ARTICLE OR NO ARTICLE? EXERCISE 1 (ESL)
level: Beginner/Intermediate (A2/B1)
✓ Useful for IELTS
✓ Useful for TOEFL
✓ Useful for TOEIC
English has three article choices: the indefinite article (a/an), the definite article (the), and zero article (no article at all). Knowing when to use each — especially with sports, languages, uncountable nouns, and proper nouns — is an essential skill at A2/B1 level. This is exercise 1 of 2 in this series.
Grammar review
Article or no article — when to use the, a, or nothing
Knowing when to use no article at all is just as important as knowing when to use a or the. Here are the main cases where English uses no article:
No article with proper nouns:
Countries, continents, cities, people’s names: France, Africa, London, Maria
Exception: countries with a plural or common noun in the name use the: the United States, the Netherlands, the Philippines
No article with sports and activities:
“She plays tennis.” “He loves football.”
No article with languages and academic subjects:
“She speaks Spanish.” “He studied economics.”
No article with uncountable nouns used in a general sense:
“She drinks coffee every morning.” (coffee in general, not a specific cup)
“He makes a lot of money.”
Use THE with:
Specific or identified nouns, previously mentioned nouns, superlatives, unique things, and groups (rivers, mountain ranges, newspapers): the Amazon, the Alps, the Times
Knowing when to use no article at all is just as important as knowing when to use a or the. Here are the main cases where English uses no article:
No article with proper nouns:
Countries, continents, cities, people’s names: France, Africa, London, Maria
Exception: countries with a plural or common noun in the name use the: the United States, the Netherlands, the Philippines
No article with sports and activities:
“She plays tennis.” “He loves football.”
No article with languages and academic subjects:
“She speaks Spanish.” “He studied economics.”
No article with uncountable nouns used in a general sense:
“She drinks coffee every morning.” (coffee in general, not a specific cup)
“He makes a lot of money.”
Use THE with:
Specific or identified nouns, previously mentioned nouns, superlatives, unique things, and groups (rivers, mountain ranges, newspapers): the Amazon, the Alps, the Times
Choose a, the, or no article to complete each sentence.
1.________ Swedish is a difficult language to learn.
Correct answer: NO ARTICLE — languages never take an article — Swedish, not the Swedish.
2.________ general's army attacked the city at night.
Correct answer: The — we use the when the noun is already defined — the general's army refers to a specific army.
3.I like to play ________ basketball.
Correct answer: NO ARTICLE — sports and games take no article — play basketball, not play the basketball.
4.My parents gave me ________ basketball for my birthday.
Correct answer: a — we use a when referring to a specific object for the first time — one basketball given as a gift.
5.She is ________ prettiest girl in the school.
Correct answer: the — superlatives always require the — the prettiest, the best.
6.I have ________ idea! Let's go bowling.
Correct answer: an — we use an before a vowel sound — an idea.
7.I have borrowed ________ money from her before.
Correct answer: NO ARTICLE — uncountable nouns used generally take no article — money, time, information.
8.My first apartment was on ________ Orange Street.
Correct answer: NO ARTICLE — street names take no article in English — Orange Street, not the Orange Street.
9.________ dress she is wearing is blue.
Correct answer: The — we use the when a specific item is identified — the dress she is wearing is a specific one.
10.He is ________ real gentleman.
Correct answer: a — we use a with singular countable nouns in a general sense — a good book.
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER ARTICLE EXERCISES:
A or the? 1 (A1/A2)
A or the? 2 (A1/A2)
Article or no article? 1 (A2/B1)
Article or no article? 2 (A2/B2)
Article or no article? 3 (A2/B2)
Articles with idioms 1 (B1/B2)
Articles with idioms 2 (B1/B2)
Articles with idioms 3 (B1/B2)
Countable or uncountable nouns? 1 (A2/B1)
Countable or uncountable nouns? 2 (A2/B1)
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A or the? 1 (A1/A2)
A or the? 2 (A1/A2)
Article or no article? 1 (A2/B1)
Article or no article? 2 (A2/B2)
Article or no article? 3 (A2/B2)
Articles with idioms 1 (B1/B2)
Articles with idioms 2 (B1/B2)
Articles with idioms 3 (B1/B2)
Countable or uncountable nouns? 1 (A2/B1)
Countable or uncountable nouns? 2 (A2/B1)
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