XIII. Jobs and positions

We normally use a/an when we say what job somebody has.

E.g. She's an architect, (NOT She's architect.)

The is not used in titles like Queen Elizabeth, President Lincoln. Compare:

E.g. Queen Elizabeth had dinner with President Kennedy.

The Queen had dinner with the President.

And the is not usually used in the complement of a sentence, when we say that somebody has or gains a unique position (the only one in the organisation).

E.g. Compare:

- They appointed him Head Librarian.

He's a librarian.

- He was elected President in 1879.

I want to see the President.

XIV. Exclamations

We use a/an with singular countable nouns in exclamations after What.

E.g. What a lovely dress! (NOT What lovely dress!)

Note that a/an cannot be used in exclamations with uncountable nouns.

E.g. What nonsense! (NOT What a nonsense!)

What luck! (NOT What a luck!)

XV. Illnesses

The names of illnesses are usually uncountable in standard British English.

The can be used informally before the names of some common illnesses such as the measles, the flu; others have no article.

American usage is different in some cases.

E.g. I think I've got (the) measles.

Have you had appendicitis?

I'm getting toothache. (US ...a toothache.)

Exceptions: a cold, a headache (US also an earache, a backache).

I've got a horrible cold.

Have you got a headache?

XVI. Parts of the body etc

When talking about parts of someone's body, or about their possessions, we usually use possessives, not the.

E.g. Katy broke her arm climbing, (NOT Katy broke the arm climbing.)

He stood in the doorway, his coat over his arm.

(NOT ... the coat over the arm.)

However, when talking about parts of the body we generally prefer the in prepositional phrases related to the object of a clause (or the subject of a passive clause).

E.g. She hit him in the stomach.

Can't you look me in the eye?

He was shot in the leg.

This can also happen in prepositional phrases after be + adjective.

E.g. He's broad across the shoulders.

XVII. Measurements

Note the use of the in measuring expressions beginning with by.

E.g. Do you sell eggs by the kilo or by the dozen?

She drinks cough medicine by the litre.

He sits watching TV by the hour. Can I pay by the month?

A/an is used to relate one measuring unit to another.

E.g. sixty pence a kilo thirty miles an hour {OR ... miles per hour)

twice a week, on average a third of a pint

XVIII. Place names

We use the with these kinds of place names:

seas (the Atlantic)

mountain groups (the Himalayas)

island groups {the West Indies)

rivers {the Rhine)

deserts {the Sahara)

most hotels (the Grand Hotel)

most cinemas and theatres (the Odeon; the Playhouse)

most museums and art galleries (the British Museum; the Frick)

We usually use no article with:

continents, countries, states, counties, departments etc (Africa, Brazil, Texas, Berkshire, Westphalia)

towns (Oxford)

streets (New Street, Willow Road)

lakes (Lake Michigan)

Exceptions: places whose name is (or contains) a common noun like republic, state, union (e.g. the People's Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the United States). Note also the Netherlands, and its seat of government The Hague.

In British English, the is unusual in the titles of the principal public buildings and organisations of a town.

Oxford University (NOT the Oxford University)

Hull Station (NOT the Hull Station)

Salisbury Cathedral

Birmingham Airport

Bristol Zoo

Manchester City Council

Cheltenham Football Club

In American English, the is more often used in such cases.

The San Diego Zoo. The Detroit City Council

Names of single mountains vary. Most have no article.

Everest, Kilimanjaro

But definite articles are usually translated in the English versions of European mountain names, except those beginning LeMont.

The Meije (= La Meije), The Matterhorn (= Das Matterhorn)