1.
Oil prices have risen to __________________________ record levels in the past three years.
Correct Answer
A. No Article
Explanation
The correct answer is "No Article". In this sentence, we are talking about oil prices in general, not specific or particular oil prices. Therefore, we do not need to use an article before "record levels".
2.
Is he a clerk? A: No, he's __________________________ manager. (There's only one manager)
Correct Answer
A. The
Explanation
The correct answer is "the" because it is referring to a specific manager, implying that there is only one manager in question.
3.
Is he a clerk? A: No, he's __________________________ manager. (There's more than one manager)
Correct Answer
C. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a" because the sentence is asking if he is a clerk, and the response states that he is a manager. "A" is used before a singular noun to indicate that the noun is one of a number of similar individuals or things. In this case, there are multiple managers, but the response still indicates that he is one of them.
4.
Many of __________________________ programmers that started last year have quit.
Correct Answer
B. The
Explanation
The correct answer is "the". In this sentence, we are referring to a specific group of programmers who started last year and many of them have quit. Therefore, we use the definite article "the" to indicate that we are talking about a particular group that is known to both the speaker and the listener.
5.
Many _________________ programmers that started last year have quit.
Correct Answer
C. No Article
Explanation
The correct answer is "No Article". In this sentence, we are talking about a general group of programmers who started last year and have quit. When we refer to a general group or category, we do not use an article before the noun. Therefore, "No Article" is the correct choice.
6.
We hope to make _________________ big advances during the early stages of this project.
Correct Answer
A. No Article
Explanation
The correct answer is "No Article" because the sentence is referring to making general or unspecified advances during the early stages of the project. Using "the" would imply specific advances that have already been mentioned, and using "a" would imply making one single advance, which is not in line with the context of the sentence.
7.
Take a look at this report. _________________ findings are really surprising.
Correct Answer
A. The
Explanation
The use of "the" before "findings" suggests that the speaker is referring to specific findings that have been previously mentioned or are known to both the speaker and the listener. This implies that the report being discussed has already been introduced or is well-known, and the speaker is expressing surprise at the specific findings within that report.
8.
What are you working on? A: I'm trying to finish __________________________ presentation that I told you about this morning.
Correct Answer
C. The
Explanation
The correct answer is "the" because the speaker is referring to a specific presentation that they mentioned earlier in the morning.
9.
What are you working on? A: I'm working on __________________________ presentation for today's meeting. (The person asking the question doesn't know about this presentation)
Correct Answer
B. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a". In this context, the person is referring to a specific presentation that they are working on for today's meeting. The use of the indefinite article "a" indicates that there is one presentation among many possible options.
10.
This is _________________________ very challenging task.
Correct Answer
B. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a". In this sentence, "task" is a countable noun, so it requires an article before it. The indefinite article "a" is used before singular countable nouns when they are mentioned for the first time or when they are not specific. Therefore, "a" is the correct choice to indicate that the task is challenging.
11.
She replied in _____ surprise that _____ question was much too difficult.
Correct Answer
C. Zero article, the
Explanation
In this sentence, the correct answer is "zero article, the." The first blank requires the zero article because "surprise" is an uncountable noun. The second blank requires "the" because it refers to a specific question that was mentioned before.
12.
Jack Anderson was caught holding _____ match at _____ time of _____ fire.
Correct Answer
A. A, the, the
Explanation
The correct answer is "a, the, the". In this sentence, "a" is used before "match" because it is referring to an unspecified match. "The" is used before "time" because it is specifying a particular time (the time of the fire). "The" is also used before "fire" because it is referring to a specific fire that is being mentioned or discussed.
13.
There was ___ strange sound in ___ living room last night.
Correct Answer
B. A, the
Explanation
The correct answer is "a, the" because it indicates that there was a specific strange sound in the living room last night. "A" is used to refer to any strange sound, while "the" is used to specify that it was a particular sound that occurred in the living room.
14.
Have you ever seen ___ kangaroo?
Correct Answer
A. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a" because the sentence is asking if the person has ever seen any kangaroo, not a specific one. The indefinite article "a" is used to refer to a non-specific noun.
15.
I wish I had ___ Italian sports car.
Correct Answer
A. An
Explanation
The correct answer is "an". In this sentence, the word "Italian" begins with a vowel sound, so the indefinite article "an" is used before it.
16.
Did Janet have __ dinner yet?
Correct Answer
C. Zero article
Explanation
The use of the zero article indicates that the speaker is asking about whether Janet has had dinner at all, without specifying a particular dinner. The zero article is used when we are speaking in a general or non-specific sense. In this context, it suggests that the speaker is inquiring about whether Janet has eaten any dinner, without referring to a specific dinner.
17.
Herman has ___ ugly dog.
Correct Answer
B. An
Explanation
The correct answer is "an" because the word "ugly" begins with a vowel sound (/ʌ/), and when a word begins with a vowel sound, we use the article "an" instead of "a" to make the sentence sound more natural and fluent.
18.
This is ___ expensive wine.
Correct Answer
B. An
Explanation
The correct answer is "an" because the word "expensive" begins with a vowel sound, specifically the sound /ɪ/. Therefore, we use the article "an" before words that start with a vowel sound.
19.
Joe is reading ___ book he borrowed from ____ library.
Correct Answer(s)
A. The, the
B. A, the
Explanation
Joe is reading the book he borrowed from the library. The definite article "the" is used before "book" and "library" because they refer to specific objects that have already been mentioned or are known to both the speaker and the listener. The indefinite article "a" is used before "book" because it refers to a non-specific book that Joe borrowed from the library.
20.
Is there ___ big window in your kitchen?
Correct Answer
A. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a". This is because the question is asking if there is a big window in the kitchen, implying that there could be more than one big window in the kitchen. The indefinite article "a" is used to refer to a non-specific item or thing.
21.
Are these ___ pair of shoes you wore at the prom?
Correct Answer
B. The
Explanation
The correct answer is "the" because it refers to a specific pair of shoes that the person wore at the prom. The use of "the" indicates that there is a specific pair of shoes being referred to, rather than just any pair of shoes.
22.
I have ___ money in the bank.
Correct Answer
C. Zero article
Explanation
The correct answer is "zero article" because when referring to a non-specific amount of money, we do not use any article before the noun "money." The zero article indicates that we are talking about money in general, without specifying a particular amount or type.
23.
Sam is ___ university student.
Correct Answer
A. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a" because it is used before words that begin with a consonant sound. In this case, "university" begins with a "y" sound, so "a" is the appropriate choice.
24.
The players ate ___ lunch yesterday afternoon.
Correct Answer
C. Zero article
Explanation
In this sentence, the word "lunch" is a non-countable noun. Non-countable nouns do not require an article before them. Therefore, the correct answer is the zero article, which means no article is needed before the noun "lunch".
25.
I would like to buy ___ pair of gloves I saw at ___ mall yesterday.
Correct Answer
B. The, the
Explanation
The correct answer is "the, the" because the speaker is referring to a specific pair of gloves that they saw at a specific mall yesterday. "The" is used to indicate a specific noun that both the speaker and the listener are aware of.
26.
He drank ___ cup of coffee while he read the newspaper.
Correct Answer(s)
A. A
D. Zero article
Explanation
In this sentence, "a" and "zero article" are both correct choices. "A" is used when referring to a non-specific cup of coffee, indicating that he drank one cup of coffee among many possible cups. The zero article is used when referring to a general or non-specific concept, indicating that he drank coffee in general while reading the newspaper. Both choices convey the same meaning in this context.
27.
Do you have ___ computer?
Correct Answer
A. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a" because the word "computer" starts with a consonant sound. When we use the indefinite article "a" before a noun, it is to indicate that we are referring to any one of that noun. In this case, we are asking if the person has any computer, without specifying a particular one.
28.
Do you like ___ apples?
Correct Answer
C. Zero article
Explanation
The correct answer is "zero article" because when asking about general preferences, we use the zero article. In this case, "apples" is a plural countable noun, and the zero article indicates that we are referring to apples in general, rather than a specific or particular set of apples.
29.
Alice drives ___ old car.
Correct Answer
B. An
Explanation
The word "an" is used before a noun that begins with a vowel sound. In this case, the word "old" begins with a vowel sound because the letter "o" is pronounced like a vowel. Therefore, the correct answer is "an" to indicate that Alice drives an old car.
30.
My father is reading ___ newspaper.
Correct Answer
A. A
Explanation
The correct answer is "a". In this sentence, "newspaper" begins with a consonant sound (/n/), so the indefinite article "a" is used before it.
31.
Kenji is studying ___ English.
Correct Answer
C. Zero article
Explanation
In this sentence, "Kenji is studying English," the word "English" is a subject complement, not an object. When a subject complement refers to a subject, it is not preceded by an article. Therefore, the correct answer is the zero article, which means no article is needed before "English."
32.
He lives in ___ Alaska.
Correct Answer
D. Zero article
Explanation
The zero article is used before proper nouns to indicate that the noun is being used in a general sense, without any specific determiner. In this case, "Alaska" is a proper noun, and the zero article is used to indicate that the speaker is referring to Alaska in a general sense, rather than a specific location within Alaska.
33.
Did you bring ___ umbrella that you borrowed from me?
Correct Answer
C. The
Explanation
The correct answer is "the" because it refers to a specific umbrella that was borrowed from the speaker.
34.
James is ___ boss of the company.
Correct Answer
C. The
Explanation
The correct answer is "the" because it is used to refer to a specific noun, in this case, "boss of the company." It implies that there is only one boss in the company and James holds that position.
35.
What ___ language do you speak best?
Correct Answer
C. Zero article
Explanation
In this question, the correct answer is "zero article". The reason for this is that the question is asking for the type of language, not a specific language. When asking about a general category or type, we use the zero article. Therefore, the correct phrase would be "What language do you speak best?" without any article.
36.
The young boy was not wearing ___ clothes.
Correct Answer
D. Zero article
Explanation
The use of the zero article indicates that the young boy was not wearing any specific or particular clothes. It suggests that the boy was not wearing any clothes at all or was not wearing any clothes that are worth mentioning or specifying. The zero article is used when we refer to a general, non-specific or non-countable noun. In this case, it implies that the boy was not wearing any clothes in general.