Fill in the blanks with appropriate article:
I had been along this track many times and this was _________ first occasion when I hesitated.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → the
Complete sentence: I had been along this track many times and this was the first occasion when I hesitated. "First occasion" refers to one particular occasion.
| Option | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a | A refers to any one of many. It does not go with "first", which picks out one particular occasion. | – |
| (2) an | An is used before a vowel sound. "First" begins with a consonant sound, and in any case an ordinal needs "the". | – |
| (3) the (answer) | The is used before ordinal numbers (first, second, last) and superlatives, because they point to one particular thing. | Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. |
| (4) same | Same is not an article. "This was same first occasion" is ungrammatical and makes no sense. | – |