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