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