(1)表示特指
特指某人或物，包括特指上文提到过的人或物，特指说话双方都知道的人或物，特指限定性定语所修饰的人或物，等等。如：
the English of Shakespeare 莎士比亚时代的英语
the English spoken in America and Canada 在美国和加拿大讲的英语
the literature of the day 当代文学
the classical literature of France 法国古典文学
One drives a car or a taxi, and the passengers ride in it. 汽车或出租汽车都是一人开车，乘客们坐在车里面。
We have a cat and two dogs. The cat is black and the dogs are white. 我们养了一只猫和两只狗，猫是黑的，狗是白的。
(2)表示独一无二
用在世界上“独一无二”的事物的名词前。如：
The sun went behind a bank of clouds. 太阳钻到云堆里去了。
There were masses of dark clouds in the sky. 天空布满团团乌云。
Copernicus concluded that the earth goes round the sun. 哥白尼断定地球围绕太阳旋转。
In the distant future people may live on the moon. 在遥远的将来人们可能会生活在月球上。
(3)用于最高级前
He's the best man for the job. 他是最适合做这项工作的人。
The best thing for you would be to forget it. 你最好是把这事儿忘了。
What's the farthest place you've ever been to? 你到过的最远地方是哪儿?
The nearest post office is about half a mile along [up, down] the road. 最近的邮局要沿着这条路大约走半英里。
The Amazon is among the most famous rivers in the world. 亚马孙河是世界最有名的河流之一。www.yingyuyufa.com
The most important purpose of first aid is to save someone's life. 急救最重要的目的是救人性命。
On this hill were built the most splendid buildings of the city. 这座山上盖了全市最富丽的建筑。
(4)用于序数词或方位词之前
We especially enjoyed the third act of the play. 我们特别喜欢戏的第3幕。
This is the fourth win of the season. 这是他们本赛季第4次获胜。
The first step in the procedure for making a kite is to build a frame. 做风筝第一步是要先做骨架。
He didn't really contribute much to the game in the second half. 他在比赛的下半场确实没发挥太大的作用。
This is the fifth time you've asked me the same question. 你问我同样的问题这已经是第5次了。
(5)用于乐器名词前
表示相应乐器的演奏。如：
They then asked him to play the violin. 于是他们请他拉小提琴。
My brother plays the drums in a band. 我的弟弟在一个乐队里打鼓。
When he plays the piano, his heart and soul is in it. 他弹钢琴时，全神贯注。
He plays the violin, I mean the viola, really well. 他拉小提琴，不，我是说中提琴，拉得很好。
He plays the violin in a symphony orchestra. 他在交响乐队拉小提琴。
It was considerate of you not to play the piano while I was asleep. 在我睡觉时你不弹钢琴，你真是体贴人。
(6)表示人体部位
用于某些介词短语中指身体的某个部位。如：
He was hit on the head. 他被击中头部。
She held the child by the hand. 她抓住小孩的手。
He gave me a clap on the back. 他在我背上拍了一下。
He fell down and got a bang on the head. 他摔倒了，脑袋狠狠地撞了一下。
The two players clapped each other on the back. 两个选手互相拍了拍对方的背。
(7)用于表示一家人
用于在姓氏的复数形式之前表示一家人或夫妇二人。如：
The Whites have gone for a holiday on the Continent. 怀特一家去欧洲大陆度假了。
The Smiths live three doors down from us. 史密斯一家与我家隔了3户。
The Smiths live (three miles) east of the town. 史密斯一家住在城镇东面 (3英里的地方)。
The Lamberts liked their new home, although they missed their friends. 兰伯特一家喜欢他们的新家，可是他们又想念他们的朋友们。
(8)用于表示一类人
His concern for the poor is only a pose. 他对穷人的关心只不过是做做样子罢了。
We shared out food and clothing to the poor. 我们把食品与衣服分给穷人。
The poor get poorer and the rich get richer. 穷者愈穷，富者愈富。
We demand that the rich shall pay for them. 我们要求富人为它们付款。
He stole from the rich to give to the poor. 他偷富人的东西去接济穷人。
The number of the unemployed is still increasing. 失业的人还在增加。
The unemployed lead a hard life. 失业的人过着艰难的生活。
(9)用于江河湖海等前
用于江河湖海、山脉群岛、海湾海峡等地理名词前。如：
The Yangtse River is one of the arteries of traffic in China. 长江是中国的要道之一。
The Huang He River is the cradle of Chinese culture. 黄河是中国文化的摇篮。
The Missouri River flows eastward into the Mississippi. 密苏里河向东流入密西西比河。
The Changjiang River irrigates vast stretches of farmland along its course. 长江灌溉着两岸的大片农田。
The Red Sea separates [divides] Africa from Asia. 红海把非洲和亚洲分开。
The Mediterranean Sea bathes the shore of Italy. 地中海环抱着意大利的海岸。
People always associate Hangzhou with the West Lake. 提起杭州，人们就联想到西湖。
The Dead Sea is below sea level. 死海在海平面以下。
They've gone to the West Lake for boating. 他们到西湖划船去了。
Bowness is on Lake Windermere. 鲍内斯位于温德米尔湖畔。
(10)用于某些含有普通名词的专有名词前
用于某些国名、组织机构、建筑物、报纸杂志、会议条约等含有普通名词与其他词构成的专有名词。如：
I shall never forget seeing the Great Wall for the first time. 我永不会忘记第一次看见长城的情景。
The ambassador made forceful representations to the White House. 该大使向白宫提出了强烈抗议。
I visited the White House a week after my arrival in the United States. 我到达美国一周后参观了白宫。
August the first is the Army Day of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. 8月1日是中国人民解放军的建军节。
(11)用于整十的复数数词前
表示几十年代。如：
She was born in the fifties. 她生于50年代。
He was a superstar of the fifties. 他是一位50年代的超级明星。
He went to Japan with his family in the sixties. 他在60年代带家人去了日本。
(12)用于比较级前
用于“the+比较级，the+比较级”结构中表示“越……就越……”。如：
The slower you drive, the safer you are. 车开得越慢就越安全。
The better I know him, the more respect do I have for him. 我越是了解他，就越尊敬他。
The more expensive petrol becomes, the less people drive. 汽油越贵，开车的人就越少。
The more you know, the more you'll realize how little you know. 你知道得越多，你就越会体会到你知道得那么有限。
(13)用于国籍名词前表总称
用于“the+某些国籍的形容词”中表示某国人的总称。如：
The French like to eat well. 法国人很讲究吃。
The French are said to have a special sense of beauty. 法国人据说具有特殊的审美观。
The British drink a lot of tea. 英国人喝很多茶。
The British are said to have an unusual sense of humour. 据说英国人有一种特殊的幽默感。
The French like to eat well. 法国人很讲究吃。
The French are said to have a special sense of beauty. 法国人据说具有特殊的审美观。
(14)用于集合名词前表总称
用于“the + police / public等集合名词”中表示这类人的总称。如：
The police are on the hunt for further clues. 警方正进一步寻找线索。
The police have nothing concrete to go on. 警方没有任何确实的东西作依据。
The public should be educated in how to use energy more effectively. 应教育公众更有效地利用能源。
(16)用于修饰same, only, very等形容词
即用于“the same / only / very +名词”结构中。如：
He is the very person for the work. 他是最适合做这工作的人。
This is the only example that I know. 我知道的例子只有这一个。
Those are the very words that he used. 那是他的原话。
Personal abuse was the only payment he got for his efforts. 他努力所得只是一顿臭骂。
She must be more reasonable but by the same token you must try to understand her. 她得讲点理，可你也得尽量体谅她。
(17)用于单位名词前表标标准
即用于“单位词”（hour, day, month, year, dozen, gallon, ton, yard等）前表示标准，相当于汉语的“按”“论”“每”等。如：
We hire out vans by the day. 我们按日出租客货车。
The eggs are sold by the dozen. 鸡蛋按打出售。
Do you sell eggs by the kilo or by the dozen? 鸡蛋怎么卖，论公斤，还是论打?
但是，by weight（按重量）习惯上不用冠词。如：
Do you charge carriage by weight? 你们按重量收运费吗?
Are bananas sold by weight or at how much a piece? 香蕉是按重量出售, 还是按多少钱一根出售?
