Using THE

1. Using a:
Do not use a or an before uncountable nouns as:
Bread, milk, information, advice, money, paper, news, 
furniture, hair, weather...

We say a ... when there are many things and we have one of them.

2.Using THE:
We say:

The: When it is clear which thing or person we mean:
The top of, the end of, the same, the country, ....
The police, the fire department, the army
The musical instruments,
The radio, but television (turn off the TV)
Or for a second mention:
A cat has eaten a mouse. The mouse had eaten some cheese.

 

Use The for:

Names of oceans, seals, rivers, canals
Names + of 
Example:
-------
the university of Caracas.
 North, south, east, west, middle (of)....
Islands, mountains (plural names) and:
Example:
-------
The Netherlands, The United States, The United Kingdom.

 

3. Do not use The for:

General ideas: Music, meat, life, water, exams, letters, 
games and sports, languages or academic subjects...
Name of places (continents, countries, provinces, states, 

islands, cities, towns...)
But:  The + republic, kingdom, states, union...
 Streets, roads, avenues, squares...
Name of (person, place) + airport, station, university
 But The + names of hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums...
 Dinner, breakfast, lunch


4.Don’t use the or a:

Go, get, arrive, come, walk, leave home. 
But to be, to stay home or at home.
Go to, get to, be at, start, finish work
Go to, be at, start, graduate from school
Go to; be in: prison, college, bed