ARTICLES AND OTHER DETERMINERS

1. ARTICLES: BASIC INFORMATION

1. Determiners Articles are members of a group of words called determiners, that are used before nouns. Other determiners are the possessives (my, your, etc); the demonstrative (this, that, these, those); any, some; Two determiners cannot usually be used together. So it is not possible, in English, to say *the my uncle or *the that man. We say either the uncle or my uncle, the man or that man, depending on the meaning. Note also that another begins with the article an, so we cannot say *the another (two articles cannot be used together). We say the other. 2. The use of articles The use of articles is complicated, because it depends on three different things. a) First of all, it makes a difference what kind of noun we are using. Articles are not used in the same way with singular countable nouns (like cat, bridge), with plural countable nouns (like cats, bridges) and with uncountable nouns (like water, rice). b) Secondly, we use articles in one way if we are talking about things in general (for example or the guitar, or life in general, or whisky), and we use them in a different way when we are talking about particular examples of these things (for example, an Englishman, or a guitar that we want to buy, or the life of Beethoven, or some whisky that we are drinking). c) Thirdly, when we are talking about particular examples, it depends whether these are definite or indefinite. If they are definite (in other words, if our hearer or reader knows exactly which ones we mean), we normally use the. If we are talking about indefinite things (which our hearer doesn't know anything about), we use articles differently (a, some, or no article).

2. ARTICLES: COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

* Countable nouns are words like cat, bridge, house, idea. We can count them (one cat, two houses, three ideas), so they can have plurals. The indefinite article a / an really means one, so we can use it with singular countable nouns (a house, an idea), but not with plurals.

We live in a small house. I've got an idea. I'm afraid of spiders. (Not: *...a spiders.) She was wearing blue trousers. (Not: *...a blue trousers.) Uncountable nouns are words like water, rice, energy, luck. These are things that we can divide (a drop of water, a bowl of rice, a piece of luck), but not count. You cannot say *one water, *two waters, etc. These words do not have plurals. The indefinite article a / an cannot be used with uncountable words. This is a list of English uncountable nouns which might lead foreign students into error: health, weather, English, advice, information, travel, progress, research, news, luggage, furniture, knowledge, hair, toast. None of these words, therefore, can be used with the indefinite article or take plural forms (news is a plural only in form, not in meaning). It's nice weather. (Not: *...a nice weather.) Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. (Not: *A water...) My father's in very good health. I speak very good English. Can you give me some advice? (Or: ...a piece of advice.) I need some information. (Or: ...a piece of information.) I live travel. Can I have any more toast? Some expressions, however, can be used to quantify or divide uncountable nouns. Here follows a list of the most useful ones: - a piece of news, advice, information, furniture, luck, chalk, iron, chocolate, toast, etc. - a loaf bread. - a clap of thunder. - a kilo / pound / etc. of flour, etc. - a pint / litre of beer, water, milk. - a lump of sugar, earth, etc. - a spoonful of sugar, medicine, etc. - a sheet of paper. - a great deal of money, enthusiasm, etc. - a slice of bread, cake.

Note 1) A lot of words can be both countable and uncountable, with different meanings or uses (e.g. iron, an iron; coffee, a coffee). 2) Some plural words have no singular (e.g. trousers, scissors).

* The complete rules for the use of articles with countable and uncountable nouns are: A) a / an can only be used with singular countable nouns (a cat). B) the can be used with all kind of nouns (the cat, the cats, the water). C) Plural nouns and uncountable nouns can be used with no article (cats, water), but singular uncountable nouns cannot. a /an singular countable plural countable uncountable the no article

a cat

the cat the cats the water cats water

A very important point: singular countable nouns must always have an article (or another determiner like my, this). We can say a cat, the cat, this cat my cat, but not *cat. There are some exceptions in expressions with prepositions like by car, in bed. Do not leave out the article before the names of professions. Alice is studying to be a doctor. (Not: *...to be doctor.)

3. TALKING ABOUT THINGS IN GENERAL

1) When we want to talk about things in general (e.g. all music, or all literature) we usually use a plural or uncountable nouns with no article. Carrots are my favourite vegetable. I love music, poetry and art. When we use an article with a plural or uncountable noun, the meaning is not general, but particular. Compare: He likes cars, girls, food and drink. (Not particular cars or girls - he likes them all.) The cars in the garage belong to the girls who live next door. (Particular cars and girls.) She loves life. (A very general idea - she loves everything in life.) He is studying the life of Beethoven. (A particular life). Books are expensive. (All books.) Move the books off the chair and sit down. (Particular books.)

Note that society is usually used without an article when it means 'the society that we are living in', and space has no article when it means 'the empty space between the stars'. Society turns people into criminals and then locks them up. Man has just taken his first steps into space.

Most (when it means 'the majority of'') is used without an article. Most birds can fly. Some expressions are 'half-general' - the middle between general and particular. If we talk about eighteen-century music or poverty in Britain, we are not talking about all music or all poverty, but they are still rather general ideas (compared with the music we heard last night or the poverty that I grew up in). In these 'half-general' expressions, we usually use no article. However, articles are often used when the noun is followed by of. Compare: eighteen-century art African butterflies the art of the eighteen century the butterflies of Africa

2) Another way of generalizing is to use a singular countable noun with an article. The indefinite article (a / an) is often used in this way to talk about things in general. A baby deer can stand as soon as it is born. One should give a child plenty of encouragement. A healthy society can tolerate a lot of criticism. A, here is rather like any. The sentences would mean almost exactly the same if we used plural nouns with no article (e.g. One should give children plenty of encouragement.) The definite article (the) is often used in generalizations with singular countable nouns. This is common when we are talking about science and technology. Galileo claimed that he had invented the telescope. I hate the telephone. The whale is a mammal, not a fish. Man's greatest discovery is the hot bath. We also talk about musical instruments in this way. I'd like to learn the guitar. In Heaven, Miles Davis will play the trumpet every night. We also talk about the cinema and the theatre as general ideas. I prefer the cinema to the theatre.

3) We use the with a few adjectives to refer to general classes of people. the blind the rich the Irish

4. TALKING ABOUT THINGS IN PARTICULAR: A / THE

When we talk about particular thing (not things in general), there is an important difference between the articles. 1) The has a 'definite' meaning. We say the car, the girls, etc in two cases: (i) when our listener already knows which car, which girls, etc we mean, and (ii) when we are telling him which car, which girls etc we mean. Shut the door! (It is obvious which one - there is only one open.) I had trouble with the car this morning. (I mean my car, of course.) How did you like the film? (The listener knows which film is meant.) Those are the girls who live next door. (The end of the sentence makes it clear which girls are meant.) We use the with words like sun, moon, stars - if we talk about the sun, it is obvious which one is meant (there is only one); and when we say the stars, it is the same (we mean all the stars). 2) Things can be particular (not general), but 'indefinite'. If we say Pass me a piece of bread or Let me buy you a drink, the piece of bread or the drink are not definite - it could be any one of several pieces of bread, any one of several kinds of drink. If we say I met a friend of yours yesterday, it could also be any one of several - the listener does not know which one. In cases like these, we do not use the. With singular countable nouns, we use a / an. I've lost a button. Shall we go and see a film? There's a letter for you. Could I have a p stamp, please? I've got a headache.

With uncountable and plural nouns, we express this 'indefinite' meaning by using either some / any or no article. Would you like some cheese? I haven't got any problems. We need beer. I think we've got mice. We also use a / an when we say that a person or thing is a member of a particular class or group. or when we say what people or things are like. She's a doctor. A sailor is a man who works is ships. 'What's that?' - 'It's an adjustable spanner.' You're a beautiful girl.

No article is used with uncountable and plural words in this case; some and any are not used. What's that?' - 'It's petrol.' They're original Russian icons. You're fools.

3) When we mention something for the first time, we will probably use an indefinite article (or some or no article with uncountables and plurals), because our listener knows nothing about it. But when we mention the same thing again, it becomes definite (because now he knows which one we mean). A man came up to a policeman and asked him a question. The policeman didn't understand the question, so he asked the man to repeat it.

5. SOME, ANY OR NO ARTICLE

1) Uncountable and plural nouns can often be used either with some / any or with no article at all, without much difference of meaning. Would you like (some) cheese? Did you buy (any) screws? Some / any are mostly used when we are talking about uncertain, indefinite or unknown numbers or quantities. Compare: You've got some great jazz records. You've got beautiful toes (...some beautiful toes would suggest an indefinite number, perhaps six or seven.) Is there any more beer in the fridge? (indefinite quantity.) We need beer, sugar, butter, eggs, rice and toilet paper. (The usual quantities.)

2) There is a special use of the strong form of some ([s m] ) with singular countable nouns. She's going out with some footballer. There's some man at the door for you. His got some plan for changing the world. In cases like these, some means 'I don't know about him / her / it, and I'm not very interested.'

6. SOME, ANY, NO AND NONE

1.Some and any compared some is used: - With affirmative sentences. They took some honey. - With questions when the answer 'yes' is expected. Can I have some coffee? Can you give me some information about interesting places? - In offers and request. Would you like some wine? Could you do some typing for me?

any is used: - In negative sentences. I haven't any matches and Tom hasn't any either. - With hardly, barely, scarcely (which are almost negatives). I have hardly any time. - With questions except those noted above. Have you any money? Did you see any eagles? - After if / whether, and in expressions of doubt. I don't think there's any petrol in the tank. If you have any difficulty, let me know. 2. No and none no (adjective) and none (pronoun) can be used with affirmative verbs to express a negative; they are therefore an alternative to negative verb + any. I have no apples = I haven't any apples. Tom has none = Tom hasn't any. I took no photos = I didn't take any photos. On the whole a negative verb + any is more usual than an affirmative verb + no / none.

3. Compounds with some, any and no someone, somebody, something, anyone, anybody, anything, no one, nobody, nothing Compounds with some, any and no follow the rules in 2 and 3 above. A: Somebody / Someone gave me a ticket for a pop concert. B: No one / Nobody has ever given me a free ticket for anything. Does anyone know the time the concert starts? Do you want anything from the chemist's? Would anyone like a drink?

7. ARTICLES: SPECIAL RULES AND EXCEPTIONS

1. Common expressions without articles In a number of common expressions, an article is dropped after a preposition . to school at school from school in / to class to / at / from university / college / hospital / bed to / in / into / from church to / at sea at / from home at night to / in / into / out of prison to / at / from work to / in / from town for breakfast / at lunch / to dinner etc by car / bus / bicycle / plane / train / tube / boat on foot

Note the use of home instead of *to home (e.g. I'm going home) When the above expressions are used with articles they have special meanings. Compare: He's in prison. (as a prisoner) He's in the prison. (perhaps as a visitor) When with or without is followed by a singular countable noun, an article is normally necessary. We say You can't get there without a car, not *...without car. However, articles are often dropped in double expressions with prepositions, like with knife and fork, with hat and coat, from top to bottom, on land and sea, arm in arm, inch by inch, day after day.

2. Genitives (possessives) Articles are not normally used in genitive expressions when the first word is a proper name. John's coat. America's economic problems.

3. Nouns as adjectives When a noun is used as an adjective (before another noun), the first noun's article is dropped. Lessons in how to play the guitar are guitar lessons; a spot on the sun is a sun spot. 4. Man and woman When we generalize with singular countable nouns, we normally use an article (the telephone, a whale). Man and woman are exceptions: they can be used without articles. God created man and woman for each other.

5. Radio and television When we talk about radio and television in general, we do not use articles. It's easier to write plays for television than for radio. Articles are used in the expressions listen to the radio, on the radio, but not in watch television, on television (or on TV).

6. Musical instruments We normally use the definite article in expressions like play the guitar, learn the piano. Note the difference in the use of articles between the languages of classical music and jazz / rock. with Alfred Brendel at the piano. with Eric Clapton on guitar, Phil Collins on drums... (The definite article is not used with the names of games. compare play the piano, play the guitar, play chess, play football)

7. All and both Articles are sometimes dropped after all and both. All (the) eight students in the class passed the exam.

Both (the) children are good at maths. We can say all year, all week, all day, all night, all summer, all winter, but not *all hour or *all century. I've been waiting for you all day.

8. Illnesses The names of illnesses are usually uncountable, and we talk about them with no article. I think I've got measles. She's had appendicitisWe say a cold, I've got a cold. We say a headache, but other aches (toothache, earache, etc) are uncountable, with no article, in British English. 9. Numbers The indefinite article is used in a hundred, a thousand, a million, a billion, etc. It'll cost about a hundred pounds. Note the use of the article in expressions like sixty pence a pound, seventy miles an hour, forty hours a week. 10. Seasons We can say spring or the spring, in summer or in the summer, etc. There is very little difference between the expressions with and without the article. The article is usually used in in the fall (US). 11. Positions In certain constructions, the names of positions that people can occupy are used without articles. Elizabeth II, Queen of England. They elected George chairman. Henry was made captain of the team. Mr Lewis was appointed chief clerk in 1968. Note (i) the name of the position is the complement, not the subject of the sentence (you cannot say *Chairman came to lunch, with no article) (ii) these are 'unique' positions there is only one Queen of England, only one captain of the team.

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Do not drop the indefinite article before the name of a profession or job in other cases. We say He's a doctor or I don't want to be a secretary.

12. Exclamations We don't leave out a / an in exclamations after what. What a lovely dress!

13. Ships The definite article is used in the names of ships. The Titanic. The Queen Mary. 14. Geographical areas We often use the with the words country, sea, seaside and mountains, even when we don't say which sea, or which mountains, etc. are meant. I'm going to the country for a week. I love the mountains, but I hate the sea. 15. Place-names We usually use the with the following kinds of place-names: seas (the Atlantic) mountain groups (the Himalayas) island groups (the West Indies) areas (the Middle East, the Ruhr, the Midwest, the Gulf) rivers (the Rhine) deserts (the Sahara) hotels (the Grand Hotel) cinemas (the Odeon) theatres (the Albert Hall)

We generally use no article with: continents (Africa) counties, states, departments, etc (Berkshire, Westphalia, Texas) towns (Oxford) streets (High Street) lakes (Lake Windermere) countries (Andorra, Brazil)

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Exceptions: countries whose name contains a common noun (The People's Republic of China; The United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; The United Arab Emirates; The USA; The USSR) Note also The Netherlands, and its capital The Hague. We do not usually use articles in expressions which refer to the principal buildings of a town: Oxford University Cambridge Polytechnic Westminster Abbey Salisbury Cathedral Bognor Town Hall Wigan Police Station Birmingham Airport Names of single mountains usually have no article (Everest, Snowdon). But we use the with the names of European mountains if their name has an article in the local language: Das Matterhorn = The Matterhorn; La Meije = The Meije. Exception: the is not used before Mont(e): Le Mont Blanc is called Mont Blanc in English. 16. Special Styles There are some styles in which articles are dropped. For instance: Newspaper headlines: MAN KILLED ON MOUNTAIN Titles in notices, posters, etc: SUPER CINEMA; RITZ HOTEL Instructions: Open packet at other end. Telegrams: WIFE ILL MUST CANCEL HOLIDAY Dictionary entries: palm inner surface of hand between wrist and fingers. Lists: Take car to garage; buy buttons; pay phone bill... Notes: In 17th century, balance of power between King and Nobles changed.

8. ARTICLES: GOLDEN RULES

If the rules for the use of articles seem to complicated, just remember these three: 1) Do not use the (with plural and uncountable nouns) to talk about things in general. Life is hard. (Not: *The life is hard.) 2) Do not use singular countable nouns without articles. the car a car but not *car 3) Use a / an to say what people's professions or jobs are. She's a bank manager. (Not: *She's bank manager.) Most mistakes with articles are made through breaking one of these rules.

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ARTICLES AND OTHER DETERMINERS: EXERCISES

1) Articles: a/an Insert a or an if necessary. 1.- My neighbour is ____ photographer; let's ask him for ____ advice about colour films. 2.- We had ____ fish and ____ chips for ____ lunch. 3.- I had ____ very bad night; I didn't sleep ____ wink. 4.- He is ____ vegetarian; you won't get ____ meat at his house. He'll give you ____ nut cutlet.- Last time I had ____ nut cutlet I had ____ indigestion. 5.- ____ travel agent will give you information about ____ hotels. 6.- We'd better go by taxi-if we can get ____ taxi at such ____ hour as 2 a.m. 7.- ____ person who suffers from ____ claustrophobia has ____ dread of being confined in ____ small space, and would always prefer ____ stairs to ____ lift. 8.- Do you take ____ sugar in ____ coffee?- I used to, but now I'm on ____ diet. I'm trying to lose ____ weight. 9.- ____ man suffering from ____ shock should not be given anything to drink. 10.- You'll get ____ shock if you touch ____ live wire with that screwdriver. Why don't you get ____ screwdriver with ____ insulated handle? 11.- It costs fifty-five and ____ half pence and I've only got ____ fifty pence piece.- You can pay by ____ cheque here.- But can I write ____ cheque for fifty-five and ____ half pence? 12.- ____ Mr Smith is ____ old customer and ____ honest man.- Why do you say that? Has be been accused of ____ dishonesty? 13.- I'm not ____ wage-earner; I'm ____ self-employed man. I have ____ business of my own.- Then you're not ____ worker; you're ____ capitalist! 14.- When he was charged with ____ murder he said he had ____ alibi. 15.- ____ friend of mine is expecting ____ baby. If it's ____ girl she's going to be called Etheldreda.- What ____ name to give ____ girl! 16.- I have ____ hour and ____ half for lunch.- I only have ____ half____ hour - barely ____ time for _____ smoke and ____ cup of coffee. 17.- I hope you have ____ lovely time and ____ good weather.- But I'm not going for _____ holiday; I'm going on ____ business. 18.- He looked at me with ____ horror when I explained that I was ____ double agent. 19.- I wouldn't climb ____ mountain for 1,000! I have ____ horror of heights. 20.- I have ____ headache and ____ sore throat. I think I've got ____ cold.- I think you're getting ____ flu. 21.- ____ Mr Jones called while you were out (neither of us know this man). He wants to make ____ complaint about ____ article in the paper. He was in ____ very bad temper. 22.- If you go by ____ train you can have quite ____ comfortable journey. 23.- ____ few people know (hardly anyone knows) that there is ____ secret passage from this house to ____ old smuggler's cave in the cliffs. 24.- I'm having ____ few friends in to ____ coffee tomorrow evening. Would you like to come?- I'd love to, by I'm afraid I'm going to ____ concert. 25.- It's time you had ____ holiday. You haven't had ____ day off for ____ month. 26.- He broke ____ leg in ____ skiing accident. It's still in plaster. 27.- I want ____ assistant with ____ knowledge of French and ____ experience of ____ office routine. 28.- I see that your house is built of ____ wood. Are you insured against ____ fire? 29.- The escaping prisoner camped in ____ wood but he didn't light ____ fire because ____ smoke rising from the wood might attract ____ attention. 30.- I had ____ amazing experience last night. I saw ____ dinosaur eating ____ meat pie in ____ London park.You mean you had ____ nightmare. Anyway, dinosaurs didn't eat ____ meat.

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31.- I'll pay you ____ hundred ____ week. It's not ____ enormous salary but after all your are ____ completely unskilled man. 32.- If you kept ____ graph you could see at ____ glance whether you were making ____ profit or ____ loss. 33.- _____ little (hardly anything) is known about the effect of this drug; yet ____ chemist will sell it to you without ____ prescription. 34.- I have ____ little money left; let's have ____ dinner in ____ restaurant. 35.- Would it be ____ trouble to you to buy me _____ newspaper on your way home? 36.- ____ man is ____ reasoning animal. 2) Articles: the Insert the if necessary. 1.- ____ youngest boy has just started going to ____ school; ____ eldest boy is at ____ college. 2.- She lives on ____ top floor of an old house. When ____ wind blows, all ____ windows rattle. 3.- ____ darkness doesn't worry ____ cats; ____ cats can see in ____ dark. 4.- My little boys say that they want to be ____ spacemen, but most of them will probably end up in ____ less dramatic jobs. 5.- Do you know ____ time?- Yes, ____ clock in ____ hall has just struck nine.- Then it isn't ____ time to go yet. 6.- He was sent to ____ prison for ____ six months for ____ shop-lifting. When ____ six months are over he'll released; ____ difficulty then will be to find ____ work.- Do you go to ____ prison to visit him? 7.- I went to ____ school to talk to ____ headmistress- I persuaded her to let Ann give up ____ gymnastics and take ____ ballet lessons instead. 8.- ____ ballet isn't much use for ____ girls; it is better to be able to play ____ piano. 9.- I am on ____ night duty. When you go to ____ bed, I go to ____ work. 10.- Peter's at ____ office but you could get him on ____ phone. There's a telephone box just round ____ corner. 11.- He got ____ bronchitis and was taken to ____ hospital. I expect they'll send him home at ____ end of ____ week.- Have you rung ____ hospital to ask how he is? 12.- Ann's habit of riding a motorcycle up and down ____ road early in ____ morning annoyed ____ neighbours and in ____ end they took her to ____ court. 13.- He first went to ____ sea in a Swedish ship, so as well as learning ____ navigation he had to learn _____ Swedish. 14.- ____ family hotels are ____ hotels which welcome ____ parents and ____ children. 15.- On ____ Sundays my father stays in ____ bed till ten o'clock, reading ____ Sunday papers. 16.- Then he gets up, puts on ____ old clothes, has ____ breakfast and starts ____ work in ____ garden. 17.- My mother goes to ____ church in ____ morning, and in ____ afternoon goes to visit ____ friends. 18.- Like many women, she loves ____ tea parties and ____ gossip. 19.- My parents have ____ cold meat and ____ salad for ____ supper, _____ winter and _____ summer. 20.- During ____ meal he talks about ____ garden and she tells him ____ village gossip. 21.- We have a very good train service from here to ____ city centre and most people go to ____ work by train. You can go by ____ bus too, of course, but you can't get a season ticket on ____ bus. 22.- ____ dead no longer need _____ help. We must concern ourselves with ____ living. We must build ____ houses and ____ schools and ____ playgrounds. 23.- I'd like to see ____ Mr Smith please.- Do you mean ____ Mr Smith who works in ____ box office or ____ other Mr Smith? 24.- Did you come by ____ air?- No, I came by ____ sea. I had a lovely voyage on ____ Queen Elizabeth II. 25.- ____ most of ____ stories that ____ people tell about ____ Irish aren't true. 26.- ____ married couples with children ____ often rent cottages by ____ seaside for ____ summer holidays. ____ men hire boats and go for ____ trips along ____ coast; ____ children spend ____ day on ____ beach and ____ poor mothers spend ____ most of ____ time doing ____ cooking and cleaning. 27.- It's usually safe to walk on ____ sand, but here, when ____ tide is coming in, ____ sand becomes dangerously soft ____ people have been swallowed up by it. 28.- When ____ Titanic was crossing ____ Atlantic she struck and iceberg which tore a huge hole in her bow. ____ captain ordered _____ crew to help ____ passengers into ____ boats.

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29.- Everywhere ____ man has cut down _____ forests in order to cultivate ____ ground, or to use ____ wood as ____ fuel or as ____ building material. 30.- But ____ interference with ____ nature often brings ____ disaster. ____ tree-felling sometimes turns ____ fertile land into a dustbowl. 31.- ____ people think that ____ lead is heaviest metal, but ____ gold is heavier. 32.- Our air hostess said, '____ rack is only for ____ light articles. ____ heavy things such as ____ bottles must be put on ____ floor.' 33.- ____ windows are supposed to let in ____ light; but ____ windows of this house are so small that we have ____ electric light on all ____ time. 34.- There'll always be a conflict between ____ old and ____ young. ____ young people want ____ change but ____ old people want ____ things to stay ____ same. 35.- ____ power tends to corrupt and ____ absolute power corrupts absolutely. 36.- You can fool some of ____ people all ____ time, and all ____ people some of ____ time; but you cannot fool ____ all ____ time. 3) Articles: a/an, the Insert a,an or the if necessary. 1.- There was ____ knock on ____ door. I opened it and found ____ small dark man in ____ blue overcoat and ____ woollen cap. 2.- He said he was ____ employee of ____ gas company and had come to read ____ meter. 3.- But I had ____ suspicion that he wasn't speaking ____ truth because ____ meter readers usually wear ____ peaked caps. 4.- However, I took him to ____ meter, which is in _____ dark corner under ____ stairs ( ____ meters are usually in ____ dark corners under ____ stairs). 5.- I asked if he had ____ torch; he said he disliked ____ torches and always read ____ meters by ____ light of ____ match. 6.- I remarked that if there was ____ leak in ____ gaspipe there might be ____ explosion while he was reading ____ meter. 7.- He said, 'As ____ matter of ____ fact, there was ____ explosion in ____ last house I visited; and Mr Smith, ____ owner of ____ house, was burnt in ____ face.' 8.- 'Mr Smith was holding ____ lighted match at ____ time of ____ explosion.' 9.- To prevent ____ possible repetitions of this accident, I lent him ____ torch. 10.- He switched on ____ torch, read ____ meter and wrote ____ reading down on ____ back of ____ envelope. 11.- I said in _____ surprise that ____ meter readers usually put ____ readings down in ____ book. 12.- He said that he had ____ book but that it had been burnt in ____ fire in _____ Mr Smith's house. 13.- By this time I had come to ____ conclusion that he wasn't ____ genuine meter reader; and ____ moment he left ____ house I rang ____ police. 14.- Are John and Mary ____ cousins?- No, they aren't ____ cousins; they are ____ brother and _____ sister. 15.- Fog was so thick that we couldn't see ____ side of ____ road. We followed ____ car in front of us and hoped that we were going ____ right way. 16.- I can't remember ____ exact date of ____ storm, but I know it was ____ Sunday because everybody was at ____ church. On ____ Monday ____ post didn't come because ____ roads were blocked by ____ fallen trees. 17.- Peter thinks that this is quite ____ cheap restaurant. 18.- There's been ____ murder here.- Where's ____ body?- There isn't ____ body.- Then how do you know there's been ____ murder? 19.- Number ____ hundred and two, ____ house next door to us, is for sale. It's quite ____ nice house with ____ big rooms. ____ back windows look out on ____ park. 20.- I don't know what ____ price ____ owners are asking. But Dry and Rot are ____ agents. You could give them ____ ring and make them ____ offer. 21.- ____ postman's little boy says that he'd rather be ____ dentist than ____ doctor, because ____ dentists don't get called out at ____ night.

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22.- Just as ____ air hostess (there was only one on the plane) was handing me ____ cup of ____ coffee ____ plane gave ____ lurch and ____ coffee went all over ____ person on ____ other side of ____ gangway. 23.- There was ____ collision between ____ car and ____ cyclist at ____ crossroads near ____ my house early in ____ morning. ____ cyclist was taken to ____ hospital with ____ concussion. _____ driver of the car was treated for ____ shock. ____ witnesses say that _____ car was going at ____ seventy miles ____ hour. 24.- ____ Professor Jones, _____ man who discovered ____ new drug that everyone is talking about, refused to give ____ press conference. 25.- Peter Piper, _____ student in _____ professor's college, asked him why he refused to talk to ____ press. 26.- We're going to ____ tea with ____ Smiths today, aren't we? Shall we take ____ car?- We can go by ____ car if you wash ____ car first. We can't go to ____ Mrs Smith's in ____ car all covered with ____ mud. 27.- He got ____ job in ____ south and spent ____ next two years doing ____ work he really enjoyed. 28.- It is ____ pleasure to do ____ business with such ____ efficient organization. 29.- ____ day after ____ day passed without ____ news, and we began to lose ____ hope. 30.- Would you like to hear ____ story about ____ Englishman, ____ Irishman and ____ Scotsman?- No, I've heard _____ stories about ____ Englishmen, ____ Irishmen and _____ Scotsmen before and they are all ____ same. 31.- But mine is not ____ typical story. In my story ____ Scotsman is generous, ____ Irishman is logical and ____ Englishman is romantic.- Oh, if it's ____ fantastic story I'll listen with ____ pleasure. 32.- My aunt lived on ____ ground floor of ____ old house on ____ River Thames. She was very much afraid of ____ burglars and always locked up ____ house very carefully before she went to ____ bed. She also took ____ precaution of looking under _____ bed to see if ____ burglar was hiding there. 33.- '____ modern burglars don't hide under ____ beds,' said her daughter. 'I'll go on looking just ____ same,' said my aunt. 34.- One morning she rang her daughter in ____ triumph. 'I found ____ burglar under ____ bed ____ last night,' she said, 'and he was quite ____young man.' 35.- ____ apples are sold by ____ pound. These are forty pence ____ pound. 36.- It was ____ windy morning but they hired ____ boat and went for ____ sail along ____ coast. In _____ afternoon ____ wind increased and they soon found themselves in ____ difficulties. 37.- ____ circuits they are using in the design of ____ computers of ____ last generation are ____ size of ____ hair. 38.- He never goes to ____ church in order to attend ____ Mass, but he has visited a lot of ____ churches to see ____ paintings. 39.- What is ____ natural frontier between Spain and France called?- ____ Pyrenees. 40.- I've never seen such ____ beautiful hair in ____ woman. 41.- ____ blood is thicker than ____ water. 42.- ____ more I know him ____ less I like his ways. 43.- He lives in ____ small street just off Trafalgar Avenue. It's called ____ Plantagenet Street. 44.- If you are ____ good boy, you'll go to ____ Heaven. 45.- ____ African elephants are bigger than ____ elephants in India. 4) some, any and compounds, e.g. somebody, anything, somehow. Insert some or any, making the appropriate compounds if necessary. 1.- There's ____ milk in that jug. 2.- She wanted ____ stamps but there weren't ____ in the machine. 3.- I'm afraid there isn't ____ coffee left; will you grind ____? 4.- Is there ____ one here who speaks Italian? 5.- I'd like to buy ____ new clothes but I haven't ____ money. 6.- There's ____ gin in the cupboard but there aren't ____ glasses. 7.- They can't have ____ more strawberries; I want ____ to make jam. 8.- ____ one I know told me ____ of the details. 9.- Have you ____ idea who could have borrowed your bicycle? 10.- I saw hardly ____ one I knew at the party, and I didn't get ____ thing to drink.

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11.- When would you like to come?- ____ day would suit me. 12.- Are there ____ letters for me? 13.- Don't let ____ one in. I'm too busy to see ____ body. 14.- ____ thing tells me you've got ____ bad news for me. 15.- I can't see my glasses ____ where. 16.- We didn't think he'd succeed but he managed _____ how. 17.- You're looking very miserable; has _____ thing upset you? 18.- If you had ____ sense you wouldn't leave your car unlocked. 19.- Scarcely ____ one was wearing a dinner jacket. 20.- ____ one who believes what Jack says is a fool. 21.- She put her handbag down ____ where and now she can't find it. 22.- Will you have ____ pudding or ____ fruit? 23.- Haven't you got ____ friends in Rome? I feel sure you mentioned them once. 24.- Haven't you got _____ friends here? You should join a club and get to know people. 25.- I see you haven't _____ maps. Would you like to borrow ____ of mine? 26.- ____ one can tell you how to get there. (Everyone knows the way.) 27.- Come and have supper with us if you aren't doing ____ thing tonight. 28.- I ____ how imagined the house would be much larger. 29.- All the salaries are being paid much later now; it's ____ thing to do with the computer. 30. He lives _____ where in France now. 31.- You can't expect just ____ student to solve the problem. It requires a mathematician. 32.- He's not very well known here but he's ____ one (an important person) in his own country. 33.- Where shall we sit?- Oh, ____ where will do. 34.- Is there ____ one moving about downstairs? I heard ____ thing falling. 35.- Is there ____ living in that house? It looks deserted. 36.- Would you like ____ thing to drink? There's ____ very good beer in the fridge.

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