Exercise 4.2: Articles

Choose the correct answer.

1. Where’s an / the electric heater? I can’t find it.

2. What happened at an / the end of a / the film?

3. David has an / the appointment at a / the optician’s.

4. An / the old person sometimes feels lonely.

5. Peter owns a / the largest model plane in a / the world.

6. Luckily a / the fire brigade soon came and put out a / the fire.

7. Harry’s mother bought him a / the guitar for his birthday present.

8. I’m thinking about buying a / the new pair of trousers.

9. In the end there was a / the war between the two countries.

10. I didn’t know an / the answer to a / the question, so I left I out.

· Other: The use of the word other is often a cause of confusion for foreign students. Study the following formulas:

Note: Another and other are nonspecific while the other is specific. If the subject is understood, one can omit the noun and keep the determiner and other so that other functions as a pronoun. If it is a plural count noun that is omitted, other becomes others. The word other can never be plural if it is followed by a noun:

I don’t want this book. Pleas give me another.

(another = any other book - not specific)

I don’t want this book. Please give me the other.

( the other = the other book - specific)

This chemical is poisonous. Others are poisonous too.

( others = other chemicals - not specific)

I don’t want these books. Please give me the others.

(the others = the other books - specific)

Note: Another way of substituting for the noun is to use other + one or ones:

I don’t want this book. Pleas give me another one.

I don’t want this book. Please give me the other one.

This chemical is poisonous. Other ones are poisonous too.

I don’t want these books. Please give me the other ones.

Exercise 5: Other

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of other:

1. This pen isn’t working. Please give me ________ (singular)

2. If you’re still thirsty, I’ll make ______________pot of coffee.

3. This dictionary has a page missing. Please give me ________. (the last one)

4. He does not need those books. He needs __________ (all the remaining)

5. There are thirty people in the room. Twenty are from Latin America and __________ are from ______ countries.

6. Six people were in the store two were buying meat. _______ was looking at magazines. _________ was eating a candy bar. __________were walking around looking for more food. (notice the verbs)

7. This glass of milk is sour. _____________ glass of milk is sour too.

8. The army was practicing its drills. One group was doing artillery practice. ______________was marching; ________was at attention; and ____________ was practicing combat tactics.

9. There are seven students from Japan. _____________ are from Iran, and ____________ are from _________places.

10. We looked at four cars today. The first two were far too expensive, but _____________ ones were reasonably priced.

Note: It is also possible to use the demonstrative articles this, that, these, and those as pronouns. It is correct to say this one and that one; however, it is not correct to say these ones or those ones. Simply use these or those as pronouns without adding ones:

This elevator is broken. That one is also broken. (that one = that elevator)

These glasses are dirty. Those are dirty also. (those = those glasses)

The Verb Phrase

As mentioned in item 3. the verb phrase consists of the main verb and any auxiliaries.

• Tenses and aspects:

simple present-He walks to school every day.

simple past-He walked to school yesterday.

present progressive (continuous)-He is walking to school now.

past progressive (continuous)-He was walking to school when he saw Jane.

present perfect-He has walked to school several times.

past perfect-He had walked to school before he hurt his foot.

Given here is a list of some of the common irregular verbs in English. It is very important that you know whether a verb is regular or irregular. You will notice that regular verbs are the same in the past tense and past participle; however, irregular verbs are very often different in these forms.

You should also know that there is no change in the following verbs to indicate the different tenses.

*Read is pronounced differently in the past tense and participle, but is spelled the same.

• Simple present tense: This tense is usually not used to indicate present time. However, it is used to indicate present time (now) with the following stative verbs.

NOTE: The verbs listed above are almost never used in the present or past progressive (continuous), although it is possible in some cases.

Simple present is used to indicate a regular or habitual action.

John walks to school every day.

Examples of simple present tense:

They understand the problem now. (stative verb)

Henry always swims in the evening. (habitual action)

We want to leave now. (stative verb)

The coffee tastes delicious. (stative verb)

• Present progressive (continuous): Use the following rule to form the present progressive.

The present progressive is used to indicate present time (now) with all the stative verbs listed previously.

John is eating dinner now.

It is also used to indicate future time.

We are leaving for the theater at seven o'clock.

Examples of present progressive:

The committee members are examining the material now. (present time)

George is leaving for France tomorrow. (future time)

Henry is walking to school tomorrow. (future time)

The president is trying to contact his advisors now. (present time)

The secretary is typing the letter now. (present time)

We are flying to Venezuela next month. (future time)

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1396