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Articles MCQ (A / An / The) – Daily Practice Set with Answers
Practice Articles (A/An/The/Zero Article) MCQs for SSC, Banking, Railways,
TPSC/APSC/WBPSC/State PSC and other competitive exams. Instant feedback + solution helps you improve accuracy.
Rule tip: Use “an” with vowel sound (an hour), “a” with consonant sound (a university),
“the” for specific/unique (the sun), and zero article for general plural/uncountable (Books are useful).
Q1. _________ rich and poor, young and old met together.
👁 54 viewszero rticle
When adjectives like rich, poor, young, etc., are used to refer to people in general, they can function as a noun phrase without an article. This expresses a general statement about all people in those categories. Using "the" would refer to a specific group (the rich and the poor). A or an is incorrect because they cannot modify the plural, generic sense here.
Use zero article before adjectives used as general nouns describing people (e.g., Rich and poor, Young and old). Use "the" if you mean a specific, known group (the rich and the poor).
Rich and poor alike supported the charity.
Q2. _____________ rich is not always happy.
👁 39 viewsWhen adjectives used as a noun (the rich, the poor) refer to a group of people, we use the definite article “the.” Here, rich is an adjective turned into a noun meaning “rich people as a group,” so “the rich” is correct. Using “a” or “an” would not refer to a specific group as a class. “the” is used with a defined group, and “zero article” is not used before such a plural noun form.
We use the definite article with adjectives used as nouns to mean a group: the rich, the poor, the elderly.
The + adjective used as a noun = a group of people (the rich, the poor).
Q3. The boy is studying in ____________ university.
👁 15 viewssimilar: a one-act, a one-eyed, a one-man army, a union.
Q4. This is __________ one-man show.
👁 10 viewsUse the indefinite article a before a singular countable noun when the following sound is a consonant. “One-man show” begins with a consonant sound (/w/), so we say “a one-man show.” If it started with a vowel sound, we would use an.
The choice between a and an depends on sound, not spelling. For example, “an hour” uses an because hour starts with a vowel sound after the silent h.
Consonant sound → a | Vowel sound → an
Q5. He is _________ honourable man in the locality.
👁 10 viewsUse the article 'an' before a word that begins with a vowel sound. In British English, the word 'honourable' starts with a silent h, so its pronunciation begins with the vowel sound /ɒ/ (or /ɔː/), making 'an' correct: an honourable man. 'A' is used before consonant sounds, 'the' is a definite article, and 'zero article' means no article at all, which is not appropriate here.
Before a silent 'h' word, English uses 'an' because the word begins with a vowel sound.
Vowel sound → an | Silent/voiced H → an
Q6. Honest men speak ________ truth.
👁 17 viewsWith abstract nouns like truth, we often refer to a specific truth that is commonly known or understood. The definite article the is used to indicate this particular truth: “Honest men speak the truth.” The other options don’t fit: a/an would be incorrect with a non-count noun here, and zero article isn’t the natural idiom for this general truth.
The definite article the is used to refer to something specific that both speaker and listener know about.
The + abstract noun → speak the truth
Q7. Srilanka is ________ island.
👁 18 viewsUse an before a word that begins with a vowel sound. The word "island" starts with a vowel sound /ˈaɪ/, so it takes "an" instead of "a". Therefore, "Sri Lanka is an island." (Note: "Sri Lanka" is a proper noun; articles apply to the noun "island.")
An is used before words that begin with a vowel sound, not necessarily a vowel letter. For example: an hour, an umbrella, a university.
Before a word with a vowel sound → an.
Q8. Let us discuss __________ matter seriously.
👁 18 viewsBefore a singular countable noun, use the definite article the when you mean a specific thing both speaker and listener know about. Here, the sentence refers to a particular matter, so the matter is correct. A or an would mean any matter (non-specific), and zero articles would be used for plurals or uncountable nouns in general or with proper nouns. Example: “Let us discuss the matter today.”
Use the definite article the with a singular noun when you are talking about a specific item that has been previously mentioned or is common knowledge.
Specific thing → the
Q9. You are _________ fool to say that.
👁 14 viewsUse the indefinite article a before a singular countable noun that begins with a consonant sound. "Fool" starts with the /f/ sound, a consonant sound, so we say: You are a fool to say that.
Other options: "an" before vowel sounds (not here), "the" denotes something specific (not here), and zero articles is not correct with a singular countable noun after "are." Example: You are a student.
Indefinite articles a/an are chosen by sound, not spelling: a university (sounds like /juː/ with a consonant sound).
A before consonant sound; An before vowel sound.
Q10. Rama has come without _________ umbrella.
👁 11 viewsUse a/an before a singular countable noun to indicate one item. The choice depends on the sound that starts the word. Since umbrella begins with a vowel sound (/ʌ/), we use an before it: “without an umbrella.” Using “a umbrella” is wrong because “an” is needed before vowel sounds, and “the umbrella” would specify a particular umbrella. “Zero articles” is not used here because the noun is singular and countable.
An is used before vowel sounds, not just vowels themselves. For example: an hour (silent h sound).
Before a vowel sound → an