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