Choose the most appropriate article to fill in the blank:
At the circus in our town, a clown rode ______ unicycle along a thin rope.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → a
Complete sentence: At the circus in our town, a clown rode a unicycle along a thin rope. “Unicycle” begins with the letter u, but it is said “yoo-ni-cycle”. The “y” sound is a consonant sound.
| Option | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) an | before a vowel sound | The clown wore an orange wig. |
| (2) a (answer) | one thing, before a consonant sound; the first sound decides, not the first letter | Our school gives a uniform to every new student. |
| (3) the | one particular thing that is already known; here the unicycle is named for the first time | The clown rode a unicycle, and the unicycle had a red seat. |
| (4) No article | plural or uncountable nouns used in a general sense; “unicycle” is a singular noun that can be counted, so it needs an article | Clowns make children laugh. |