Complete the following sentences. This grammar exercise tests your understanding of rules regarding the use of articles.
1. We are having .......................... weather.
Weather is an uncountable noun. We cannot use the articles a/an with it.
2. Have you got ............................ for dry skin?
Sometimes uncountable nouns are treated as countable to express the meaning 'a type of'.
3. We have made ............................. progress.
Progress is an uncountable noun and it cannot be used with the article a.
4. The applicant should be able to speak ..................
5. We haven't seen ......................... in days.
We use the article 'the' to talk about something unique.
6. How did ....................... first discover fire?
The noun 'man' is commonly used to mean 'the human race'. No articles are used in this case.
7. ...................... have their own language and culture.
The Irish means all people belonging to Ireland.
8. My children like ............................. but I prefer ...........................
9. ............................ are losing hope.
The unemployed means all unemployed people.
10. This engine does not use ......................
11. ............................... is quite complicated.
No article is used when we talk about the whole of life.
12. I am studying ........................ of Lincoln.
We use the article 'the' here because we are talking about one particular life.
Answers
1. We are having awful weather.
2. Have you got a cold cream for dry skin?
3. We have made good progress.
4. The applicant should be able to speak good English.
5. We haven’t seen the sun in days.
6. How did man first discover fire?
7. The Irish have their own language and culture.
8. My children like the sea but I prefer the mountains.
9. The unemployed are losing hope.
10. This engine does not use petrol.
11. Life is quite complicated.
12. I am studying the life of Lincoln.
