Articles (A, An, The) – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Writing a review on a travel website about a recent hotel stay.
You just returned from a trip and you are writing a review about your hotel. Choose the correct article (a, an, the) to fill in the blank.
1 My family and I stayed at ___ beautiful hotel near the beach last weekend.
(a) a
(b) the
(c) an
2 When we opened the door, we were very happy. ___ room was perfectly clean and smelled fresh.
(a) a
(b) an
(c) the
3 I slept really well every single night because ___ bed was so comfortable.
(a) an
(b) the
(c) a
4 My husband loved eating at the hotel restaurant. ___ food was absolutely delicious!
(a) the
(b) a
(c) an
5 On the first night, I had ___ small problem with the television.
(a) the
(b) a
(c) an
6 However, ___ staff at the front desk fixed it in just five minutes.
(a) an
(b) a
(c) the
7 I really liked the design of the room. ___ bathroom was very modern and had huge mirrors.
(a) a
(b) the
(c) an
8 I wanted to take a bath, but unfortunately, there wasn’t ___ bathtub, only a shower.
(a) an
(b) a
(c) the
9 Every morning, we went down to the lobby. ___ breakfast was amazing with many choices.
(a) the
(b) an
(c) a
10 We spent a lot of time outside because ___ swimming pool was huge and the water was warm.
(a) a
(b) the
(c) an
11 I needed to go to the 5th floor, but ___ elevator was broken on Sunday.
(a) a
(b) an
(c) the
12 Overall, I think this is ___ excellent hotel for a summer vacation with kids.
(a) a
(b) the
(c) an
13 I wanted to sleep late on Saturday, but ___ noise from the busy street woke me up.
(a) the
(b) an
(c) a
14 I asked for a late check-out on our last day, and ___ manager said yes immediately.
(a) a
(b) the
(c) an
15 You do not need to bring your own drinks. They give you ___ free bottle of water every day.
(a) a
(b) an
(c) the
16 In the evenings, we loved standing on the balcony and looking at ___ beautiful view.
(a) the
(b) a
(c) an
17 After dinner, the waiter even gave my daughter ___ free dessert!
(a) the
(b) an
(c) a
18 I needed to check my emails for work. Thankfully, ___ WiFi in the room was very fast.
(a) a
(b) the
(c) an
19 We truly had ___ wonderful experience staying at this place.
(a) an
(b) the
(c) a
20 I highly recommend this place to everyone. ___ location is absolutely perfect for tourists!
(a) an
(b) a
(c) the
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (a) a
Explanation: This is the first time you mention the hotel. It is new information to the reader. Option (b) “the” is a common mistake for a first mention. Option (c) “an” is a basic grammar error because “beautiful” starts with a consonant sound.
2 (c) the
Explanation: Once you are at a specific hotel, its rooms become specific. The reader knows exactly which room you mean (your hotel room). Option (a) “a” is a common mistake. Option (b) “an” is a basic error.
3 (b) the
Explanation: The bed is a specific attribute of the hotel room. It is the bed in that specific room. Option (c) “a” is a common mistake. Option (a) “an” is a basic error.
4 (a) the
Explanation: You are talking about the specific food cooked and served at this specific hotel. Option (b) “a” is a common mistake. Option (c) “an” is a basic error.
5 (b) a
Explanation: Contrast question! A “problem” is not a built-in part of the hotel. You are just introducing one general problem for the first time. Option (a) “the” is a common mistake. Option (c) “an” is a basic error.
6 (c) the
Explanation: The staff belongs to this specific hotel. They are a specific group of people. Option (b) “a” is a common mistake. Option (a) “an” is a basic error.
7 (b) the
Explanation: The bathroom is a specific part of your hotel room. Option (a) “a” is a common mistake. Option (c) “an” is a basic error.
8 (b) a
Explanation: Contrast question! You are saying that a bathtub did not exist. You are just talking about any general bathtub. Option (c) “the” is a common mistake because you cannot point to a specific bathtub if it isn’t there! Option (a) “an” is a basic error.
9 (a) the
Explanation: You are reviewing the specific breakfast provided by this hotel. Option (c) “a” is a common mistake. Option (b) “an” is a basic error.
10 (b) the
Explanation: The swimming pool is a specific facility of the hotel you are reviewing. Option (a) “a” is a common mistake. Option (c) “an” is a basic error.
11 (c) the
Explanation: The elevator is a specific part of the hotel building. Option (a) “a” is a common mistake. Option (b) “an” is a basic error.
12 (c) an
Explanation: Contrast question! Here, you are not talking about a part of the hotel; you are classifying the hotel as one of many excellent hotels in the world. “Excellent” starts with a vowel sound. Option (b) “the” is a common mistake. Option (a) “a” is a basic error.
13 (a) the
Explanation: You are talking about the specific noise coming from the specific street outside that hotel. Option (c) “a” is a common mistake. Option (b) “an” is a basic error.
14 (b) the
Explanation: The manager is a unique, specific person in charge of that hotel. Option (a) “a” is a common mistake. Option (c) “an” is a basic error.
15 (a) a
Explanation: Contrast question! They gave you one general bottle of water. It is not a unique built-in facility. Option (c) “the” is a common mistake. Option (b) “an” is a basic error.
16 (a) the
Explanation: “The view” refers to the specific scenery you can see from your specific hotel balcony. Option (b) “a” is a common mistake. Option (c) “an” is a basic error.
17 (c) a
Explanation: The waiter gave her one general dessert. “Free” starts with a consonant sound. Option (a) “the” is a common mistake. Option (b) “an” is a basic error.
18 (b) the
Explanation: The WiFi is a specific service provided by that hotel. Option (a) “a” is a common mistake. Option (c) “an” is a basic error.
19 (c) a
Explanation: You are classifying your stay as one wonderful experience. “Wonderful” starts with a consonant sound. Option (b) “the” is a common mistake. Option (a) “an” is a basic error.
20 (c) the
Explanation: A hotel only has one specific location. It is a unique attribute. Option (b) “a” is a common mistake. Option (a) “an” is a basic error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 The “Whole vs. Parts” Rule: This is a very important rule for writing reviews! When you introduce a “whole” thing (like a hotel, a car, or a laptop), all the “parts” belonging to it automatically become specific.
- Example: I bought a car. The engine is powerful, the seats are comfortable, and the color is red.
2 Specific Attributes in Reviews: In a hotel review, the readers know exactly which hotel you are talking about. Therefore, you must use “the” for its facilities, staff, and services.
- Examples: the bed, the food, the staff, the swimming pool, the WiFi, the location.
3 General Items: Do not use “the” if you are just talking about general objects you received or general experiences you had (e.g., I had a problem, they gave me a free drink, we had a great time).