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