Grammar Practice

Exercise 40. Write a/ an or no article in the blank before each indefinite noun. Write the before each definite noun.

Т.: Where is .............. menu from?

J: It is from ........... French restaurant downtown. They have ............. delicious food and ............ elegant atmosphere.

A.: How about .......... hotel? Is that ..............postcard of it?

J".: Yes it is............. rooms in ........... hotel have ...........wonderful views from them. And this is ……picture of..........famous statue. It's ........... landmark in ......... main square in …………….downtown section of ........... city. And here's ......... postcard of........... big park in .middle of........ business section. We love ............. fountain in it. Doesn't it look beautiful in sun? There are .......... fish in ........... water, and ........... people play ........... guitar music in park all day long. And look at this picture! It's ........... amazing flower market, and ... .

Exercise 41. Insert the if necessary.

1. ... youngest boy has just started going to ... school; ... eldest boy is at ... college.

2. She lives on ... top floor of an old house. When ... wind blows, all ... windows rattle.

3. ... darkness doesn't worry ... cats; ... cats can see in ... dark.

4. My little boys say that they want to be ... spacemen, but most of them will probably end up in ... less dramatic jobs.

5. Do you know ... time? Yes, ... clock in ... hall has just struck nine. Then it isn't ... time to go yet.

6. He was sent to ... prison for ... six months for ... shop-lifting. When ... six months are over he'll be released; ... difficulty then will be to find ... work. Do you go to ... prison to visit him?

7. I went to ... school to talk to ... headmistress. I persuaded her to let Ann give up ... gymnastics and take ... ballet lessons instead.

8. ... ballet isn't much use for ... girls; it is much better to be able to play ... piano.

9. I am on ... night duty. When you go ... bed, I go to ... work.

10. Peter's at ... office but you could get him on ... phone. There's a telephone box just round ... corner.

Exercise 42. Insert in a or the if necessary.

Ancient Secrets

Mr. Denys Stocks, ... retired policeman, has just been given ... B. Sc. for twelve years' research into ancient Egyptian industrial methods. Egyptologists have often wondered how ... Egyptians were able to cut such hard stone and how they produced such fine jewelry. Mr. Stocks has shown that ... Egyptians used saws and drills. ... saws and drills were made of copper, which is very soft. But ... Egyptian craftsmen made ... cut in ... stone with ….. soft saw. Then ... craftsmen turned them into very powerful tools. First ... craftsman made ... cut in ... stone with ... soft saw. Then ... craftsman poured sand into ... cut. ... hard sand got into ... teeth of ... saw and did ... cutting. In this way, ... worker could cut basalt, one of the hardest rocks. ... sand he used turned into very fine powder. ... powder was then used by jewelries to cut precious stones and to make delicate jewelry.

Exercise 43. Put in so much, so many, so few or so little.

When I agreed to serve on the committee, I didn't realize there would be ............ meetings. They take up ......... of my time that I think I'm going to have to resign. The meetings are completely useless, anyway ... people put ............ energy into arguing for hours about things. They have ...... importance that they weren't worth discussing in the first place. And ...... of the committee members are actually the kind of people I really want to get to know. I'm sure I'll be ......... happier if I give it up.

Exercise 44. Fill in blanks with other.

1. I got three letters. One was from my father. Another one was from my sister.......... letter was from my girlfriend. 2. Look at your hand. There is a total of five fingers. One is your thumb....... is your index finger....... one is your middle finger........ finger is your ring finger. And ......... finger (the last of the five) is your little finger. 3. Look at your hands. One is your right hand...................is your left. 4. I invited five people to my party. Out of those five people, only John and Mary can come.......... can't come.