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