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