Fill in the blank: ____ book is on ____ table.

Correct answer: "A, the" — forms the sentence: "A book is on the table."

• Why the first blank is "A": Use an indefinite article when mentioning something not specific. "A book" means any book, not a particular one.

• Why the second blank is "the": Use a definite article when referring to something specific or already known in the context. "The table" indicates a particular table.

• Note about "an": "An" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (for example, "an apple"). It is not correct before "book," which begins with a consonant sound.

• Why the other pairings are not the expected answer: "The, a" makes the book specific and the table indefinite; "A, a" makes both indefinite (which alters the intended meaning); "An, the" is wrong because "an" does not fit before "book."