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