Missing Articles (A, AN, THE)
Use A/AN for singular countable nouns, professions, and symptoms. Use THE for superlatives, unique objects, and instruments.
Question 1
Choose the correct article (or no article) to complete the sentence.
_____ life is beautiful when you appreciate small things.
🧠Why This Mistake Happens
The Problem:
Spanish omits articles in structures where English requires them
Linguistic Reason:
Spanish allows zero articles for professions ('es profesora'), illnesses ('tengo gripe'), and in other contexts where English mandates A/AN/THE. This creates L1 transfer errors when Spanish patterns are applied to English.
Spanish Example:
Spanish: Is teacher / Have flu / Need car
Spanish allows zero articles where English requires A/AN/THE
💡 Quick Rule:
Use A/AN for singular countable nouns, professions, and symptoms. Use THE for superlatives, unique objects, and instruments.
Exceptions:
- • Some illnesses use THE (the flu), others use A (a cold, a fever)
Common Examples:
She is teacher
She is a teacher
I have headache
I have a headache
I need car
I need a car
She plays piano
She plays the piano
💡 Tips for Success
- •Don't use THE with general statements (Life is beautiful, NOT The life is beautiful)
- •Don't use THE with sports, subjects, or meals in general (I love tennis, study math, eat breakfast)
- •Don't use THE with abstract concepts in general (Money can't buy happiness)
- •Spanish uses articles more frequently than English - when in doubt with generalizations, try omitting THE
🌟 Community Insights
How difficult did you find this exercise?