MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH

Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end


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

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)