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