Choose the most appropriate article to fill in the blank:
Places near ________ equator stay hot for most of the year.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → the
Complete sentence: Places near the equator stay hot for most of the year. There is only one equator on the Earth.
| Option | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a | “A” means one of many; there are not many equators | We saw a rainbow after the rain. |
| (2) an | “An” means one of many and goes before a vowel sound; “equator” does begin with a vowel sound, but it is not one of many | The globe on my desk has an arrow that points north. |
| (3) No article | plural or uncountable nouns used in a general sense; “equator” is a singular noun that names the only one of its kind, so it needs “the” | Rainforests grow in hot, wet places. |
| (4) the (answer) | before a thing of which there is only one | Our teacher drew the equator on the board in red chalk. |