Grammar 8 (Articles and Prepositions)

GRAMMAR
FOR TOEFL
ARTICLES, PREPOSITIONS,
AND PRACTICE
CONTENTS
TABLE OF
01 ARTICLES
02 PREPOSITIONS
03 PRACTICE
ARTICLES
01
Problems with Articles
Nouns in English can be either countable or uncountable.

If a noun is countable, it must be either singular or plural.
In addition to these general types of nouns, there are two
types of articles: Definite (the) and indefinite (a/an).
Articles are very difficult to learn because there are many

rules, many exceptions, and many special cases. It is
possible, however, to learn a few rules that will help to use
articles correctly much of the time.
Problem 1. Use articles with singular nouns
With all countable singular nouns, you must have an article (a, an, the), unless you have another
determiner such as my or each. (A plural noun may or may not have an article (the)).
I have money. (uncountable – no article needed)

I have books. (countable plural – no article needed)
I have a book. (countable singular – article needed).
It is also important to distinguish a and an. Article a is used in front of a singular noun with a
consonant sound. While, an is used in front of a singular noun with a vowel sound.
A hospital an orange a university an honor

A page an umbrella a unit an hour
A man an automobile an herb
an illness an herbivore
Decide if the following sentences are correct or incorrect
and find a clue that tells you why they are correct or
incorrect.
1. He bought a half gallon of milk and a box of a hundred envelopes. ____

2. An objection was raised because it was such a unacceptable idea. ____
3. The manager sent memo to his employees. ____
4. My neighbor was arrested for throwing rocks through windows. ____
5. The workers at the plant do not belong to a union. ____
6. We have machinery that prints ten pages each minute. _____
7. She was upset when an honest mistake was made. ____
8. Teacher has many students during a semester. ____
9. She opened a account at a local department store. ____
10. The child and his friends are having milk and cookies. _____
Problem 2. Make articles agree with nouns
The definite (the) is used for both singular and plural nouns, so agreement is not a problem.
However, because the use of the indefinite article is different for singular and plural nouns, you
must be careful of agreement between the indefinite article and the noun.
He saw a new movies. (X) He traveled to a nearby mountain (V)

He saw new movies. (V) He traveled to nearby mountains (V)
Do you have another books? (X)

Do you have another book (V) (singular)
Do you have other books? (V) (plural)
Problem 3. Distinguish specific and general ideas
Specific and general ideas

Article Meaning Uses
Use when there are many, and you do not know which one it is.
A or An General ideas
Use when there are many, and you do not care which one it is.
Use when it is the only one

The Specific ideas
Use when there are many, and you know which one it is.
Tom will bring a book tomorrow. He sailed on the Pacific Ocean.

(Tom will bring any one book.) (There is only one Pacific Ocean)
Tom will bring the book tomorrow.

(There is one specific book that Tom will bring tomorrow.)
and find a clue that tells you if the sentences are correct
or not.
1. You will need a pen or a pencil. ____

2. He must contact a members of the club. ____
3. The people who came here yesterday were here again. ____
4. A basketball player threw the ball to a center of the court. ____
5. There will be another important lessons tomorrow. ____
6. The sixth-grade class went on a field trip to a Lincoln Memorial. _____
7. I need a piece of paper to finish the report that I am working on. _____
8. He could not give me a good reasons for what he did. _____
PREPOSITIONS
01
Problems with Prepositions
Prepositions can be used in two ways: in a literal way and in an idiomatic way. In the literal
use, the preposition means exactly what you expect. While, in the idiomatic use, which
appears most often on the TOEFL test, the preposition appears in an idiomatic expression
has nothing to do with the literal meaning.
The boy ran up the hill. I call up my friend.

She went in the house. He succeeded in passing the course.
When it comes to prepositions on the TOEFL test, there are two common types of
problems that you should expect: 1) incorrect prepositions; 2) omitted prepositions
Problem 1. Recognize incorrect prepositions
Sometimes an incorrect preposition is given in a sentence

in written expression questions on the TOEFL test.
• The game was called on because of the rain. (X)

• The game was called off because of the rain. (V)
• I knew I could count in you to do a good job. (X)
• I knew I could count on you to do a good job. (V)
Called off = canceled

To call on someone = to visit someone
Count in = to include someone in an activity
Problem 2. Recognize when prepositions have
been omitted
Sometimes a necessary preposition has been omitted from a

sentence in written expression questions on the TOEFL test.
• Can you wait me after the game? (X)

• Can you wait for me after the game? (V)
• I plan attending the meeting. (X)

• I plan on attending the meeting. (V)
and find a clue that tells you if the sentences are correct
or not.
1. If you need more light to read, turn on the lamp next to you. ____
2. I’ll have to consult to my attorney before making a decision. ____
3. He can always depend his friends. ____
4. Children should beware strangers. ____
5. Walt has lost his keys, so he must look for them. ____
6. The board turned his suggestion down for the projects. _____
7. I just do not approve at your cheating on the exam. _____
8. Failure to pass the test will result to the loss of your license. _____
TOEFL
PRACTICE
03
TOEFL Practice: Part B
Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct.
1. Ford designed the first large-scale assembly line at plant in Highland Park, Michigan.
A B C D
2. The scholarship that Wilson received to study history at Cambridge presented an unique opportunity.
A B C D
3. According legend, Betsy Ross designed and sewed the first American flag.
A B C D
4. Plants that sprout, grow, bloom, produce seeds, and die within a year are classified for annuals.
A B C D
5. During the U.S. Civil War, an American balloonist organized a balloon corps in Army.
A B C D
TOEFL Practice: Part B
Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct.
6. In the human body, blood flows from a heart through the arteries, and it returns through the veins.
A B C D
7. An human ear responds to a wide range of frequencies.

A B C D
8. In July of 1861, Pat Garret killed Billy the Kid in a house close Fort Sumner.
A B C D
9. A marionette is controlled by means strings connected to wooden bars.

A B C D
10. A radar images of Venus add details about a planet dominated by volcanoes and lava.
A B C D

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GRAMMAR

Nouns in English can be either countable or uncountable.

Articles are very difficult to learn because there are many

I have money. (uncountable – no article needed)

A hospital an orange a university an honor

1. He bought a half gallon of milk and a box of a hundred envelopes. ____

He saw a new movies. (X) He traveled to a nearby mountain (V)

Do you have another books? (X)

Specific and general ideas

Use when it is the only one

Tom will bring a book tomorrow. He sailed on the Pacific Ocean.

Tom will bring the book tomorrow.

1. You will need a pen or a pencil. ____

The boy ran up the hill. I call up my friend.

Sometimes an incorrect preposition is given in a sentence

• The game was called on because of the rain. (X)

Called off = canceled

Sometimes a necessary preposition has been omitted from a

• Can you wait me after the game? (X)

• I plan attending the meeting. (X)

7. An human ear responds to a wide range of frequencies.

9. A marionette is controlled by means strings connected to wooden bars.

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