Why is the article "the" used with "population?" [closed]
Why do we need an article before "population?" Why is "the" the correct article to use in the following sentence?
The population is suffering.
Solution 1:
I recommend that you read THIS or THIS if you want to learn more about articles.
There are three things that I will address in this answer: which articles we can use with "population," when to use each article, and when we need an article.
Which articles can be used with "population" and when should each one be used?
There are two types of articles: definite and indefinite.
Definite articles are used to refer to a specific noun. The only definite article is "the."
For example:
There is a child who is 5 years old. The child goes to the store. [we are talking about a specific child]
Indefinite articles are used to refer to an unknown noun. The two indefinite articles are "a" and "an." "An" is used for nouns that begin with a vowel sound (e.g. apple, x-ray [pronounced "ex-ray"]). "A" is used for words that begin with a consonant sound (e.g. book, laptop).
For example:
I want to eat an apple. [not a specific apple, any apple]
OR
I want to eat a sandwich. [not a specific sandwich, any sandwhich]
Therefore, "population" would be accompanied by either "a" or "the," depending on its context.
When is an article needed?
"Population" is a countable noun, which means that you can have one population, two populations, etc. An uncountable noun would be something similar to "music" or "happiness."
Countable nouns always require articles (either definite/"the" or indefinite/"a"/"an" when they are in their singular forms.
For example:
The population of China is growing rapidly.
OR
Members of a population live in the same geographical location.
However, countable nouns do not always require articles when plural; you only need to use an article to refer to a specific group. For example:
Populations are groups of people in the same area.
OR
The populations described earlier [in a lecture or text] are rapidly growing.