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