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