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