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