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