Is the a common or proper noun or neither?

Answer 1

The word 'the' is not a noun.

The word 'the' is an article (also called a determiner), used before a noun to limit or specify that noun.

A noun is a word for a person, a place, or a thing.

The articles are:

• the, a definite article used to specify a noun as a specific one.
• a, an indefinite article used before a word that starts with a consonant sound to specify a noun as any one.
• an, an indefinite article used before a word that starts with a vowel sound to specify a noun as any one.

EXAMPLES

• Give the note to the teacher. (a specific teacher, either known to the speaker and listener or mentioned in a previous sentence)
• Give the note to a teacher. (any teacher; the noun 'teacher' starts with a consonant sound)
• Give the note to an appropriate teacher. (any teacher; the adjective 'appropriate' starts with a vowel sound; even though the noun 'teacher' starts with a consonant sound, the word following the article starts with a vowel sound and that is what determines which is used, 'a' or 'an')