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