Choose the appropriate option to fill in the suitable Article.
May we have _______ pleasure of your company?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → the
Complete sentence: May we have the pleasure of your company? "Pleasure" is defined by "of your company", the particular pleasure of being with you. "May we have the pleasure of ...?" is also a fixed polite formula of invitation.
| Option | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a | "A" is used for something not yet specified. The pleasure here is specified by "of your company". | – |
| (2) an | "An" is used before a vowel sound. "Pleasure" begins with a consonant sound, and the noun is particular anyway. | – |
| (3) the (answer) | The is used when a noun is made particular by a phrase that follows it. | We request the pleasure of your presence at the wedding. |
| (4) any | "Any" is a determiner used mostly in questions and negatives about an unspecified amount. "Any pleasure of your company" is not idiomatic. | – |