āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻ°āĻ
a) x, b) the, c) x, d) A, e) a, f) A, g) x, h) the, i) x, j) the, k) an
Here's a detailed explanation for the usage of articles in each blank:
(a) x (No article): Articles are not used before pronouns like 'him'. 'Him' already refers to a specific person.
(b) the: 'Freedom' here is made specific by the phrase "of his country." When a noun is followed by a qualifying phrase (often with 'of'), 'the' is used to indicate a specific or definite instance of that noun.
(c) x (No article): 'His' is a possessive adjective that already determines and specifies 'country'. Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) eliminate the need for an article.
(d) A: "A man without patriotism" refers to any general, singular, countable man who lacks patriotism. 'A' is used before singular countable nouns that begin with a consonant sound and are non-specific.
(e) a: 'Beast' is a general, singular, countable noun starting with a consonant sound. 'A' is used for non-specific references.
(f) A: "A true patriot" refers to any general, singular, countable individual who fits the description of a true patriot. Similar to (d), 'A' is used for non-specific singular countable nouns.
(g) x (No article): 'His' is a possessive adjective already specifying 'countrymen'. Therefore, no article is required.
(h) the: 'Betterment' is made specific by the phrase "of his country." Similar to (b), 'the' is used when a noun is followed by a descriptive phrase making its reference definite.
(i) x (No article): 'His' is a possessive adjective, which already acts as a determiner for 'country', making an article unnecessary.
(j) the: "On the contrary" is a common idiomatic phrase where 'the' is fixed.
(k) an: "An unpatriotic man" refers to any general, singular, countable man who is unpatriotic. 'An' is used before singular countable nouns that begin with a vowel sound.
āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻ°āĻ
The basket containing ten apples was made of cane.
This sentence requires correction based on the principle of subject-verb agreement.
The main subject of the sentence is "The basket," which is a singular noun. The phrase "containing ten apples" is a participial phrase acting as an adjective, modifying "basket." It does not alter the number (singularity or plurality) of the main subject.
Since the subject "basket" is singular, the verb must also be singular. The original sentence used "were," which is a plural verb. It should be replaced with the singular past tense verb "was" to agree with the singular subject.
āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻ°āĻ
Dhaka University is sometimes called the Oxford of the East.
The definite article "the" is required before "Oxford of the East" because it functions as a specific and unique title or epithet for Dhaka University. When a common noun (like "Oxford" used metaphorically) is made specific by an "of" phrase (like "of the East"), the definite article "the" is typically used to indicate that specificity. In this context, "Oxford of the East" refers to a singular, well-defined entity or comparison, highlighting Dhaka University's reputation and academic standing in the region, analogous to how Oxford University is perceived in the West.
