a / an [singular] - when we mention something for the first time / when it is one of many / when it is not specific

no article [plural] - when we mention something for the first time / when it is not specific

the [singular / plural] - when we mention something again / when there is only one of sth / when it is specific

FILL THE GAPS WITH a / an / the

1. Anna lives in ___ block of flats. ___ block has 4 floors.

2. Do you live in __ house or in __ flat?
3. ___ flat where Bob lives is very small.
4. Can you open __ door, please?
5. Be quiet, __ boss is standing behind you.
6. I ate __ egg for breakfast.
7. Have you read __ book which I lent you last week?
8. Do you have ___ pen? I need to write something down.
9. Can you give me ___ pen you are holding?
10. We must protect ___ earth from destruction.

FILL THE GAPS WITH a / an / zero article / the

1. They live in ___ blocks of flats. ___ blocks have 4 floors.

2. Do you have __ books which I gave you?
3. Do you have ___ books in your bedroom?
4. This shop sells ___ vegetables. ___ vegetables are always fresh. I recommend buying here.
5. ___ women always complain.
6. ___ men always leave socks on the floor.
7. ___ women from my company are all English.
8. ___ eggs you bought are not fresh.
9. ___eggs are ___ healthy option for breakfast
10. A: Who ate ___ cookies which I had bought? B: It must have been Bob. He loves ___sweets.

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a / an
- before adjectives defining, describing a noun Bob is a handsome man / This is a lovely bag
- before mentioning somebody’s job She’s a doctor
- meaning “per” We go on holiday once a year

the
- with superlative adjectives: the best, the nicest, the most frequent
- with expressions like: the first, the second, the third, …, the last,
the same, the only, the whole
the cinema, the theatre, the disco

FILL THE GAPS WITH a / an / the

1. Bob’s ___ doctor but presently he doesn’t have ___ job. He’s ___ only person in his family who doesn’t work.
2. She cooks once ___ week.
3. I couldn’t get into my house because I had lost ___ key.
4. Yesterday I went to ___ shop and I bought ___ bag. ___ bag is red. It is ___ nice bag.
5. Bob went to ___ party last week. He met there ___ nice girl. ___ party was boring but ___ girl wasn’t. They
spent ___ whole party together. Bob asked for ___ girl’s number and called her ___ next day. They arranged to
go on ___ date. He invited her to ___ restaurant. It was ___ very romantic restaurant, ___ best one in town.
After ___ restaurant they went to ___ cinema to watch ___ film. When they were coming back home, ___ moon
was shining brightly, so they decided to go for ___ walk. Bob walked ___ girl home and she gave him ___
goodnight kiss.
6. Honey, could you take out ___ rubbish?
7. Somebody is knocking on ___ door, can you open it?
8. ___ sun is shining brightly today.
9. Bob went to ___ local library to borrow ___ book. ___ library is close to his house.
zero article:
- singular, uncountable I like cheese / It’s good to have money

- before meals Let’s have dinner / What’s for lunch?

- with expressions like: by bus / by tram / by car / by plane / by coach / by bike

school / work / university / bed / church / home

first, last, next, every + time expression last week, next year, every day
with personal pronouns: my, your, his, her, their, our This is my dog, they sold their house
with gerunds shopping, swimming, cooking

FILL THE GAPS WITH a / an / zero article / the

1. Anna goes to ___ work by __ bus but her __ husband drives __ car to __ work.
2. Do you like ___ reading? Do you often read __ books?
3. Is there __ bank near here?
4. Anna loves ___ chocolate but she hates __ cookies.
5. ___ cookies which I bought last week were delicious.
6. Don’t forget to lock ___ door after you leave the house.
7. A: I’m hungry. Can you make me ___ sandwich? B: Ok, but you must eat ___ whole sandwich.
8. Bob’s __ student. He studies at __ university. This is __ most famous university in Kraków.
9. A: Would you like me to cook ___ dinner? B: No, thanks, I have already eaten __ pasta.
10. ___ dinner which you cooked yesterday was ___ best one I have ever eaten!
11. A: I think that generally ____women cook better than ___ men.
B: I don’t agree. ___ men in my family cook better than ___ women in my family.
12. Our class took ___ test last week. ____ only person who failed ___ test was Bob. He always fails ___ tests at
___ school.
13. My mother is ___ bank manager. She works in ___ biggest bank in our city. It’s __ good job.
She’s satisfied with ___ job although ___ boss is irritating.
14. ____ sky is clear today, we can see ___ sun clearly.
15. Children, remember to turn off ___ lights after you leave ___ bathroom.
a / an - with SINGULAR nouns the - with SINGULAR or PLURAL nouns
 nouns mentioned the first time:  nouns that have been mentioned before :
I have a dog [I have a dog.] The dog is small

 when we mean one of many  when there is only one of this or it is clear from the context
Open a window, please [there are many windows in the which one we mean
room, open one of them] Leave the door open [there is only one door in the room]

 before adjectives defining, describing a noun  with superlative adjectives

Bob is a handsome man He’s the fastest. You’re the best
This is a lovely bag
 With expressions like:
 before mentioning somebody’s job
She’s a doctor the first, the second, the third, …, the last,
the same, the only, the whole
 meaning “per” the cinema, the theatre, the disco
We go on holiday once a year

zero article - THE - concrete nouns countable or uncountable

SINGULAR uncountable or meaning “this” / “these”
PLURAL countable nouns
zero article:
 singular, uncountable The cheese you bought is delicious
I like cheese Here is the money I borrowed
It’s good to have money

 plural, not concrete – I like men with beards I like the men with beards who are standing over there

 before meals
Let’s have dinner / What’s for lunch?

 with expressions like:

go by bus / tram / car / plane
we prefer travelling by car
first, last, next, every + time expression
last week, next year, every day
school / work / university / bed / home / church
I study at university
with personal pronouns: my, your, his, her, their, our
This is my dog, they sold their house
with gerunds
shopping, swimming, cooking