The earth

[Rachel Adams]

This sentence is from a page on Facebook. I noticed that sometimes there is no "the" before "earth"? When is it compulsory?

"Should I worry about an asteroid hitting earth?"

I added another sentence. It's from "Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories" by Casey Malarcher.
"A long time ago, dinosaurs lived on earth."

 

[emsr2d2]

It's compulsory when you're not using "Earth" as a proper noun. There are two ways to refer to this planet:

1. the earth (definite article, no uppercase letters)
2. Earth (uppercase E, no article)

In both your quoted sentences, the writer (or at least the editor) should have capitalised "Earth".

 

[Tarheel]

Mars, Venus, and the other planets have names that are capitalized. Earth deserves to be capitalized too.

 

[Rachel Adams]

It's compulsory when you're not using "Earth" as a proper noun. There are two ways to refer to this planet:

1. the earth (definite article, no uppercase letters)
2. Earth (uppercase E, no article)

In both your quoted sentences, the writer (or at least the editor) should have capitalised "Earth".

So it's either "Earth" or "the earth" not just "earth" as in their examples.

"Should I worry about an asteroid hitting the earth?" or "Earth."

"A long time ago, dinosaurs lived on the earth" or "Earth."

 

[Tarheel]

A long time ago dinosaurs lived on Earth.
Should I worry about an asteroid hitting Earth?

It's interesting how those sentences go together.

(If you want to be sure people know you're talking about the planet ....)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It's also a small e and no article when it means dirt, soil: "I put the seeds in the ground and covered them with earth."

Interestingly, "unearth" is always verb, but "earth" is never a verb.

 

[jutfrank]

"earth" is never a verb.

My electrician friend would disagree.

(Almost) never say 'never' on this forum, Charlie! You can be sure that someone will jump on you. :-D

 

[GoesStation]

It's "ground" in American English.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

My electrician friend would disagree.

(Almost) never say 'never' on this forum, Charlie! You can be sure that someone will jump on you. :-D

Got me good! Thanks. I needed that.