Theme: Article Plan: Artical types Crosslinguistic variation

The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.

• 
  "I love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I love to sail over water" (any water).
  
• 
  "He spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you bought earlier that day) or "He spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk).
  

"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.

• 
  "I need a bottle of water."
  
• 
  "I need a new glass of milk."
  

Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a water," unless you're implying, say, a bottle of water.

GEOGRAPHICAL USE OF THE

There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns.
Do not use the before:

• 
  names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States
  
• 
  names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami
  
• 
  names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
  
• 
  names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes
  
• 
  names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn
  
• 
  names of continents (Asia, Europe)
  
• 
  names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
  

Do use the before:

• 
  names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific
  
• 
  points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole
  
• 
  geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
  
• 
  deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula
  

OMISSION OF ARTICLES

Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:

• 
  Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian (unless you are referring to the population of the nation: "The Spanish are known for their warm hospitality.")
  
• 
  Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
  
• 
  Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science