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