MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH

Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end


  Drag&Drop
General use of the article
Focus Grammar
Description Complete these sentences with the correct article or with -- (nothing) when no article is possible. IMPORTANT! In sentences where you can correctly put an article or nothing (--), you must use the article for this exercise. Only when nothing (--) is the only possibility, we accept it.
Instructions Click on the words at the bottom and drag them into the empty boxes of the sentence to complete it.
 
Gapped text Items
Are there ______________________ children in the garden? an / any / a / the / some / --
Do you like ______________________ coffee? I can make you one. some / a / an / the / -- / any
My father is ______________________ doctor the / -- / a / any / an / some
She's got ______________________ long face. a / -- / an / the / any / some
No thanks, I don't need ______________________ milk -- / the / some / a / an / any
Do you need ______________________ umbrella? I've got many. the / some / -- / any / a / an
I've got ______________________ friends in China a / any / an / the / some / --
She bought ______________________ new stamps for her collection. some / an / a / -- / the / any
Do you need ______________________ sugar? I can buy it. -- / an / some / the / a / any
______________________ children spend their life learning some / -- / an / any / the / a
All ______________________ cars are very expensive the / any / some / an / -- / a
Sandra is ______________________ nurse. some / -- / a / any / the / an
- Do you like ______________________ coffee? - Yes, but it's a bit too hot, I'll wait a / some / the / an / any / --
______________________ birds can fly an / the / -- / a / any / some
______________________ planes are faster than ______________________ cars. some / any / an / some / -- / a / a / any / -- / an / the / the
There are ______________________ eggs in the fridge. the / any / an / -- / a / some
______________________ zoo was nice, but ______________________ tigers looked very sad. the / some / the / -- / a / an / some / -- / any / an / any / a
I like ______________________ bananas some / -- / a / the / an / any
______________________ tigers live in Asia. a / some / any / the / -- / an
I've seen ______________________ very good films recently. the / a / some / any / an / --
He's got ______________________ big hands some / a / -- / the / an / any
______________________ film wasn't very good, but I liked ______________________ music. an / a / -- / an / the / a / any / some / any / some / -- / the
Have you got ______________________ books I can read? the / -- / some / a / any / an
I'm not wearing ______________________ ring because I'm not married a / -- / any / some / an / the
I dreamt of ______________________ man without ______________________ head a / the / -- / the / an / some / an / -- / a / any / any / some
We went to ______________________ zoo with ______________________ children. an / some / the / an / the / a / -- / any / -- / some / any / a
I only wear ______________________ coat in winter. the / an / some / a / -- / any
______________________ palm trees don't grow in Scotland -- / a / some / any / the / an
Kelly's got ______________________ short fair hair. any / an / a / -- / some / the
Can you pass me ______________________ sugar, please? a / any / an / some / the / --
- Do you like ______________________ French wine? - No, I prefer ______________________ sherry some / an / some / -- / any / an / a / any / a / -- / the / the
______________________ sugar isn't good for you. an / the / -- / a / some / any
Do ______________________ English people you know work hard? a / the / some / any / -- / an
I haven't got ______________________ friends here any / the / an / some / a / --
There aren't ______________________ shops open at this time. -- / the / any / some / an / a
I've got ______________________ birds at home the / an / a / -- / any / some
I can't find ______________________ nice books in this library any / the / a / some / -- / an
______________________ friends are coming for dinner, so I have to clean ______________________ house. some / -- / the / some / an / a / an / any / the / -- / a / any
Sorry, I haven't got ______________________ potatoes left -- / some / a / the / an / any
I need ______________________ bananas. some / the / an / -- / a / any
I like ______________________ Spanish food, but ______________________ Spanish food Lola prepares is the best. any / an / -- / -- / any / the / a / some / some / a / an / the
Do you collect ______________________ stamps? -- / any / an / the / a / some
Paul has got ______________________ big eyes. an / the / a / -- / any / some
______________________ grass is green and ______________________ water is transparent an / some / -- / a / an / some / any / the / a / any / the / --
In the jungle you can find ______________________ birds and ______________________ monkeys. a / the / some / some / the / any / -- / -- / an / an / a / any
______________________ diamond rings are too expensive for me -- / an / a / the / any / some
Do ______________________ English people work hard? an / the / -- / any / some / a
______________________ pop music always makes me want to dance. some / -- / any / an / the / a
Hey, listen to ______________________ birds, they are singing very strangely any / -- / the / some / an / a
Did you see ______________________ tigers? the / some / a / -- / any / an
all ______________________ cars in this car park look very expensive an / any / a / some / -- / the / the
______________________ children learn very quickly, but others have problems. some / a / any / the / an / --
We haven't got ______________________ tomatoes. the / -- / some / any / a / an
You've got ______________________ very beautiful eyes. the / a / any / some / -- / an
______________________ shops are open, but most are closed. some / an / -- / the / any / a
Have you got ______________________ boyfriend? the / a / some / an / any / --
Total number of items: 56
This is an activity from Multimedia-English www.multimedia-english.com
 

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".