Zero Article
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 471.
Indefinite Article
• Jobs
Compare: Tony is a builder. Tony was the builder of that house.
• In measuring
Three times a week. Fifty kilometres an hour.
£3.50 a kilo. £15,000 a year.
Formally, per can replace a/an.
• Unknown people
Use of a/an emphasises that a person is unknown.
A Mr Jones called while you were out.
• Names
Compare:
Matthew Smith is one of my favourite artists, (a person)
A Matthew Smith hangs in their bedroom, (a painting)
• Some unique organisations do not use the.
Parliament, but The (House of) Commons
• Streets
Most streets do not use an article.
Green Road Godwin Street
Exceptions are:
The High Street The Strand
and street names without preceding adjectives. Compare:
Holly Drive The Drive
Exercise 1. In each space put a/an or the, or leave the space blank.
It has been announced that for (1) third consecutive month there has been (2) rise in (3) number of (4) people unemployed, rather than (5) fall that had been predicted. (6) rise was blamed on (7) continuing uncertainty over (8) government economic policy, and couldn't come at (9) worse time for (10) Prime Minister, who is facing (11) growing criticism over (12) way (13) present crisis is being handled.
(14) MPs are increasingly voicing (15) fears that despite (16) recent devaluation of (17) pound and cuts in (18) interest rates, (19) government still expects (20) recovery of the economy to take three or even four years. To make (21) matters worse, (22) number of small businesses going into (23) liquidation is still at (24) record level, and (25) housing market is showing no signs of recovery. Some backbenchers expect (26) general election before (27) end of (28) winter unless there is (29) rapid change of (30) fortune.
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| Definite Article | | | Exercise 3. Correct the errors in these sentences. |