Articles Practice Test (A1-B2) — Grammar Exercises with Answers

⏱ Time: 10:00 📝 Questions: 20 📊 Level: A1, A2, B1, B2 📚 Type: Grammar ⭐ XP: up to +22 (on pass)
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Preparing for an English exam? Practise Articles with 20 exercises at Level A1-B2. The questions mirror real exam formats — multiple choice, true/false, fill-in — so you get used to the question styles while reviewing key grammar points.

⏱ You have 10:00 to answer 20 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

Q1  20
Q1 20

Question 1: I have ___ cat.

Question 1 options
"a" is correct because we use the indefinite article "a" before a singular countable noun starting with a consonant sound when mentioning it for the first time. "An" is used before vowel sounds, "the" implies a specific cat already known, and "some" is used with plural or uncountable nouns.
Q2 20

Question 2: She is ___ old woman.

Question 2 options
"an" is correct because we use "an" before a noun that begins with a vowel sound. "Old" starts with the vowel sound /oʊ/, so "an" is required. "A" is used before consonant sounds, "the" would imply a specific woman already mentioned, and "some" doesn't fit with a singular countable noun.
Q3 20

Question 3: Please close ___ door.

Question 3 options
"the" is correct because when both the speaker and listener know which specific door is being referred to (e.g., the door in the room), we use the definite article "the."
Q4 20

Question 4: I drink ___ milk every day.

Question 4 options
No article is needed (zero article) because "milk" is an uncountable noun used in a general sense. "A" and "an" cannot be used with uncountable nouns, and "the" would imply a specific quantity of milk already identified.
Q5 20

Question 5: We use "an" before the word "university" because it starts with the letter "u."

Question 5 options
False because the choice between "a" and "an" depends on the sound, not the letter. "University" begins with the consonant sound /juː/, so we say "a university," not "an university."
Q6 20

Question 6: I saw a dog in the park. ___ dog was brown.

Question 6 options
"The" is correct because when a noun is mentioned for the second time, it is already known to the listener, so we use the definite article "the." "A" would introduce it as if it were new. "An" requires a vowel sound, and "no article" would be ungrammatical here.
Q7 20

Question 7: ___ sun is very bright today.

Question 7 options
"The" is correct because we use "the" with unique objects that are one of a kind, such as the sun, the moon, and the earth. "A" and "an" imply there are many, and omitting the article is ungrammatical with singular countable nouns like "sun."
Q8 20

Question 8: My sister is ___ honest person.

Question 8 options
"an" is correct because the word "honest" begins with a silent "h," making the first sound a vowel /ɒ/. We use "an" before vowel sounds. "A" is used before consonant sounds, "the" would require a previously identified person, and "no article" is ungrammatical before a singular countable noun.
Q9 20

Question 9: Put these words in the correct order to form a sentence:

Question 9 options
  • She
  • the piano
  • beautifully
  • plays

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is "She plays the piano beautifully" because musical instruments require the definite article "the" (e.g., play the piano, play the guitar).
Q10 20

Question 10: We arrived at the hotel and went straight to ___ bed.

Question 10 options
"no article" is correct because certain fixed expressions use the zero article. "Go to bed" means to go to sleep and does not refer to a specific piece of furniture. "A," "an," and "the" would change the meaning to refer to a physical bed as an object.
Q11 20

Question 11: I always have ___ breakfast before I leave for work.

Question 11 options
"no article" is correct because meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) generally take no article when used in a general sense. "A" would only be used if describing a specific type (e.g., a big breakfast). "An" is incorrect before the consonant sound in "breakfast," and "the" would imply one specific, previously identified meal.
Q12 20

Question 12: We say "the United States" because country names that include words like "States," "Kingdom," or "Republic" generally require "the."

Question 12 options
True because country names containing political words such as "States," "Kingdom," "Republic," or "Union" typically take the definite article "the" (e.g., the United States, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic).
Q13 20

Question 13: Match each phrase to the correct article rule.

Question 13 options

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

{""content"": ""Zero article with languages""
Q14 20

Question 14: Mount Everest is ___ highest mountain in the world.

Question 14 options
"the" is correct because we always use the definite article "the" before superlative adjectives. "A" and "an" are indefinite articles and cannot precede superlatives, and omitting the article before a superlative is ungrammatical.
Q15 20

Question 15: She went to ___ hospital to visit her friend.

Question 15 options
"the" is correct because she is visiting someone, not going as a patient. When we go to a place for its primary purpose (e.g., going to hospital as a patient in British English), we can omit the article. But visiting someone means going to the building, so "the" is required.
Q16 20

Question 16: Which sentence is correct?

Question 16 options
"The rich should help the poor" is correct because we use "the" + adjective to refer to a group of people as a whole (the rich = rich people, the poor = poor people). The other options either misuse articles or are ungrammatical in this context.
Q17 20

Question 17: She gave me ___ useful piece of advice about my career.

Question 17 options
"a" is correct because "useful" begins with the consonant sound /juː/, not a vowel sound, so we use "a" rather than "an." "The" would require prior mention or shared knowledge of this advice. "No article" is ungrammatical before a singular countable noun like "piece."
Q18 20

Question 18: In the sentence "Life is beautiful," no article is needed before "life" because it refers to life in general.

Question 18 options
True because abstract and uncountable nouns used in a general sense take the zero article. "Life" here refers to the concept of life as a whole, not a specific life, so no article is needed.
Q19 20

Question 19: The professor, who had spent ___ hour preparing the lecture, was disappointed by the low attendance.

Question 19 options
"an" is correct because "hour" begins with a silent "h," making the initial sound a vowel /aʊ/. We use "an" before vowel sounds regardless of spelling. "A" is used before consonant sounds, "the" would imply a specific pre-identified hour, and "no article" is ungrammatical before a singular countable noun.
Q20 20

Question 20: According to scientists, ___ water covers about 71 percent of Earth's surface.

Question 20 options
No article is needed (zero article) because "water" here refers to water in general as a substance, not a specific body of water. Uncountable nouns used in a general sense do not take an article.