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