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