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