View Single Post
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 10-Jan-2004, 12:07
Tdol Tdol is offline
Editor, UsingEnglish.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: UK
Posts: 25,397
Current Location: Phnom Penh
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 6
Thanked 393 Times in 353 Posts
Tdol has disabled reputation
Default Re: Use of 'The' with body parts

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan
I have read somewhere that we usually use 'the' when we talk about body parts, for example - 'The brain is the most important organ in the body.'

My question is: Do we also use 'the' with other body parts (in plurals) such as legs, arms, fingernails, ears, eyes, body cells, kidneys, red blood cells, etc.?

? The fingernails are made of a type of protein called keratin.
? Fingernails are made of a type of protein called keratin.

Thanks
Ryan
I agree with Red about the plurals, but would also add that when we are talking about our own body, or a specific persons, we generally use possessive adjectives: He's been having troubles with his kidneys recently.

Reply With Quote