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