Grade 7 English โ GRAMMAR IN USE:DETERMINANT ARTICLES AND POSSESSIVES Quiz
1. Choose the correct article: ____ ukulele is hanging on the wall in the music classroom.
We use 'the' when we talk about a specific instrument that is known to the speaker and listener (the one on the wall). 'An' is wrong because 'ukulele' begins with a consonant sound 'yoo', and 'A' is less specific; the sentence needs 'the'.
2. Choose the correct article: I brought ____ drum to show during music club today.
Use 'a' before a singular, countable noun when mentioning it for the first time. 'An' is wrong because 'drum' starts with a consonant sound; 'the' would be used if the drum had already been identified.
3. Choose the correct possessive: That is ____ recorder; it belongs to James.
James is male, so the correct possessive adjective is 'his'. 'Her' is for females, 'their' is plural, and 'its' is used for things or animals without named gender.
4. Choose the correct article: She will sing ____ national anthem at the school assembly.
We use 'the' with 'national anthem' because it refers to a specific, known anthem (Kenya's national anthem). 'A' would suggest one of many anthems, which is not correct here.
5. Choose the correct possessive form: The famous Kenyan musician is coming to ____ village tonight.
If the famous musician referred to in class is female, 'her' is correct. The sentence context must match the musician's gender; here 'her' is the intended correct possessive. (If the musician were male, 'his' would be used.)
6. Choose the correct article: She plays ____ oboe very well and won the school prize.
Use 'an' before words that begin with a vowel sound. 'Oboe' begins with a vowel sound 'oh', so 'an oboe' is correct. 'A oboe' is wrong; 'the' would be used if a particular oboe was already known.
7. Choose the correct possessive: These are the band members' instruments; they practise every afternoon.
For plural nouns that already end in 's' (members), the possessive is formed by adding only an apostrophe after the s: 'members''. The other forms are incorrect.
8. Choose the correct article: He learned to play ____ harmonica during the holiday.
'Harmonica' begins with a consonant sound 'h', so we use 'a' before it when introducing it for the first time. 'An' is wrong because the h is pronounced; 'the' would be used for a specific harmonica.
9. Choose the correct possessive pronoun: The choir practiced; afterwards, ____ voices were tired.
A choir is a group of people, so we use the plural possessive 'their'. 'Its' is for singular things or groups viewed as a single unit (possible but less natural here), while 'his' and 'her' refer to single people.
10. Choose the correct article: We heard ____ magnificent performance by the school band.
If this is the first mention of the performance and not previously specified, 'a' is correct. 'An' is wrong because 'magnificent' starts with a consonant sound 'm'. 'The' would imply a specific, already-known performance.
11. Choose the correct possessive form: This is ____ drum; we found it in the hall.
Use 'school's' to show singular possession: the drum belonging to the school. 'Schools'' implies plural schools, and 'schools' without apostrophe is incorrect for possession.
12. Choose the correct article: She wants to buy ____ new pair of earphones for music practice.
'Pair' begins with a consonant sound, so 'a' is used. 'An' is wrong; 'the' would indicate a specific pair already known.
13. Choose the correct possessive pronoun: These CDs belong to Mary and me. They are ____ .
If the CDs belong to Mary and me, the correct possessive pronoun for 'me' alone is 'mine' (but better would be 'ours' for Mary and me together). Among the choices, 'mine' is a correct possessive pronoun form; 'our's' and 'their's' are incorrect spellings.
14. Choose the correct possessive: The drummer repaired ____ sticks before the concert.
If the drummer is male, 'his' is correct to show possession. If context indicated a female drummer, 'her' would be correct. 'Its' and 'their' do not match a single male drummer.
15. Choose the correct article: We listened to ____ old recording of traditional rhythms from Western Kenya.
'Old' begins with a vowel sound 'o', so 'an' is the correct article when introducing the recording for the first time. 'A old' is incorrect; 'the' would be used if the recording were already identified.
16. Choose the correct possessive noun: The teacher praised ____ performance during music class.
If the performance belonged to more than one student, use the plural possessive 'students'' (add only an apostrophe). 'Student's' would mean one student; the other options are incorrect forms.
17. Choose the correct article: He is learning to play ____ saxophone this term.
If the lesson refers to the instrument generally as a subject (like 'learning the saxophone'), English often uses 'the'. 'A saxophone' could be used if referring to a specific instrument he bought, but the natural phrasing for studying an instrument is 'learn to play the saxophone.'
18. Choose the correct possessive pronoun: This music book is not yours. It is ____ .
'Ours' is the correct possessive pronoun meaning 'belonging to us'. 'Your' is an adjective, not a pronoun; 'us' and 'you' are object pronouns, not possessive.
19. Choose the correct article: They performed ____ piece by a famous Kenyan composer.
Use 'a' when introducing one piece among many. 'An' is wrong because 'piece' starts with a consonant sound; 'the' would be used if the particular piece were already specified.
20. Choose the correct possessive: ____ rehearsal starts at 4 pm; please be on time.
'Our' is the correct possessive adjective to show that the rehearsal belongs to or involves 'us'. The other forms are grammatically incorrect.
21. Choose the correct possessive form: The composerโs melody was inspired by ____ home region.
If the composer is male, 'his' correctly shows possession. 'The home region' does not show possession; 'its' is for things/animals and 'their' is plural or gender-neutral plural.
22. Choose the correct article: Can you pass me ____ sheet music on the piano stand?
'The' is correct because it refers to a specific sheet music that is on the piano stand. 'A' or 'an' would introduce an unspecified one; 'sheet music' without article is incomplete here.
23. Choose the correct possessive pronoun: That singing trophy is theirs; itโs definitely ____ .
'Theirs' is the correct possessive pronoun to show that something belongs to them (a group). The other options refer to different owners.
24. Choose the correct possessive form: The conductor adjusted ____ baton before the concert began.
For singular noun 'conductor', add 's to form the possessive: 'conductor's'. 'Conductors'' would be plural possessive, which is not intended here.
25. Choose the correct article: After school we listened to ____ hymn sung by the choir.
If referring to a particular hymn that the choir sang (specific and known in context), use 'the'. 'A' or 'an' would introduce an unspecified hymn.
26. Choose the correct possessive: This is ____ songbook; please return it to the music teacher.
For one teacher, use 'teacher's' to show possession. 'Teachers' without apostrophe or with apostrophe after the s would imply multiple teachers.
27. Choose the correct article: He bought ____ interesting book about Kenyan folk songs.
Use 'an' before words that start with a vowel sound; 'interesting' begins with the vowel sound 'i', so 'an' is correct. 'A' is wrong here; 'the' would refer to a specific known book.
28. Choose the correct possessive form: The choir director praised the soloist for ____ beautiful voice.
If the soloist is female, 'her' is correct to show possession. 'His' would be for a male soloist. 'Their' could be gender-neutral plural but is less precise here; 'the beautiful voice' does not show possession.