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Rules:
1) Continents - no article; e.g. Asia, Europe
2) Countries - one word names = no article; e.g. China
with political descriptions use articles; e.g. The
People's Republic of China, The Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region
with plurals use "the"; e.g. the Philippines
with compass directions do not use 'The'; e.g. North Korea
3) Cities, towns and villages - no articles; e.g. Beijing, Kowloon.
4) Islands - single islands = no article; e.g. Lantau, Hong Kong Island
Islands - groups of islands = "the" + plural; e.g. the Dao Yu
Islands, the Spratleys
5) Mountains - single mountains = no article; e.g. Yellow Mountain, Mount Everest
Mountain ranges = "the" + plural; e.g. the Himalyas
6) Lakes - usually no articles; e.g. Lake Superior (exception: The West Lake,
"West" is an adjective)
7) Other Water features - use "the"; e.g. the Pacific Ocean, the South China
Sea, the Pearl River.
Question 1:
Which is correct?
a. Brazil is in the South America.
b. Brazil is in an South America.
c. Brazil is in a South America.
d. Brazil is in South America.
Question 2:
Which is correct?
a. I'm going to United States of America.
b. I'm going to the United States of America.
c. I'm going to a United States of America.
d. I'm going to United States of Americas.
Question 3:
Which is correct?
a. Shanghai is the largest city in China.
b. The Shanghai is the largest city in China.
c. A Shanghai is the largest city in China.
Question 4:
Which is correct?
a. The Outlying Islands include Peng Chau and
Cheung Chau.
b. A Outlying Islands include Peng Chau and Cheung
Chau.
c. Outlying Islands include Peng Chau and Cheung
Chau.
Question 5:
Which is correct?
a. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in
China, the Himalayas and the world.
b. The Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in
China, the Himalayas and the world.
c. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in China,
Himalayas and the world.
d. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the
China, the Himalayas and the world.
Question 6:
Which is correct?
a. The largest lake in the world is the Lake
Baikal in Russia.
b. The largest lake in the world is Lake Baikal in
Russia.
c. The largest lake in the world is a Lake Baikal in
Russia.
Question 7:
Which is correct?
a. South China Sea is part of Pacific Ocean.
b. A South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean.
c. The South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean.
d. The South China Sea is part of Pacific Ocean.
e. South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean.
Feedback for Question 1, Choice 'a': "Brazil is in the
South America."
Do not use articles with the names of continents.
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Feedback for Question 1, Choice 'b': "Brazil is in an
South America."
South does not start with a vowel sound, so don't use "an".
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Feedback for Question 1, Choice 'c': "Brazil is in a
South America."
Do not use articles with the names of continents.
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Feedback for Question 1, Choice 'd': "Brazil is in South
America."
Yes, you should not use articles with the names of continents.
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Feedback for Question 2, Choice 'a': "I'm going to United
States of America."
Use "The" in front of country names that have adjectives such as "United".
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Feedback for Question 2, Choice 'b': "I'm going to the
United States of America."
Yes, you should use "the" in front of country names that have adjectives such as "United".
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Feedback for Question 2, Choice 'c': "I'm going to a
United States of America."
Use "The" in front of country names that have adjectives such as "United".
Click here to return to the question.
Feedback for Question 2, Choice 'd': "I'm going to United
States of Americas."
Use "the" in front of country names that have adjectives such as
"United". Don't make the last name plural.
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Feedback for Question 3, Choice 'a': "Shanghai is the
largest city in China."
Yes, no articles in front of cities.
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Feedback for Question 3, Choice 'b': "The Shanghai is the
largest city in China."
No articles in front of cities.
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Feedback for Question 3, Choice 'c': "A Shanghai is the
largest city in China."
No articles in front of cities.
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Feedback for Question 4, Choice 'a': "The Outlying
Islands include Peng Chau and Cheung Chau."
Yes, groups of islands have "The" and are plural.
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Feedback for Question 4, Choice 'b': "A Outlying Islands
include Peng Chau and Cheung Chau."
Groups of islands have "The" and are plural.
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Feedback for Question 4, Choice 'c': "Outlying Islands
include Peng Chau and Cheung Chau."
Groups of islands have "The" and are plural. "Outlying islands include Peng
Chau and Cheung Chau." is correct because "islands" here has a small
"i", and is therefore not a name.
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Feedback for Question 5, Choice 'a': "Mount Everest is
the tallest mountain in China, the Himalayas and the world."
Yes, no article for single mountains, only for mountain ranges.
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Feedback for Question 5, Choice 'b': "The Mount Everest
is the tallest mountain in China, the Himalayas and the world."
No article for single mountains, only for mountain ranges.
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Feedback for Question 5, Choice 'c': "Mount Everest is
the tallest mountain in China, Himalayas and the world."
Use "the" for mountain ranges.
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Feedback for Question 5, Choice 'd': "Mount Everest is
the tallest mountain in the China, the Himalayas and the world."
No articles in front of single-word country names.
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Feedback for Question 6, Choice 'a': "The largest lake in
the world is the Lake Baikal in Russia."
There is usually no article in front of lakes.
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Feedback for Question 6, Choice 'b': "The largest lake in
the world is Lake Baikal in Russia."
Yes, there is usually no article in front of lakes.
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Feedback for Question 6, Choice 'c': "The largest lake in
the world is a Lake Baikal in Russia."
There is usually no article in front of lakes.
Click here to return to the question.
Feedback for Question 7, Choice 'a': "South China Sea is
part of Pacific Ocean."
Use "The" before sea and ocean names.
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Feedback for Question 7, Choice 'b': "A South China Sea
is part of the Pacific Ocean."
Use "The" before sea and ocean names.
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Feedback for Question 7, Choice 'c': "The South China Sea
is part of the Pacific Ocean."
Yes, you should use "The" before sea and ocean names.
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Feedback for Question 7, Choice 'd': "The South China Sea
is part of Pacific Ocean."
Use "The" before sea and ocean names.
Click here to return to the question.
Feedback for Question 7, Choice 'e': "South China Sea is
part of the Pacific Ocean."
Use "The" before sea and ocean names.
Click here to return to the question.
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