Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end
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| Gapped text | Items |
|---|---|
| In the jungle you can find ______________________ birds and ______________________ monkeys. | an / some / -- / the / an / some / any / a / a / the / -- / any |
| ______________________ children learn very quickly, but others have problems. | the / -- / a / some / any / an |
| She bought ______________________ new stamps for her collection. | any / some / the / an / -- / a |
| - Do you like ______________________ coffee? - Yes, but it's a bit too hot, I'll wait | the / any / a / an / some / -- |
| I like ______________________ bananas | a / an / the / any / -- / some |
| All ______________________ cars are very expensive | a / -- / some / the / any / an |
| We went to ______________________ zoo with ______________________ children. | some / an / some / the / any / an / -- / any / the / a / -- / a |
| We haven't got ______________________ tomatoes. | a / an / the / any / some / -- |
| ______________________ birds can fly | the / some / a / an / any / -- |
| There aren't ______________________ shops open at this time. | a / the / an / any / -- / some |
| ______________________ zoo was nice, but ______________________ tigers looked very sad. | -- / some / a / the / any / any / an / -- / some / a / the / an |
| Sandra is ______________________ nurse. | an / -- / any / some / the / a |
| You've got ______________________ very beautiful eyes. | an / any / -- / a / the / some |
| Have you got ______________________ boyfriend? | some / a / -- / an / the / any |
| Hey, listen to ______________________ birds, they are singing very strangely | an / the / some / any / -- / a |
| I need ______________________ bananas. | some / a / any / -- / an / the |
| ______________________ friends are coming for dinner, so I have to clean ______________________ house. | any / the / any / some / -- / the / -- / a / a / an / an / some |
| ______________________ shops are open, but most are closed. | an / a / some / the / any / -- |
| ______________________ diamond rings are too expensive for me | an / a / some / any / the / -- |
| Do you collect ______________________ stamps? | some / any / a / -- / an / the |
| Are there ______________________ children in the garden? | -- / an / some / any / a / the |
| My father is ______________________ doctor | an / the / some / -- / any / a |
| ______________________ grass is green and ______________________ water is transparent | an / some / the / the / a / an / -- / -- / some / a / any / any |
| ______________________ pop music always makes me want to dance. | the / any / -- / a / some / an |
| No thanks, I don't need ______________________ milk | any / some / a / the / an / -- |
| I like ______________________ Spanish food, but ______________________ Spanish food Lola prepares is the best. | the / -- / the / -- / some / any / any / some / an / a / a / an |
| ______________________ tigers live in Asia. | any / the / a / -- / an / some |
| Sorry, I haven't got ______________________ potatoes left | a / -- / some / the / any / an |
| all ______________________ cars in this car park look very expensive | a / some / the / an / any / the / -- |
| Do ______________________ English people work hard? | an / the / any / a / -- / some |
| ______________________ palm trees don't grow in Scotland | an / a / the / some / -- / any |
| I've got ______________________ birds at home | -- / any / a / some / the / an |
| Do you need ______________________ sugar? I can buy it. | the / any / an / -- / a / some |
| - Do you like ______________________ French wine? - No, I prefer ______________________ sherry | some / -- / -- / any / the / an / some / any / an / the / a / a |
| Do ______________________ English people you know work hard? | any / -- / some / a / the / an |
| Can you pass me ______________________ sugar, please? | any / -- / an / the / some / a |
| Do you need ______________________ umbrella? I've got many. | any / -- / the / a / an / some |
| ______________________ planes are faster than ______________________ cars. | an / the / a / any / -- / some / any / the / -- / a / some / an |
| ______________________ children spend their life learning | -- / an / a / the / any / some |
| I dreamt of ______________________ man without ______________________ head | some / the / a / some / any / -- / any / the / an / -- / a / an |
| Paul has got ______________________ big eyes. | an / a / some / -- / the / any |
| ______________________ film wasn't very good, but I liked ______________________ music. | some / the / an / the / -- / a / some / any / an / a / any / -- |
| Have you got ______________________ books I can read? | some / any / an / the / a / -- |
| Did you see ______________________ tigers? | -- / any / some / a / the / an |
| I only wear ______________________ coat in winter. | -- / any / a / the / an / some |
| There are ______________________ eggs in the fridge. | the / an / any / -- / a / some |
| ______________________ sugar isn't good for you. | a / any / the / some / an / -- |
| I've got ______________________ friends in China | -- / the / a / some / an / any |
| I'm not wearing ______________________ ring because I'm not married | -- / an / a / the / some / any |
| He's got ______________________ big hands | the / some / -- / a / any / an |
| She's got ______________________ long face. | the / any / -- / an / some / a |
| I've seen ______________________ very good films recently. | -- / some / any / a / the / an |
| I haven't got ______________________ friends here | the / any / a / some / an / -- |
| Do you like ______________________ coffee? I can make you one. | the / some / any / an / a / -- |
| I can't find ______________________ nice books in this library | the / some / a / -- / any / an |
| Kelly's got ______________________ short fair hair. | -- / any / some / an / a / the |
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".
