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