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