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