Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end
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| Gapped text | Items |
|---|---|
| Hey, listen to ______________________ birds, they are singing very strangely | some / an / a / any / -- / the |
| Sorry, I haven't got ______________________ potatoes left | an / any / a / -- / some / the |
| Did you see ______________________ tigers? | the / a / an / some / -- / any |
| ______________________ pop music always makes me want to dance. | -- / some / the / any / a / an |
| ______________________ shops are open, but most are closed. | an / the / some / a / any / -- |
| Do ______________________ English people work hard? | some / -- / a / the / any / an |
| ______________________ children learn very quickly, but others have problems. | an / some / a / the / -- / any |
| Have you got ______________________ boyfriend? | some / an / -- / any / a / the |
| I've got ______________________ birds at home | some / any / the / -- / a / an |
| I've got ______________________ friends in China | an / any / a / some / the / -- |
| You've got ______________________ very beautiful eyes. | some / -- / the / a / an / any |
| There aren't ______________________ shops open at this time. | some / the / an / -- / any / a |
| - Do you like ______________________ coffee? - Yes, but it's a bit too hot, I'll wait | a / any / the / an / some / -- |
| all ______________________ cars in this car park look very expensive | any / an / some / the / a / the / -- |
| Are there ______________________ children in the garden? | some / a / any / -- / the / an |
| ______________________ film wasn't very good, but I liked ______________________ music. | any / a / an / -- / some / an / the / the / -- / a / some / any |
| Do you collect ______________________ stamps? | a / -- / any / an / the / some |
| I like ______________________ bananas | an / -- / any / some / the / a |
| He's got ______________________ big hands | a / any / some / -- / the / an |
| Do you need ______________________ umbrella? I've got many. | an / some / a / the / -- / any |
| My father is ______________________ doctor | any / some / an / a / -- / the |
| She's got ______________________ long face. | the / any / a / some / -- / an |
| ______________________ planes are faster than ______________________ cars. | some / -- / any / an / the / -- / an / the / any / a / a / some |
| She bought ______________________ new stamps for her collection. | some / any / a / an / -- / the |
| ______________________ grass is green and ______________________ water is transparent | some / any / any / -- / the / a / -- / a / an / an / some / the |
| Kelly's got ______________________ short fair hair. | -- / a / the / any / some / an |
| ______________________ tigers live in Asia. | an / a / -- / the / any / some |
| We went to ______________________ zoo with ______________________ children. | an / any / an / the / some / some / a / a / any / the / -- / -- |
| Paul has got ______________________ big eyes. | a / any / -- / some / the / an |
| Sandra is ______________________ nurse. | any / the / a / an / some / -- |
| ______________________ friends are coming for dinner, so I have to clean ______________________ house. | a / the / -- / a / some / any / the / any / an / -- / some / an |
| I haven't got ______________________ friends here | some / the / an / any / a / -- |
| Do ______________________ English people you know work hard? | an / the / any / some / a / -- |
| I like ______________________ Spanish food, but ______________________ Spanish food Lola prepares is the best. | any / -- / any / the / some / -- / an / a / the / some / an / a |
| Have you got ______________________ books I can read? | an / the / some / any / -- / a |
| Can you pass me ______________________ sugar, please? | an / a / -- / some / any / the |
| In the jungle you can find ______________________ birds and ______________________ monkeys. | an / a / any / -- / the / -- / some / an / some / the / any / a |
| All ______________________ cars are very expensive | the / a / -- / an / some / any |
| ______________________ birds can fly | any / a / some / an / -- / the |
| I've seen ______________________ very good films recently. | an / any / some / -- / a / the |
| I can't find ______________________ nice books in this library | an / the / -- / some / any / a |
| I only wear ______________________ coat in winter. | some / a / -- / the / an / any |
| ______________________ palm trees don't grow in Scotland | some / an / any / a / -- / the |
| ______________________ diamond rings are too expensive for me | an / -- / a / some / the / any |
| ______________________ zoo was nice, but ______________________ tigers looked very sad. | an / a / the / -- / some / an / any / a / -- / some / the / any |
| We haven't got ______________________ tomatoes. | a / an / -- / any / the / some |
| - Do you like ______________________ French wine? - No, I prefer ______________________ sherry | the / any / any / -- / an / a / a / the / an / some / -- / some |
| Do you need ______________________ sugar? I can buy it. | any / -- / a / some / an / the |
| I need ______________________ bananas. | a / an / any / the / some / -- |
| I dreamt of ______________________ man without ______________________ head | an / any / -- / some / the / some / -- / a / an / a / any / the |
| There are ______________________ eggs in the fridge. | any / the / -- / a / some / an |
| ______________________ children spend their life learning | -- / a / any / an / some / the |
| ______________________ sugar isn't good for you. | some / any / an / a / -- / the |
| I'm not wearing ______________________ ring because I'm not married | -- / any / the / some / a / an |
| Do you like ______________________ coffee? I can make you one. | some / a / the / any / an / -- |
| No thanks, I don't need ______________________ milk | some / a / the / an / -- / any |
Note: In cases when you can use some/any or no article, it is more normal to use some/any
"I need some milk" is more normal than "I need milk".
When talking in general there is no article
- I like apples
- tigers live in Asia
- grass is green and water is transparent
Note: French wine is very expensive (we are not talking about all the wine in general, but we are talking about all the "French wine" in general, so we use no article)
When talking about something particular and known, we use "the" in every case
- the president of Uganda is ill (we know what president we are talking about)
- the elephants of Africa are bigger than those in Asia
- the wine you sell is excellent
When talking about something particular but unspecified, we use the indefinite article:
- I want an apple (I don't want a specific apple, any apple is fine, this or that or that one there; if it's an apple, it's ok)
- I want apples = I want some apples
- I want wine = I want some wine
The indefinite article "a" ("an" before a vowel) is singular, and so, we cannot use it for plurals or uncountables. Nevertheless, in those cases we can normally use the indefinite article "some" ("any" for interrogatives and negatives).
- I have a book
- I have books = I have some books
- I don't have books = I don't have any books
- Have you got books? = Have you got any books?
REMEMBER! "some/any" is an indefinite article, and so, it can only be used when the quantity or number is unspecified and not very big, otherwise, we do not use it (if you have thousands of books you cannot say "I have some books", you have to say "I have books / I have many books"). It means something similar to "a few / a little".
