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Use of the Article: Special cases

Use of the Article: Special cases
Activity Drag&Drop
Activity Drag&Drop
Pracise some special cases in the use of the English article. Complete the blanks with the best option available.
 

Content preview

Instructions

Click on the words at the bottom and drag them into the empty boxes of the sentence to complete it.
 

SPECIAL USES OF "THE"



THE  + adjectives

We use THE with adjectives to talk about general groups of people having that quality (you don’t need a noun). In this case we use a plural verb.  

- The young = the young people
- The homeless are specially vulnerable in winter
- Do you think the rich should pay more taxes to help the poor?
 
More common examples:  the young / the old / the elderly / the poor / the unemployed / the homeless /  the sick / the disabled / the injured / the dead

We also use this same construction with some nationality adjectives with no equivalent noun:
 
- The British are worried about violence in schools
- There was a conflict between the English and the Welsh
 
Other nationalities have a noun, so they don't use that construction:
- Germans are interested in new markets (not: The German are...)
- Russians have a very complicated history
- Spaniards have one of the best public health systems in the world


SPECIAL USES OF "A"



We use A meaning "per" (distributive)

- That’s two pounds a kilo = that's two pounds per kilo (every kilo is two pounds, so 3 kilos is 6 pounds)

- He was driving at sixty miles an hour
- I go to the cinema twice a month (= two times every month)
 
Before singular count nouns in exclamations.

- What a day!  (countable singular)
- What a pretty girl!  (countable singular)
but:
- What nice weather!  (uncountable)
- What pretty girls!  (countable plural)

exception: What a pity! (uncountable)
 
We often suppress the article (or possessive) after the conjunction "and" in a pair of things that often go together.

- I need a knife and fork
- He went out with a raincoat and umbrella
- Those are the king and queen
- My uncle and aunt came to visit me
but:
- I found a hat and a camera in the car  (not: a hat and camera)

Items

Gapped text Items
He always drives at 100 kilometres ______________________ hour the / an / -- / a
I need ______________________ knife and ______________________ fork an / -- / a / a / -- / the / an / the
I see him once ______________________ year -- / every the / an / in the / a / the
We visit my grandmother twice ______________________ week an / a / -- / the
That is a special law for ______________________ the disableds / the disabled / disableds
It's three pounds ______________________ a kilo / the kilo / the kilos
I've got a friend ______________________ in Dorset and a cousin / and cousin
There's no rest for ______________________ (weary = tired) the weary / the wearies
______________________ sister are on a trip My father and my / My father and the / My father and
______________________ are very warm Spanish people / The Spanish / The Spanish people
______________________ are very friendly The Spanish / Spaniards
______________________ are always on time The German / Germans
______________________ are very polite The Britishes / The British people / Britishes / The British
______________________ ______________________ very poor people is / The homeless / Homelesses / are
______________________ Irish have a different accent Irishes / The Irishes / The Irish people / -- / The
______________________ had a new baby The king and queen / King and queen / King and the queen / The king and the queen
In our society there is a problem between ______________________ and ______________________ the rich people / the riches / the rich / the poors / the poor / the poor people
They dine out three times ______________________ month every a / a / for a / the / every the / for / --
What ______________________ dirty shirt! -- / the / a
What ______________________ horrible car! -- / the / a
What ______________________ nice day! the / a / --
What ______________________ strange man! -- / the / a
What ______________________ cold weather! a / -- / the / an
What ______________________ excellent wine! the / -- / a / an
What ______________________ hot tea! a / the / an / --
What ______________________ interesting animals! an / the / -- / a
What ______________________ nice people! the / an / a / --
What ______________________ noisy children! a / an / the / --
What ______________________ white milk! an / a / -- / the
______________________ have many problems to find a job now The young / Youngs / The youngs / Young
She brought comfort to ______________________ the sicks / the sick / sicks / sick
We meet once ______________________ year a / the / for a / for / for the / an
You must check this counter three times ______________________ day for a / in / the / for the / in the / a
This light flashes three times ______________________ second every the / at a / a / for the / the / in the
______________________ dad live down the street Mum and my / My mum and / My mum and my
You're not coming? Oh, what ______________________ pity! the / an / -- / a
It was a terrible accident, but the injured ______________________ better is / are
The elderly ______________________ a lot of money in health care spend / spends
Total number of items: 38
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