Article a/an before noun phrases
1 Tick the correct sentence in each pair
1 a The company has captured a significant share of the market. b the company has captured significant share of the market.
-> a share is a countable noun (a share, two shares)
2 a I think they are also right to certain extent. b I think they are also right to a certain extent.
2 -> a ->> b
a certain extent is a phrase
Don’t forget to include a/an before an adjective + singular noun combination.
He clearly has a good understanding of the issues.
Many students have a part-time job while studying.
Notice the position of adverbs (very, really, quite, etc.) in these phrases:
We have a very high percentage of women working in senior government posts.
There was a really good atmosphere.
In my view, this is quite a strong argument.
Some common noun phrases to be careful with:
- to a certain extent/degree: I agree with you to a certain degree.
- a wide range/variety: We have a wide range of books to choose from.
- a(n) large/small/equal number/amount: an equal number of men and women
- a high/large/small/greater proportion/percentage: a small proportion of patients
- a long time: I haven’t seen her for a long time.
2 Correct the mistake below
All competitors should have a equal chance of winning.
3 Use the words below in the same order to form correct sentences, adding any necessary articles or prepositions
1 Only / small / number / troublemakers / were / responsible for / problems.
-> Only a small number of trouble makers were responsible for the problems.
2 Computers / play / very / important / role / education / nowadays.
-> Computers play a very important role in education nowadays.
3 She / can’t / afford to / study / full-time / basis.
-> She can’t afford to study on a full-time basis.
verb phrase: can’t afford to
expression is ‘on a full-time basis’
4 Teenagers / should be / allowed / greater / degree / freedom
-> Teenagers should be allowed a greater degree of freedom.
a greater degree of freedom
5 They / have / slightly / different / approach to / studying
They have a slightly different approach to studying
6 We / had / one-week / intensive / training / course.
We had a one-week intensive training course.
7 There / has been / gradual / increase / number / thefts.
There has been gradual increase a number of thefts.
-> They has been a gradual increase in the number of thefts.
8 They / offer / quite / wide / variety / courses.
They offer a quite wide variety of courses.