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