Question

Helen has _____ headache. Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.
(a)a
(b)the
(c)some
(d)an

Answer 1

Hint: We have to use the correct determiner. Read the given sentence and understand what it wants to convey. Now go through the options and choose the one which expresses the context best.

Complete answer: A determiner is a word which tells us the quantity of the noun before which it is placed.
Let us analyse the given options.
(a)Helen has a headache. It is common knowledge that people get only one headache. Also, it starts with “h” which is a consonant so we don’t use “an” which also signifies a singular quantity. So this is the right answer.
(b)Helen has the headache. “The” refers to a particular thing. When we use “the” it seems we are referring to a particular headache. That is a wrong usage because there is nothing to make the headache a “particular” headache. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
(c)Helen has some headache. We cannot use “some” here because a headache cannot be quantified as “some”. A headache is considered to be singular. Option c is wrong.
(d)Helen has an headache. Though “an” refers to a singular noun, we cannot use it in this sentence since “an” is to be used before words which start with a vowel. Thus, it is an incorrect option.
The correct answer is option a.

Note: Though “some” is used before uncountable nouns, it cannot be used in the given question because the most appropriate word to be used is the option a. “Some” also signifies a quantity more than one. Subject: English