Fill in the blanks with an article. In some cases, no article is required.
1. I have lost ……………….. pen you lent me.
Correct!
Wrong!
We are talking about a particular pen here; hence, use the.
2. Let’s watch ……………… movie.
Correct!
Wrong!
Either could be used here with slightly different meanings. When we say 'a movie', it can be any movie. To talk about a particular movie, we use 'the'.
3. The cow is ………………… very useful animal.
Correct!
Wrong!
4. Sam is …………………… brightest student in ………….. class.
Correct!
Wrong!
Use the with superlative adjectives.
5. This is ………………… biggest city I have ever visited.
Correct!
Wrong!
Use the with superlatives.
6. Armstrong was ……………….. first man to walk on the moon.
Correct!
Wrong!
Use the with first, second etc.
7. …………………. last chapter of this book is very exciting.
Correct!
Wrong!
8. …………………. man is mortal.
Correct!
Wrong!
When man means 'the human race', it is used without an article.
9. ……………….. life is complicated.
Correct!
Wrong!
We do not normally use articles with uncountable nouns when we are talking about things in general.
10. What kind of ………………… fruit is this?
Correct!
Wrong!
Here the noun fruit is used in its widest sense. No article is used in this case.
11. Give me ………………… call when you are ready.
Correct!
Wrong!
12. ………………… rich are getting richer.
Correct!
Wrong!
The rich means all rich people.
Answers
- I have lost the pen you lent me.
- Let’s watch a/the movie.
- The cow is a very useful animal.
- Sam is the brightest student in the class.
- This is the biggest city I have ever visited.
- Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon.
- The last chapter of this book is very exciting.
- Man is mortal.
- Life is complicated.
- What kind of fruit is this?
- Give me a call when you are ready.
- The rich are getting richer.
