baked the cake for Sarah’s birthday. [Singular, countable noun]
  • Please fold all of the shirts in this basket. [Plural, countable noun]
  • The soap in your bathroom smells like lavender. [Uncountable noun]

When you’re writing sentences with “the,” QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.