Question

Complete each sentence with the appropriate word from the options given below.

When Thomas heard his alarm clock go off, he got up and opened _____ window.

• A. the
• B. a
• C. an
• D. up

Answer 1

The correct option is A the

We use the definite article when the reader/hearer knows what exactly he/she is talking about. Since in the sentence we are talking about a specific window and not just any window that Thomas could open, the use of 'the' before the noun 'window' is appropriate. Hence option A is the correct answer.

'A' and 'an' are indefinite articles that are used before nouns that are non-specific or with count nouns when the hearer/reader does not know exactly which one we are referring to. Since from the question we already know that Thomas opened a specific window, using either of these articles would be grammatically incorrect. Hence options B and C are incorrect.

Option D is incorrect because the phrase opened 'up' means to make something larger, to make something available or to disclose one's feeling to another person and none of these meanings would make logical sense in this sentence.