Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles. Each question is followed by three answer choices. Choose the most appropriate one.
1Gold is ............... precious metal.
Wrong!
Use "a" before a singular countable noun phrase beginning with the consonant sound /p/.
2Honest men speak ............... truth.
Wrong!
Use "the" in the fixed expression "the truth".
3He looks as stupid as ............... owl.
Wrong!
Use "an" before a singular noun beginning with a vowel sound.
4I would like to meet Brad Pitt, ............... actor.
Wrong!
Use "the" when "actor" identifies Brad Pitt as a specific, well-known person.
5What did you do with ............... camera I lent you?
Wrong!
Use "the" because "camera I lent you" identifies a specific camera.
6He is going out with ............... German girl.
Wrong!
Use "a" before "German girl" because it begins with the consonant sound /dʒ/.
7He remained ............... bachelor all his life.
Wrong!
Use "a" before the singular countable noun "bachelor" when speaking generally about his status.
8"What is that noise?" "I think it is ............... helicopter."
Wrong!
Use "a" before "helicopter" because the initial sound is a consonant sound.
9I waited for ............... hour, and then I went home.
Wrong!
Use "an" before "hour" because the initial h is silent and the word begins with a vowel sound.
10She showed me ............... one-pound coin.
Wrong!
Use "a" before "one-pound coin" because "one" begins with the consonant sound /w/.
Answers
- Gold is a precious metal.
- Honest men speak the truth.
- He looks as stupid as an owl.
- I would like to meet Brad Pitt, the actor.
- What did you do with the camera I lent you?
- He is going out with a German girl.
- He remained a bachelor all his life.
- “What is that noise?” “I think it is a helicopter.”
- I waited for an hour, and then I went home.
- She showed me a one-pound coin.
