Chapter 9 · Book pages 29–32
📗 Answer key: Articles and Prepositions
Finish the questions in your book first. Then check each one here: tap Show answer, then mark ✓ if you got it right or ✗ if not. For every ✗, read the "why" and say it out loud.
A. Choose the correct article to fill in the blank
1
We can buy ____ shirt for his birthday.
✓ A. a
Any one shirt, and shirt starts with a consonant sound: a.
2
The reindeer is a native of ____ Norway.
✓ D. no article
Country names usually take no article.
3
It has been ____ long time since I saw her.
✓ A. a
'a long time' is a fixed phrase; long starts with a consonant sound.
4
Aditi had already left by ____ time we reached.
✓ C. the
'by the time' is a fixed phrase.
5
____ accountant asked for ____ main documents.
✓ C. The, the
A particular accountant and particular documents. ('A accountant' is wrong; it would need 'an'.)
6
Have you ever seen ____ chameleon?
✓ A. a
Any one chameleon; 'ch' here is a 'k' (consonant) sound.
7
The restaurant that my cousin owns is ____ very good.
✓ D. no article
'very good' is an adjective with no noun after it, so no article.
8
Do you know ____ people who live ____ next door?
✓ C. the, no article
Particular people (the ones next door); 'next door' takes no article.
9
Many people died in ____ yesterday's road accident.
✓ A. no article
'yesterday's' already points to the accident, so no article. (Some books mark 'the', but 'in yesterday's accident' is the correct English.)
10
Give me a dress. ____ dress should be blue in colour.
✓ C. The
The dress was already mentioned, so now it is 'the' dress.
B. Choose the part of the sentence that has an error
11
Please pass me the cutlery set from the top shelf.
✓ D. No error
the cutlery set, the top shelf: both are particular. Correct.
12
The blue whale is a largest mammal on earth.
✓ B. is a largest
Superlatives take 'the': is the largest.
13
A apple fell from the tree.
✓ A. A apple
Apple starts with a vowel sound: An apple.
14
Ritika is the most intelligent girl in an class.
✓ D. in an class.
A particular class (her class): in the class.
15
She offered me a orange to eat.
✓ B. me a
Orange starts with a vowel sound: an orange.
C. Choose the correct preposition to fill in the blank
16
The two friends shared the candies equally ____ them.
✓ A. between
Two friends → between.
17
His friend told him ____ the place he had visited.
✓ B. about
tell someone about = on the topic of.
18
She looked ____ the keyhole to see who was outside the door.
✓ B. through
You look through a hole, from one side to the other.
19
The little girl came ____ her mother and took the seat next to her.
✓ B. beside
The book's focus is position: beside = next to. ('came after her mother' would also be natural English, so this one is debatable.)
20
He travelled across the country ____ train just to see his family.
✓ A. by
by + transport: by train.
21
The sculpture was placed at the centre ____ the museum's main hall.
✓ C. of
'the centre of' something.
22
The keys are somewhere ____ the clutter on the table.
✓ B. among
Mixed up with many things → among.
23
The dog ran ____ its owner, excited to go for a walk.
✓ D. towards
In the direction of its owner → towards.
24
She placed her umbrella ____ the wall.
✓ A. against
Leaning on and touching the wall → against.
25
The treasure was buried ____ a large oak tree.
✓ B. under
Buried things are under the ground or tree.
D. Choose the part of the sentence that has an error
26
The children watched cartoons since noon till evening.
✓ C. since noon
Start and end go in a pair: from noon till evening.
27
She met Sheela once when she came of Mumbai.
✓ D. of Mumbai.
You come to a place: came to Mumbai.
28
My mother is staying with us at least till Saturday.
✓ D. No error
till = up to that time. Correct.
29
Why is he standing in the middle off the road?
✓ C. middle off the road?
It is 'the middle of', not 'off'.
30
You have to reach school till 7:30 a.m. or you will miss the assembly.
✓ B. till 7:30 a.m. or
A deadline needs 'by': reach school by 7:30 a.m.
Achievers Section (HOTS)
31
When I saw Sara at ____ mall, I waved at her.
✓ B. the
A particular mall both people know: the mall.
32
____ gardener yelled at Raju for crushing the new saplings.
✓ C. The
The particular gardener of that garden: the.
33
The cat squeezed itself between the narrow gap ____ the fence.
✓ C. in
A gap is in a fence.
34
The book is hidden ____ the stack of papers.
✓ D. beneath
Hidden under the stack: beneath.
35
The photograph was hung ____ the fireplace ____ the living room.
✓ C. above, in
Photos hang above a fireplace, and the fireplace is in the living room.