Let’s have practice in using articles.

Exercise 1. Supply a/an, the or “–“.

1. I’m really tired and I’m going to … bed.

2. Your shoes are under … bed.

3. Tim’s been in … bed for hours.

4. We’ve bought … lovely new bed.

5. We took some photos outside … church.

6. We always go to … church on Sunday.

7. Have you ever worked in … factory?

8. Susan’s in … class at the moment.

9. My father went to … sea when he was 14.

10. When do you hope to go to … university?

11. Martha’s been taken to … hospital.

12. How long will she be in … hospital?

13. There’s a strike at … hospital.

14. We’ve got … fine new hospital.

15. When do you get home from … office?

16. John’s at … work at the moment.

17. We were looking for … place to spend … night. … place we found  turned out to be in … charming village. … village was called …  Lodsworth.

18.  … individual has every right to expect personal freedom. … freedom of … individual is something worth fighting for.

19. Yes, my name is … Simpson. But I’m not … Simpson you’re looking for.

20. Who’s at … door? – It’s … postman.

21. When you go out, would you please go to … supermarket and get some … butter.

22.I’ve got … appointment this afternoon. I’ve got to go to … doctor’s.

23. We went to … theatre last night and saw “Flames”. It’s … wonderful play.

24. We prefer to spend our holidays in … country, … mountains or by … sea.

25. We have seen what … earth looks like from … moon.

26. This is the front room. … ceiling and … walls need decorating, but … floor is in good order. We’ll probably cover it with … carpet.

27. You’re imagining … things. All your fears are in … mind.

28. … history of … world is … history of … war.

29. Is there … moon round … planet Venus?

30. What’s … John doing these days? – He’s working as … postman.

31. … exercise is good for … body.

32. Could you pass me … salt, please?

33. They’re building … new supermarket in … centre of our town.

34. Where’s your mother at … moment? – I think she’s in … kitchen.

35. If you were a cook, you’d have to work in … all day long.

36. … pork is kind of … meat.

37. … pork we had for dinner last night was excellent.

38. Jack is wearing … straw hat today.

39. Jack likes to wear … hats.

40. … hat is … article of clothing.

41. … hats are … articles of clothing.

42. … brown hat on that hook over there belongs to Mark.

43. Everyone has … adventures in life.

44. My grandfather had … long life.

45. That book is about … life of Hellen Keller.

46. Tommy wants to be … engineer when he grows up.

47. John Roebling is … name of … engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. He died in 1869 from … infection. He died before … bridge was completed.

48. … people wear … jewelry to make themselves more attractive.

49. … jewelry Diana wearing today is beautiful.

50. Mary is wearing … beautiful ring today. It is made of … gold and rubies. … gold in her ring was mined in …Canada. … rubies came from Burma.

Exercise 2. Put a or an before each of the following words:

Cat, pen, eye, hour, telephone, airplane, horse, ice-cream, honour, hour, army, answer, animal, apple, ear, ship, orange, example.

Exercise 3. Make the following sentences plural.

1. A rose is a flower.

2. A mouse is a small animal.

3. There is a horse in the field.

4. Mary gave me a book for my birthday.

5. A noun is the name of a thing.

6. There is an apple and an orange on the plate.

7. A table is a piece of furniture.

8. You can buy more with a shilling than with a penny.

9. An oak is a big tree.

10. A child isn’t always careful on the road.

Exercise 4. Copy out the sentences putting a or an where necessary.

1. That is … man.

2. These are … men.

3. … house can be built of … stone.

4. … cow is … animal.

5. … cows are … animals.

6. … cigarette is made of … tobacco and … paper.

7. … chair is made of … wood.

8. … chairs are made of … wood.

9. … man must have … air to live.

10. … fishes live in … water.

11. … flower grows in … garden.

12. … flowers grow in … gardens.

13. We get … milk from … cow.

14. We get … milk from … cows.

15. … window is made of … glass.

16. … rain falls from the sky.

17. … shoe is made of … leather.

18. … shoes are made of … leather.

19. … grass grows in … English field.

20. … grass grows in … English fields.

21. … gramophone plays … music.

22. You put … record on … gramophone to get … music.

23. … flour is made from … wheat.

24. … bread is made from … flour.

25. … loaves are made from … flour.

Exercise 5. Put these sentences into singular.

1.   Books are on my desk.

2.   Roses are flowers.

3.   Dogs are animals.

4.   Houses are buildings.

5.   Chairs are pieces of furniture.

6.   You can buy more with pounds than with shillings.

7.   Nouns are the names of things.

8.   Knives are made of steel.

9.  Carpenters work with hammers and saws.

10. Men light cigarettes with matches.

11. Dogs have tails.

12. Jackets are made of cloth.

13. Fishes live in water.

14. Oaks are big trees.

15. Soldiers carry rifles.

16. Horses are useful to farmers.

17. Careful pupils are good pupils.

18. Bridges are often made of stone.

19. Children are not always thoughtful.

20. Men can make good meals from loaves, butter, cold meat and big, baked potatoes.

Exercise 6. Supply the articles if they are necessary (a, an, the)

1. __ apples on __ other side of __ wall are __ sweetest.

2. Better __ small fish than __ empty dish.

3. Better __ last smile than __ first laughter.

4. Between __ two stools one falls to __ ground.

5. __ brevity is __ soul of wit.

6. __ charity begins at __ home.

7. A danger forseen is __ half avoided.

8. Closed mouth catches no __ flies.

9. __ experience is __ best teacher.

10. __ fire and __ water are good servants, but __ bad masters.

11. One cannot blow and swallow at __ same time.

12. One cloud is enough to eclipse __ sun.

13. One drop of __ poison infects __ whole tun of wine.

14. One hand washes __ other.

15. One law for __ rich and another for __ poor.

16. There is no __ place like __ home.

Exercise 7. Supply the articles (a, the) if they are necessary.

1. all of __ sudden

2. as __ result

3. in __ demand

4. to tell __ truth

5. to be at __ loss

6. once __ week

7. from __ head to __ foot

8. as __ matter of fact

9. in __ loud voice

10. at __ first sight

11. __ day before yesterday

12. after __ lunch

13. two times __ day

14. in __ fact

15. to have __ good time

16. to play __ violin

17. in __ conclusion

18. at __ time

19. to play __ billiards

20. to be in __ hurry

21. from __ time to __ time

22. by __ mistake

23. __ other day

24. at __ sunset

25. to watch __ TV

26. to listen to __ radio

27. to be in __ bed

28. for __ example

29. to tell __ time

30. by __ bicycle

31. to take __ seat

Exercise 8. Supply the articles (a, the) if they are necessary.

1. Please clean __ blackboard.

2. __ good books have __ good examples.

3. I must go to __ bank and __ post office.

4. It’s as cold as __.

5. Which is longer: __ Volga or __ Danube?

6. Would you like to go to __ with me tonight?

7. Is __ Everest __ highest mountain in __ world?

8. __ news that you brought was __ great shock.

9. It’s __ pity that you can’t come.

10. __ weather was fine, and we decided to take __ walk.

11. They say __ sugar is bad for you.

12. He went to __ prison to visit his son.

13. Is __ Amsterdam in __ United States or in __ Netherlands?

14. This school has quite __ large campus.

15. __ Statue of Liberty was presented as __ gift by people of __ United States.

16. __ sun rises in __ east and sets in __ west.

17. __ Loch Ness is __ lake in __ Scotland.

18. __ English are very proud of their history.

19. Do you know what is on at __ Bolshoi Theatre tomorrow evening?

20. Is __ Malta in __ Meditarranean?

21. They are looking for __ man with __ long dark  hair. He is armed and dangerous.