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