5 exercises — definite/indefinite articles, zero article with tech names, and key IT preposition collocations: deploy to, integrate with, depends on.
Quick reference
a/an — first mention or "any one of": a server, a bug
the — both parties know which specific one: the database, the PR
no article — proper tech nouns (React, AWS) & fixed phrases (in production, at runtime)
Key collocations: integrate with · deploy to · connect to · depend on · merge into
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
Choose the correct article (or no article) in this documentation sentence: "_____ server receives _____ request and returns _____ JSON response."
The / the / a is correct. "The server" — we're referring to a specific, known server in context (definite). "The request" — a specific request that was just sent (both parties know which one). "A JSON response" — one of many possible responses; introduced here for the first time, so indefinite article. Rule of thumb: use the when both writer and reader know exactly which thing you mean; use a/an when introducing something for the first time or referring to any member of a class.
2 / 5
Which sentence uses articles correctly for technical documentation?
"Deploy the code to production using a CI/CD pipeline." — code is an uncountable noun here (no article or use "the" for specific code), production is used without any article as a fixed environment name (like "in hospital", "at home"), and a CI/CD pipeline gets the indefinite article because we're not referring to a specific pipeline. Common zero-article uses in IT: in production, in development, to deploy to staging, at runtime, by design.
3 / 5
Fill in the correct preposition: "The authentication module _____ this app _____ a third-party OAuth provider."
"The authentication module of this app integrates with a third-party OAuth provider." — of shows possession/part-of relationship (the module belonging to the app). The correct collocation is integrate with, not integrate to. Key IT preposition collocations to memorise: connect to/with, integrate with, deploy to, depend on, subscribe to, merge into, migrate from/to, inherit from.
4 / 5
Which preposition is correct? "The bug was introduced _____ the last release and the fix will be shipped _____ version 2.4."
"The bug was introduced in the last release and the fix will be shipped in version 2.4." — in is used for named/numbered releases, versions, and sprints: in v2.3, in Sprint 14, in the last PR. Compare: during is for periods of time (during the deployment, during the incident). Common version/release prepositions: released in v2.0, fixed in 1.4.2, deprecated in 3.0, available since 2.1.
5 / 5
"We need _____ database that can handle _____ high write throughput. _____ PostgreSQL and _____ Cassandra are both candidates." — Choose the correct articles/zero articles.
"We need a database that can handle high write throughput. — PostgreSQL and — Cassandra are both candidates." — a database (indefinite — any database that meets the criteria). high is an adjective here, not an article choice. Proper nouns for technologies, products, and companies take no article: PostgreSQL, Redis, Docker, GitHub, React, AWS. This is one of the most common article errors non-native English speakers make in IT communication.