Complete the sentence by choosing the appropriate options:
He gave _________ European _________ one-rupee coin.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → a, a
"A" or "an": the sound decides:
- The choice between a and an depends on the first sound of the next word, not on its first letter:
- an before a vowel sound: an apple, an hour;
- a before a consonant sound, including the "y" sound of eu/u and the "w" sound of one: a university, a one-way street.
- This sentence:
- "European" begins with the sound "yu", so a European;
- "one-rupee" begins with the sound "w", so a one-rupee coin.
- Both people and coin are mentioned for the first time, so the indefinite article fits.
- Complete sentence: He gave a European a one-rupee coin.
Example: She is a European doctor working in a one-room clinic.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: the, an — Incorrect. "An one-rupee" is wrong, because "one" begins with the consonant sound "w".
Option 3: an, an — Incorrect. Both blanks need "a": "European" and "one" begin with consonant sounds.
Option 4: a, an — Incorrect. The first article is right, but "an one-rupee" is wrong for the same reason as in Option 1.
Contrast: the first sound decides, not the first letter: a European, a one-rupee coin, but an hour.