The Yangtze River — rivers take the (GiU Unit 77)
The frame
Section titled “The frame”The Yangtze River is the longest in China. ✓
Take the — natural features
Section titled “Take the — natural features”| category | the? | example |
|---|---|---|
| rivers | ✓ | the Yangtze, the Nile, the Thames |
| seas / oceans | ✓ | the Pacific, the Mediterranean |
| canals | ✓ | the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal |
| deserts | ✓ | the Sahara, the Gobi |
| mountain ranges | ✓ | the Alps, the Himalayas |
| groups of islands | ✓ | the Seychelles, the Bahamas |
No the — single features & most places
Section titled “No the — single features & most places”| category | the? | example |
|---|---|---|
| lakes | ✗ | Lake Tai, Lake Baikal |
| single mountains | ✗ | Mount Fuji, Kilimanjaro |
| single islands | ✗ | Madagascar, Bali |
| countries/cities | ✗ | China, Japan, Shanghai |
Rule of thumb: collectives (ranges, groups, plural/chain-like features) → the. Single individual features → no the. Rivers occupy a weird middle (“the X River” — the named watercourse convention), always the.
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, Unit 77 — Names with and without the 1. Ebot lesson 2026-09-05.