Articles with Names of People, Buildings and Places
Most names of people, buildings, streets, parks, and similar places use no article. However, some names use the because it is part of their official name or because the name contains a common noun.
Zero article
We usually use no article when the name itself identifies a specific person or place.
- With people's names and titles + names:
Mr Johnson, Doctor Smith, Uncle Tom - With streets, roads, squares, parks, and avenues:
Oxford Street, Times Square, Hyde Park, Fifth Avenue - With places where the first word is already a name (person or place):
Cambridge University, Victoria Station, London Zoo
The
We use the with some buildings, organisations, and other names when it is part of the official name.
- With many hotels, museums, theatres, cinemas, galleries, restaurants, and famous buildings:
the Hilton, the British Museum, the National Theatre, the White House - With names containing of:
the Tower of London
the Bank of England - With newspapers and many organisations:
the Times, the Sun, the European Union - With family names when we mean the whole family:
the Browns
Important exceptions
- Some buildings use no article:
Buckingham Palace - Some universities have two official forms:
Cambridge University
the University of Cambridge
Quick reference
- No article → people's names and titles, streets, parks, squares, and places whose first word is already a name.
Mr Johnson, Hyde Park, Oxford Street, Cambridge University - The → many hotels, museums, theatres, newspapers, organisations, famous buildings, names with of, and family names.
the British Museum, the Tower of London, the European Union, the Browns - Remember: Some official names are exceptions, for example Buckingham Palace (no article) but the White House.
