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