Choose the correct form.

1. The largest and most influential of these / this city-states was Athens.

2. Political science intersects with several / both fields, including anthropology, public policy, national politics, economics, political systems, etc.

3. Political science is methodologically diverse and appropriates many / much methods originating in social research.

4. They measure the / a success of governance and specific policies by examining many / much factors, including stability, justice, material wealth, and peace.

5. There was little / few information concerning three distinct sub-disciplines which together constitute political science: political philosophy, comparative politics and international relations.

6. All / every political scientists study matters concerning the / an allocation and transfer of power in decision making, the / a roles and systems of governance including governments and international organizations, political behavior and public policies.

7. Politics is an essentially social activity through which some / little people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live.

8. In the absence of an / - exact data, we have no or fewer / less reliable means of testing human behavior as we cannot get 'inside' a / the human being.

9. It’s a / - common knowledge that the principal modes of governance are markets, hierarchies and networks.

10. The ideas of both / every founding fathers of philosophical tradition have formed the basis of what is called the 'traditional' approach to politics.

2. Should the definite article “the” be used?

· We do not normally use “the” with proper nouns referring to people. However, if we are talking about family, we can say “the Browns”.

We use “the” with:

· some adjectives to talk about groups of people.

The politicians were discussing the problems of the poor and unemployed.

When we use “the” with an adjective as the subject of a verb, we use a plural verb.

In the cities the poor are as badly off as they were in the villages.

· some nationality adjectives to talk about the people who live in a country.

the English (the people of England), the Dutch (the people of Holland),... etc.

Note: these nationality adjectives all end in - sh (the English), -ch (the French), or -ese (the Japanese).

With other nationalities we use a plural noun ending in - s with or without “the”.

(the) Italians, (the) Germans

When we use “the” with a nationality adjective as the subject of a verb, we use a plural verb.

The French are proud of their country.

We do use “the” with many proper nouns referring to geographical places:

· with canals, deserts, forests, oceans, rivers, seas, and plural islands, lakes and mountains.

the Suez Canal, the Black Forest, the Hawaiian Islands, the Atlantic Ocean

· when the name of a country, or state includes the word “of”, the type of government, or a plural form.

The Republic of Ireland, The United Kingdom, The Philippines.

· with the following states, cities, and places.

the Netherlands, the Argentine (but Argentina), the Vatican, the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Hague, the City (of London)

· with the names of hotels, cinemas, museums, clubs, restaurants, pubs.

the Plaza Hotel the Odeon Cinema the Swan Restaurant

· before names with “of”.

the Bank of England (but: Moscow Narodny Bank, or Mellon Bank)

the University of London (but: London University)

· with the names of newspapers and journals.

The Times, The Guardian

We do not use “the” with:

· planets and singular islands, lakes, mountains, and parks.

C entral Park Fiji Island Lake Baikal Mount Everest

· the names of countries and states, continents and cities, streets.

Japan, Russia, Africa, Chicago, Mexico City, Oxford Street

3. Which article should be used?

· The expression “ a number of” means “ several” or “ many” and takes a plural verb.

· The expression “ the number of” refers to a group and takes a singular verb.

A large number of political analysts proclaim that politics can adopt the methodology of the natural sciences and use research methods.

The number of Plato and Aristotle’s ideas is enough to form the basis of what is called the 'traditional' approach to politics.

· Sometimes an article is used to show a specific meaning.

A knowledge of politology is very important nowadays.