This exercise tests your knowledge of articles. Complete the following sentences using a, an or the. In some cases, no articles are needed.
1If you are really hungry, you can eat ............... apple.
Wrong!
Use "an" before a vowel sound in the singular count noun phrase "an apple".
2She went on to become ............... successful playback singer.
Wrong!
Use "a" before the consonant sound in "successful" when introducing one person.
3............... library on the corner has an amazing collection of storybooks.
Wrong!
Use "The" because the phrase "on the corner" identifies a specific library.
4I don’t speak ............... Hindi very well, but I can make myself understood.
Wrong!
Use "no article" before the name of a language used in a general sense.
5She is ............... prettiest girl I have ever seen.
Wrong!
Use "the" with a superlative adjective such as "prettiest".
6"Where is ............... cheese?" "I ate it."
Wrong!
Use "the" because the speaker and listener know which cheese is meant.
7Move ............... books off that chair and sit down.
Wrong!
Use "the" because the books are specific books on that chair.
8............... Irish have their own language.
Wrong!
Use "The" with nationality adjectives when referring to a people as a group.
9............... life is complicated.
Wrong!
Use "no article" with the abstract noun "life" when speaking generally.
10I am writing ............... book on Indian mythology.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "a" and "the" are possible: "a" introduces an unspecified book, while "the" refers to a specific known book.
Answers
- If you are really hungry, you can eat an apple.
- She went on to become a successful playback singer.
- The library on the corner has an amazing collection of storybooks.
- I don’t speak no article Hindi very well, but I can make myself understood.
- She is the prettiest girl I have ever seen.
- “Where is the cheese?” “I ate it.”
- Move the books off that chair and sit down.
- The Irish have their own language.
- no article life is complicated.
- I am writing a / the book on Indian mythology.
