Correct the mistake
We had the breakfast in a very nice restaurant.
We had breakfast in a very nice restaurant.
We usually say breakfast/lunch/dinner (without THE)
At school & at the school
At school - general school for everyone.
At the school - specific building(school)
What is the plural of bacterium?
Bacteria
Can you provide three examples of the structure 'the + adjective?
The old, the elderly, the rich, the poor, the homeless, the unemployed, the sick, the injured.
___ honesty is considered ___ rare virtue in modern politics.
A) The / a
B) Ø / a
C) An / the
D) The / the
✅ Ø / a
Ø honesty → Abstract noun in general → no article.
a rare virtue → One example among many → uses a.
Have you been to the Canada or the United States?
Have you been to Canada or the United States?
*Canada, Uzbekistan, France and others
Because they are single proper names.
*“United States” is plural.
It means:
a union of several states.
Go to university & go to the university
Go to university - go to univer as a student.
Go to the university - go to univer as a visitor, not as a student.
What is the plural of datum?
Data
Can you give 5 example of usually uncountable nouns?
Accommodation, advice, baggage, behaviour, bread, chaos, damage, furniture, information, luck, luggage, news, permission, progress, scenery, traffic, weather, work.
___ life in ___ 21st century is far more complicated than it was in ___ Middle Ages.
A) The / the / the
B) Ø / the / the
C) Ø / the / Ø
D) The / Ø / the
✅Ø / the / the
Ø life → Abstract/general → no article.
the 21st century → Specific century → the.
the Middle Ages → Specific historical period → the.
It was a four-week course at the Cambridge University.
It was a four-week course at Cambridge University.
Cambridge University without THE
*But:
The University of Cambridge
In class & in the class
In class - Refers to attending lessons as a student. She is in class. → “She is attending lessons.”
In the class - Refers to being inside a specific classroom.
She is in the class. → “She is inside the classroom (e.g., to check something).”
What is the plural of medium?
Media
She was appointed ___ CEO last year.
No article
After verbs like appoint, elect, become → we usually drop the article before job titles.
He has been recognized as ___ expert in ___ artificial intelligence, and he works for ___ European tech company.
A) an / the / an
B) an / Ø / a
C) the / the / the
D) an / the / the
an / Ø / a
an expert → singular countable noun → indefinite article.
Ø artificial intelligence → abstract field → zero article.
a European tech company → non-specific → indefinite article.
She gave me an advice about the career, and the suggestion turned out to be the best decision of my life.
She gave me advice about my career, and the suggestion turned out to be the best decision of my life.
❌ an advice → ✅ advice (uncountable)
❌ the career → ✅ my career (needs determiner)
In hospital & in the hospital
In hospital - patient role.
He is in hospital. → “He is a patient there.”
In the hospital - He is in the hospital. → “He is inside the hospital (not necessarily a patient).”
What is the plural of criterion?
Criteria
He is ___ professor at ___ University of Oxford.
He is a professor at the University of Oxford.
“professor” → singular countable noun → needs a
“University of Oxford” → contains “of” structure → requires the
___ rich are getting richer, while ___ poor often struggle to survive.
✅The / the
The rich / the poor → the+adjective
The freedom of a speech is protected by the law in a democratic society.
Freedom of speech is protected by law in a democratic society.
❌ The freedom → ✅ Freedom (general concept)
❌ a speech → ✅ speech (uncountable phrase)
❌ the law → ✅ law (general system)
At table & at the table
At table - Refers to being at a meal / eating.
Example: “He is at table.” → “He is having a meal.”
At the table - Refers to being next to or at a physical table.
Example: “He is at the table.” → “He is sitting or standing at the table (not necessarily eating).”
What is the plural of thesis?
Theses
What is the plural of memorandum?
Memoranda
During her travels, she explored ___ Amazon rainforest, spent a month in ___ village, and learned about ___ culture of ___ indigenous people.
A) the / a / the / the
B) Ø / the / Ø / Ø
C) the / the / Ø / Ø
D) a / Ø / a / Ø
✅ the / the / Ø / Ø
Explanation:
the Amazon rainforest → specific, famous location → definite article.
the village → specific village she stayed in → definite article.
Ø culture → general abstract concept → zero article.
Ø indigenous people → general plural, unspecified group → zero article.