articles: talking in general

1 We do not use the with uncountable or plural nouns to talk about things in general — to talk about all books, all people or all life, for example. The never means 'all'.

Compare:

• Did you remember to buy the books⁷ (= particular books which I asked you to buy)


• Books are expensive. (NOT The books are expensive. We are talking about books in general — all books.)


• I'm studying the Hie of Beethoven. (= one particular life)


• Life is hard. (NOT The life .... This means 'all life'.)


• 'Where's the cheese? ' I ate it:'


• Cheese is made from milk.


• Could you put the light on?


• Light travels at 300,000 km a second.

2 Sometimes we talk about things in general by using a singular noun as an example.
We use a/an with the noun (meaning 'any').

• A baby deer can stand as soon as it is born.


• A child needs plenty of love.

We can also use the with a singular countable noun in generalizations (but not with plural or uncountable nouns — see 1 above).
This is common with the names of scientific instruments and inventions, and musical instruments.

• Life would be quieter without the telephone


• The violin is more difficult than the piano.

3 These common expressions have a general meaning:
the town, the country, the sea, the seaside, the mountains, the rain, the wind, the sun(shine).

• I prefer the mountains to the sea


• I hate the rain
  


• Would you rather live in the town or the country?


• We usually go to the seaside for our holidays.


• I like lying in the sun(shine)
  


• I like the noise of the wind.