English Articles Test

By Radosław Więckowski

Incorrect usage of articles in English is like driving your car at night with the headlights off. You can't find the way in darkness. The book illuminates the way by being the most definitive resource for English learners at all levels.

• Test with the key and helpful explanations in brackets:

Dew, fog and rain are all forms of water. (The three nouns enumerated belong to the same category, so the definite article can be dropped)

• A scoring system helps you keep track of your progress

• Interesting, contrastive article usage in carefully selected contexts:

The fish is a trout. vs The trout is a (kind of) fish.

Wasn't the concert terrific? vs What a terrific concert it was!

Elephants are big, but the elephant in the zoo is small for an elephant.

We are used to the cold but this is a cold we have not seen before.

• Focus on enhancing the minutest differences:

a slight chance vs slight chance

a more beautiful view vs the more beautiful view

football's 20th World Cup = the 20th football World Cup

• Language: English
• Publisher: Radosław Więckowski
• Release date: Dec 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9788396847485

Book preview

Preface

Although the most important part of the English sentence is the verbal group, articles form its integral part. Incorrect usage of articles in English is like driving your car at night with the headlights off. You can’t find the way in darkness. The ebook illuminates the way by being the most definitive resource for English learners at all levels, focusing on articles in a wide variety of illuminating contexts and examples. With this self-study guide, you will be able to broaden and test your knowledge and see the correct answer consulting the key. The overriding aim of the ebook is a practical one: the more examples you have, the better chance of gaining a feel for article usage.

Radosław Więckowski

[e-mail]

Test

In blanks insert a correct article a/an/the or nothing (zero article). Sometimes in a given context two articles can be used ___ /___ , e. g. I took a/the bus to London, or the article can be omitted, e. g. at this time of (the) year. After solving the first 50 examples of article usage, one can have a look at the key and check the answers giving yourself a point for each correct answer and add up your score. The sum total is given at the very end of the test.

1.

It is ___ beautiful view, isn’t it?

It is ___ beautiful scenery, isn’t it?

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

Key to 1:

It is a beautiful view, isn’t it? (a view is countable)

It is beautiful scenery, isn’t it? (scenery is uncountable)

YOUR SCORE: 2 / 2 points

Test 1 - 50

1.

I have ___ exciting news for you.

I have ___ exciting piece of news for you.

___ news I have for you is exciting.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

2.

He plays ___ piano and ___ violin.

He has ___ piano and___violin.

She teaches ___ piano and ___ violin.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 6 points

3.

The CD features Miles Davis on ___ trumpet.

For hours on end he played ___ trumpet in his room.

He can play ___ trumpet.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

4.

The woman with ___ child is Joan. (Joan is pregnant)

The woman with ___ child is Joan. (Joan isn’t pregnant)

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

5.

___ Old Town was declared ___ World Heritage site by ___ UNESCO.

___ Warsaw's Old Town has been placed on ___ UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 5 points

6.

A lot of ___ students missed her lecture yesterday.

A lot of ___ students who missed her lecture yesterday want to borrow my notes.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

7.

I run back and forth between ___ home, ___ work and ___ hospital.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

8.

Buy Cooking from ___ A to___ Z on Amazon.com.

___ A to Z of cooking is available on Amazon.com.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

9.

You'll get there faster by ___ car than by ___ train.

You'll get there faster by/on ___ 5 o’clock train.

I prefer the comforts of ___ train.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 4 points

10.

It is ___ cause of problems. (one of many causes)

It is ___ main cause of problems.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

11.

Susan is attending ___ fashion college.

Kate is attending ___ London College of Fashion.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

12.

It was ___ proper question.

___ question proper (itself) has not been answered.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

13.

It's ___ doing of ___ good deed that is important, not ___ thanks you receive.

It's ___ doing ___ good deeds that is important, not ___ thanks.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 6 points

14.

We are going to ___ movies tonight.

We are going to see ___ movie tonight.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

15.

Located to ___ south is ___ Regent's College, ___ consortium of institutes and home of ___ London Business School, as well as ___ European Business School London.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 5 points

16.

___ Ministry of Regional Development provided all the data.

___ Ministry of Regional Development data were provided.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

17.

She is going to ___ Ontario Lake next summer.

He is going to ___ Amazon River next summer.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

18.

Customers can reach us by calling ___ 0800 number.

Customers can reach us by calling ___ number 0800.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

19.

I saw her car on ___ New York Avenue.

I saw her car from ___ New York Avenue side.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 2 points

20.

___ General Motors’ Arlington Assembly plant has been building world class vehicles. 

___ General Motors Arlington Assembly Plant has been building world class vehicles.

___ GM Arlington has been building world class vehicles.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

21.

___ Secrets of Two Cupids exhibition has opened in ___ Warsaw's Wilanów Palace Museum.

I really enjoyed ___ Secrets of Two Cupids exhibition.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

22.

If you go on holiday, take ___ raincoat and ___ camera.

If you go on holiday, take ___ hat and ___ jacket.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 4 points

23.

It is ___ new edition of ___ Cambridge Advanced Learners’ Dictionary. 

Why not subscribe to ___ Cambridge Dictionaries Online Extra.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

24.

He is waiting at ___ checkout in ___ supermarket.

On ___ Amazon.co.uk please follow the steps at ___ checkout.

In online shopping, ___ checkout user experience is important.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 5 points

25.

We had ___ roast for dinner.

Unfortunately, ___ roast burned.

It always burns whenever I cook ___ roast.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 3 points

26.

She was at ___ 82nd Academy Awards.

She was at ___ 2008’s Academy Awards.

She became ___ first woman to win ___ Academy award for ___ Best Director.

YOUR SCORE: ____ / 5 points

27.

Much of Europe takes