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Articles
English Grammar
What are articles?
In English grammar, the articles are "a," "an," and "the." They define whether something is specific or unspecific.
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(1) The Definite Article ("The").
"The" is called the definite article. It defines its noun as something specific (e.g., something previously mentioned or known, something unique, something being identified by the speaker). e.g.,This is the lake I told you.
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(2) The Indefinite Article ("A" or "An").
"A" and "an" are called the indefinite articles. They define their noun as something unspecific (e.g., something generic, something mentioned for the first time).
e.g., This is a lake.
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1. _____ tiger is a ferocious animal.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
the
*the definite article should be used to denote (to show) a class or group.
2. What kind of _____ bird is this.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
no article
*no article should be used after kind of, sort of etc
3. Kalidasa is _____ Shakespeare of India.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
the
*the definite article can be used in front of proper nouns to compare and qualify another proper noun.
4. He was ___ first person to arrive.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
the
*the definite article should be used before ordinal adjectives; first, second, third, last, latter, next etc
5.______ gold is a precious metal.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
no article
*no article should be used before material nouns; metals, wood, stone, plastic etc.
6. He is _______ university player.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
a
*The indefinite article 'a' should be used before words beginning with vowels that have a consonant sound.
7. ______ breakfast will be ready at 8 O' clock.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
no article
* no article should be used before names of meals, festivals, games, diseases, etc.
8. She is _____ LIC agent.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
an
* an is used before abbreviations pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning
9. He is ______ second Newton.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
a
* when a proper noun is treated as a common noun, a/an must be used before it.
10. He has been in ____ hospital for two days.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
no article
* when a building or place refers to its primary purpose, no article should be used before it.
11. ______ Earth is our mother.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
the
*the definite article should be used before names of unique objects; the sun, the earth, the moon.
12. _____ Mr. Mohan came to see you this morning.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
a
* a/an is used to refer to persons who are strangers to the speaker.
13. He can speak _____ French with fluency.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
no article
* before names of languages 'the' should not be used.
14. ____ man does not live by bread alone.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
no article
* no article should be used before a common noun (man/woman) when it is used in a wide sense.
15. He is working in ____ department of revenue.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
the
* Use 'the' before government departments/institutions and establishments.
16. ______ rich should help their poor neighbors.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
the
* The definite article 'the' should be used before adjectives to make them plural nouns (rich/poor/young/old).
17. He gets Rs 100000 ____ month.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
a
* 'a' or 'an' is used in the sense of every/each/one/single/any/some.
18. He is a student at ______ Oxford University.
a) an
b) the
c) a
d) no article
no article
*When name of an institution begins with the name of a person/place no article should be used before it.
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