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