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