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