Advanced Articles and Quantifiers: B2 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. ___ drivers admit to exceeding the speed limit on motorways at least occasionally. → Most

A claim about a category in general takes most with no article and no of.

2. ___ the drivers we interviewed said they had never been stopped. → Most of

A specific, identified group needs most of before the determiner.

3. ___ candidates were suitable, so the post was readvertised. → Few

Few without a means almost none, which is why the post had to be advertised again.

4. ___ candidates stood out immediately, and we interviewed all three. → A few

A few means some and carries a positive sense, unlike bare few.

5. There is ___ support for the proposal, which is why it will not reach committee. → little

Little with an uncountable noun and no article means almost none.

6. ___ application is reviewed by two assessors before it reaches the panel. → Every

Every takes a singular noun and a singular verb, which is what this sentence has.

7. ___ student received individual written feedback within a fortnight. → Each

Each foregrounds the individuals separately, which is what individual feedback implies.

8. ___ option is affordable on the current budget, so we shall have to look again. → Neither

Neither is the negative of two alternatives and takes a singular verb.

9. Which sentence is INCORRECT? → All of employees receive training.

All of must be followed by a determiner, so all of employees has nothing to attach to.

10. ___ department was restructured, not merely the sales team within it. → The whole

The whole plus a singular noun stresses that one thing was affected in its entirety.

11. She was put ___ charge of the entire eastern region last spring. → in

In charge of is a fixed expression that takes no article at all.

12. He spent three years ___ sea before taking a shore job. → at

At sea is a zero-article expression meaning working on ships, not at a particular sea.

13. The situation had got completely ___ of hand before anyone intervened. → out

Out of hand is a fixed phrase with no article between the preposition and the noun.

14. The difference between 'few problems' and 'a few problems' is that ___. → few means almost none, a few means some

The article reverses the sense from a shortage to a modest positive quantity.

15. ___ of the two proposals would work, so the choice is genuinely open. → Either

Either of means one or the other of two and takes a singular verb.

16. There were ___ few objections that the motion passed in under a minute. → such

Such is used before few plus a noun; so would be used before few on its own.

17. ___ information we had turned out to be six months out of date. → The little

The little means the small amount that existed, and information is uncountable.

18. Which sentence makes a claim about researchers in general? → Most researchers agree that the effect is real.

Most with a bare plural noun generalises about the whole category.

19. Hardly ___ of the original team is still with the company. → any

Hardly is already negative, so it is followed by any rather than by a second negative.

20. ___ of the applicants met the language requirement, which was the whole difficulty. → None

None of is the form used before a determiner and a plural noun.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. ___ of the delegates we spoke to had read the briefing paper in advance. → Most

A specific identified group takes this quantifier followed by of and a determiner.

2. Most ___ take the shortest route home regardless of the traffic warnings. → commuters

A generalisation uses a bare plural noun with no article after the quantifier.

3. There is ___ little milk left, so we can manage one more round of tea. → a

The article turns a shortage into a small but sufficient quantity.

4. Very ___ people realise how long the appeal process actually takes. → few

This quantifier without an article means almost none and is used with countables.

5. ___ ticket must be scanned individually at the barrier. → Each

This determiner separates the members of a group and takes a singular noun.

6. ___ member of staff has now completed the fire training. → Every

This determiner sums the whole group but still takes a singular noun and verb.

7. ___ of the two candidates has the required security clearance, unfortunately. → Neither

The negative form for exactly two options takes a singular verb.

8. The ___ street was closed for the parade, not just the section by the cathedral. → whole

The whole plus a singular noun stresses completeness of one thing.

9. She has been ___ charge of admissions since the reorganisation. → in

This fixed expression takes no article between the preposition and the noun.

10. They travelled the last four miles ___ foot because the road was flooded. → on

Means of travel in fixed expressions take no article after the preposition.

11. ___ of the equipment we ordered has arrived, which is why nothing is working. → None

The zero quantifier before a determiner is followed by of.

12. I have hardly ___ patience left with that supplier. → any

After a negative-sense adverb English uses any rather than a second negative word.

13. ___ the students on the course have submitted their dissertations already. → All

This quantifier can appear directly before the with no of.

14. There was ___ much noise that nobody could hear the announcement. → so

So is used with much and an uncountable noun to introduce a result clause.

15. It was ___ a small turnout that the vote had to be rerun. → such

Such is used before an article and an adjective, unlike so.

16. ___ of us knew the venue had been moved, so we all went to the wrong address. → Neither

For two people the negative determiner is this one, and it takes a singular verb.

17. He gave ___ thought to the consequences before he pressed send. → little

Without an article this uncountable quantifier means almost none.

18. ___ of the paintings in the collection have ever been exhibited publicly. → Few

The bare form before of and a determiner still carries the sense of almost none.

19. Both proposals ___ merit, though only one of them is affordable. → have

Both is plural, so it takes a plural verb even when the sentence contrasts two things.

20. The dispute got out ___ hand within about ten minutes of the meeting starting. → of

Out of hand is a fixed idiom and the preposition cannot be changed or dropped.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Make a claim about a whole category. → Most drivers exceed the limit on empty roads.

Make a claim about a whole category.

2. Make the same claim about one identified group. → Most of the drivers we surveyed admitted it.

Make the same claim about one identified group.

3. Report a shortage without using a negative verb. → Few applicants met the language requirement.

Report a shortage without using a negative verb.

4. Report a modest but positive number. → A few applicants impressed the panel enormously.

Report a modest but positive number.

5. Say there is almost none of something uncountable. → There is little appetite for another reorganisation.

Say there is almost none of something uncountable.

6. State a rule covering a whole group, singular noun. → Every invoice is checked against the purchase order.

State a rule covering a whole group, singular noun.

7. Stress the individuals rather than the group. → Each delegate was given a numbered badge.

Stress the individuals rather than the group.

8. Reject both of two possibilities with a singular verb. → Neither option is affordable this financial year.

Reject both of two possibilities with a singular verb.

9. State a company-wide policy about a whole category. → All employees receive training in their first month.

State a company-wide policy about a whole category.

10. Say the same about one specific set of things. → All of the equipment here is leased.

Say the same about one specific set of things.

11. Stress that one entire thing was affected. → The whole building was evacuated within four minutes.

Stress that one entire thing was affected.

12. Use a fixed expression that takes no article. → She is in charge of the northern region.

Use a fixed expression that takes no article.

13. Describe how you travelled using a zero-article phrase. → We went the last mile on foot.

Describe how you travelled using a zero-article phrase.

14. Say that not one member of a known group could do something. → None of the witnesses could identify the car.

Say that not one member of a known group could do something.

15. Accept one or the other of exactly two options. → Either date would suit us perfectly well.

Accept one or the other of exactly two options.

16. Say almost none using a negative adverb and any. → Hardly any of the seats were still available.

Say almost none using a negative adverb and any.

17. Say that two things did the same thing, with a plural verb. → Both reports reached the same uncomfortable conclusion.

Say that two things did the same thing, with a plural verb.

18. Refer to a small positive amount of something uncountable. → A little patience would have saved everyone trouble.

Refer to a small positive amount of something uncountable.

19. Use a fixed idiom about losing control. → The matter quickly got out of hand.

Use a fixed idiom about losing control.

20. Quantify part of a specific body of uncountable work. → Much of the research has since been discredited.

Quantify part of a specific body of uncountable work.