Articles

Reference

Common mistakes

1. The life is unpredictable. → Life is unpredictable.
   abstract/generic → no article
2. She goes to the school by the bus. → She goes to school by bus.
   institution + transport → no article
3. The poors need help. → The poor need help.
   the + adj (no -s) = group
4. The Mount Everest is the highest. → Mount Everest is the highest.
   individual mountains → no article

Articles — Exercises

A, an, the or no article?

Circle the correct answer.

1. _____ life is full of surprises. (— / The / A)
2. My cousin plays _____ guitar in a band. (the / a / —)
3. We go to _____ school by bus. (— / the / a)
4. My mum works at _____ school near the station. (a / — / the)
5. _____ French are famous for their cheese. (The / — / A)
6. We climbed _____ Mount Kilimanjaro last summer. (— / the / a)
7. They want to help _____ homeless in their city. (the / — / a)
8. _____ Amazon is the largest river in South America. (The / — / An)

Complete with a, an, the or — (no article)

Write a, an, the or — (a dash means no article).

1. I usually have   breakfast at seven.
2. She is   honest person — she never lies.
3. Have you seen   film I told you about?
4. We travelled across Spain by   train.
5. He visited his grandad in   hospital on the hill.
6.   Netherlands is famous for its bicycles.

Articles — Answer Key

A, an, the or no article?

1. — — Life in general (abstract) → no article.
2. the — Playing a musical instrument → the guitar.
3. — — School as an institution (as a student) → no article.
4. a — A building, mentioned for the first time → a school.
5. The — The whole nation as a group → The French.
6. — — A single mountain name → no article. (Mountain ranges take the: the Alps.)
7. the — the + adjective = a group of people: the homeless.
8. The — Rivers take the.

Complete with a, an, the or — (no article)

1. —
2. an
3. the
4. —
5. the
6. The