the these

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the these" is not correct and usable in written English.
It is a combination of two demonstrative pronouns that creates redundancy and confusion. Example: "I don't understand why you would say the these items are necessary."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But the these companies face guilt by association in an atmosphere of diminishing user trust.

The New York Times

Some of the these banks cannot lend profitably and have toxic debts on an epic scale.

The Guardian - Opinion

But each of the these four strands could be found no matter what subject was being discussed.

The New York Times - Arts

But it was as if he was incapable of saying 'no' to the these women who gathered around him.

The Guardian - Books

(I reviewed "The Book of J" in the these pages in 1990).

The New York Times - Books

HOW do the these figures relate to other stock market measures?

The New York Times

Today's elections will be the real test of the capacity of the political class to respond innovatively to the these demands.

The Guardian - Opinion

Mr. Mills has repeatedly warned Mr. Levy that those teachers could not remain in the these schools, but he did not threaten legal action until yesterday.

The New York Times

None of the these are "hard" categories — which is to say that we couldn't resist sticking a few likely books in unlikely places.

The Guardian - Books

Even the way that writers deploy simple pairs of words—"and" and "the," "these" and "then," "what" and "but"—is often enough to identify them.

The New Yorker

Some survivors were wishing death on the these men, he said, while others just wanted their daughters, cousins, aunts and nieces to be brought back.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "the these" in your writing. Choose either "the" followed by a noun or "these" followed by a noun for correct grammar.

Common error

Don't combine the definite article "the" directly with the demonstrative pronoun "these". This creates redundancy because "these" already indicates specific items. Instead, use either "the items" or "these items".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the these" functions incorrectly as a determiner attempting to specify particular items. As Ludwig AI indicates, this construction is ungrammatical due to the redundant use of "the" with the demonstrative pronoun "these". While examples exist, they represent errors in usage rather than correct grammatical function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

38%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "the these" is a grammatically incorrect construction that combines a definite article with a demonstrative pronoun. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, this redundancy makes the phrase ungrammatical, even though it appears frequently across various sources, including news, science, and wiki articles. To correct this error, use either "these items" or "the items" depending on the specific context. While "the these" aims to specify particular items, its incorrectness undermines its effectiveness. Therefore, it's best to avoid "the these" in formal writing and opt for grammatically sound alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

these

Omits the article "the", resulting in a grammatically correct demonstrative pronoun indicating specific items.

the aforementioned items

Combines "the" with "aforementioned items" for enhanced specificity.

the aforementioned

Replaces "these" with a more formal term referring back to items previously mentioned.

the indicated

Uses "indicated" to specify items being referred to, often in a formal or technical context.

the specified

Substitutes "specified" for "these", emphasizing that the items have been precisely identified.

the particular

Emphasizes the distinctiveness of the items being referred to.

the following

Introduces a list or group of items that will be subsequently named.

those

Changes the demonstrative pronoun to "those", potentially altering the proximity implied (further away than "these").

the relevant

Highlights the importance or pertinence of the items in question.

the items in question

A more explicit way of referring to items under discussion.

FAQs

Why is "the these" considered grammatically incorrect?

The construction "the these" is incorrect because it combines a definite article ("the") with a demonstrative pronoun ("these") in a way that is redundant. "These" already indicates specific items, making the addition of "the" unnecessary.

What are some correct ways to refer to specific items instead of using "the these"?

Instead of "the these", you can use "these items" or "the items". The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the demonstrative aspect (using "these") or simply refer to specific items already known or mentioned (using "the").

In what contexts might I mistakenly use "the these"?

People might mistakenly use "the these" in informal speech or writing, especially when trying to emphasize or specify a particular group of items. However, it is important to correct this usage in formal writing to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Are there any situations where a phrase similar to "the these" would be correct?

No, there are no standard grammatical situations where the exact phrase "the these" would be considered correct. It's always better to opt for alternatives like "these items" or "the items" depending on the intended meaning and context.