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