Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blanks.
He saw ____ old man at the bus stop and ____ old man seemed very charming.

Correct option is A

The correct option is (a).

In the first blank, the noun phrase is “old man.” Since “old” starts with a vowel sound (/o/), we use the indefinite article an before it. This introduces the man for the first time: “He saw an old man...”

In the second blank, the same man is mentioned again, so it becomes a specific reference. Therefore, we use the definite article the: “and the old man seemed very charming.”

Rule: Use a/an for first-time, non-specific reference; use the when referring to something already mentioned or known.

Example: I bought a book yesterday. The book is very interesting.

Why other options are incorrect:

• (B) a; an: “a old man” is incorrect because “old” has a vowel sound; also the second reference should be “the.”
• (C) the; a: The first mention should not be “the” because the man is not previously known; the second should be “the,” not “a.”
• (D) a; the: First article is wrong (“a old man”); it should be “an.”