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