Page 133 - Grammar for Great Writing B

ACTIVITY 5 Common Error 9.3

Underline the correct articles.

1. (An / The) explorer Christopher Columbus introduced (a / the) lemon to Haiti.

2. Taking public transportation benefits both people and (the / an) environment by reducing (the / a)
number of cars on the road.
3. There are several reasons almost every college student owns (the / a) computer.

4. Obtaining (a / the) college degree has (the / a) positive effect on (the / a) amount of one’s lifetime
earnings. (An / The) difference over a lifetime can be as much as $400,000.

5. (The / A) beaker is (the / a) glass container that is used in (the / a) chemistry lab.

6. Mahatma Gandhi led (a / the) model life as (an / the) activist for nonviolence.
7. Charles Lindbergh, famous for his nonstop flight from New York to Paris, was (the / a) graduate of
(a / the) University of Wisconsin–Madison.

8. Building inspectors use (a / the) term egress to refer to the ways (the / a) person can exit a building:
doors, windows, and hallways, for example.

9. (A / The) United States is (an / the) example of (a / the) democracy.
10. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek of (a / the) Netherlands was (a / the) first person to see (a / the) living cell
with (a / the) microscope.

Common Error 9.4 Is an article used where one is not needed?
Computers, printers, and office furniture are examples of items listed as an equipment in a company’s
budget.

Today, the online classes are growing in popularity as they allow students the flexibility to study at the
time and place they choose.

A group of experts believes that over the next ten years, identifying who is at risk for the cancer will
lead to a cure for the disease.
REMEMBER: • Do not use a or an with noncount nouns.
• Do not use the with plural nouns when referring to general categories.
• Do not use an article with specific diseases.

Common Errors 123

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Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-203
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