Articles: Speaking in General or about Specific Items

When speaking about specific items we use an article. When speaking about
items in general, we leave the article out. Decide whether or not to use an
article. Fill in the blank with the article the or just leave it blank.
(1) I dont like _________ cookies.
(2) I didnt like _________ cookies you made.
(3) I didnt eat _________ cookie because I just dont like _________
cookies.
(4) _________ milk is on the table.
(5) _________ milk is good for growing bones.
(6) I rarely drink _________ milk.
(7) Did you drink _________ milk I left on the counter?
(8) _________ birds have beaks and wings.
(9) Dinosaurs may be related to _________ birds.
(10) The cat ate _________ birds that were nesting in the maple tree.
(11) _________ lions live in groups called prides.
(12) _________ lions we saw were sick.
(13) I bought _________ chocolate bar yesterday.
(14) I never buy _________ chocolate bars.
(15) _________ chocolate bars are bad for your teeth.
(16) I love _________ chocolate bars.
(17) I saw _________ chocolate bars you bought.
(18) _________ hot dog tastes good.
(19) _________ hot dogs have been in the fridge for over a month.
(20) I enjoyed _________ hot dogs we ate last night.
(21) I enjoy _________ hot dogs.
(22) _________ hot dogs are in the fridge and the mustard is on the
counter.
(23) _________ hot dogs are not very healthy.
(24) _________ hot dogs are too old to eat.
(25) _________ children need lots of sleep to be healthy.
(26) _________ children threw snowballs at their teacher.
(27) _________ children should never play with electricity.
(28) _________ children ate all of the cookies that I made.
(29) _________ children should be in bed before I come back.
(30) _________ children shouldnt eat too much candy.
Note: This exercise is really a best guess exercise because, for many of the examples above, there are
situations where the article could be used or left out. But by using an article, you are speaking about a
specific item and by leaving it out you are speaking in general.

2007 www.bogglesworldesl.com

Articles: answers
(1) I dont like ____X_____ cookies.
(2) I didnt like ____the_____ cookies you made.
(3) I didnt eat _____the/a____ cookie because I just dont like
_____X___ cookies.
(4) ___The______ milk is on the table.
(5) _____X____ milk is good for growing bones.
(6) I rarely drink _____X____ milk.
(7) Did you drink ____the_____ milk I left on the counter?
(8) ______X___ birds have beaks and wings.
(9) Dinosaurs may be related to ____X_____ birds.
(10) The cat ate ______the___ birds that were nesting in the maple
tree.
(11) ___X______ lions live in groups called prides.
(12) ___The______ lions we saw were sick.
(13) I bought ___the/a______ chocolate bar yesterday.
(14) I never buy ___X______ chocolate bars.
(15) __X_______ chocolate bars are bad for your teeth.
(16) I love ___X______ chocolate bars.
(17) I saw ___the______ chocolate bars you bought.
(18) _____The____ hot dog tastes good.
(19) ___The______ hot dogs have been in the fridge for over a
month.
(20) I enjoyed _____the____ hot dogs we ate last night.
(21) I enjoy _____X____ hot dogs.
(22) _____The____ hot dogs are in the fridge and the mustard is on
the counter.
(23) _____X____ hot dogs are not very healthy.
(24) _____The____ hot dogs are too old to eat.
(25) ___X______ children need lots of sleep to be healthy.
(26) ____The_____ children threw snowballs at their teacher.
(27) ____X_____ children should never play with electricity.
(28) ____The_____ children ate all of the cookies that I made.
(29) ____The_____ children should be in bed before I come back.
(30) ____X, _____ children shouldnt eat too much candy.
Note: This exercise is really a best guess exercise because, for many of the examples above, there are
situations where the article could be used or left out. But by using an article, you are speaking about a
specific item and by leaving it out you are speaking in general.

2007 www.bogglesworldesl.com