Grammar in Use
Small words in a gap-fill
Fill the articles, determiners and prepositions an exam-style gap-fill leaves out.
The words an exam gap-fill takes out are almost always the shortest ones on the page: a, an, the, some, much, in, on, at, since, for. They are short because they do so much work that English wore them down. Nobody chooses them consciously while speaking, which is exactly why they are worth ten minutes of deliberate attention.
A or an is decided by sound
An hour, an honest boy — the h is silent, so the word opens with a vowel sound. A European, a university, a one-way street — these open with a consonant sound however they are spelled. Say the next word aloud and let your mouth answer.
Countable or uncountable
Many, few and several go with things you can count: many books, few chairs. Much, little and a great deal of go with things you cannot: much sugar, little water. Some and any go with either, which is why they are the safe guess when you are stuck.
Few and a few say opposite things
"He has few friends" is a complaint. "He has a few friends" is a comfort. The single letter a turns almost-none into some-at-least, and the same goes for little and a little. Read the rest of the sentence to see which mood it is in.
Since points, for measures
Since takes the moment something started: since Monday, since 2019, since the bell rang. For takes the length of time it has lasted: for two hours, for three years. If you can put a full date after it, it wants since.
Worked example
Fill both gaps: "She has worked ____ this office ____ 2015."
The first gap sits before a place you are inside, so it takes in.
At marks a point you meet somebody, in marks a space you are within — and an office is a space.
Try it together
Let us fill four gaps in one short paragraph.
The paragraph is: There was ____ old well behind the school. It had held water ____ many years, but by June there was very ____ water left ____ it. Each answer is one word.
1.First gap, before "old well". Write the one word.
Have a go
Write the one missing word: The parcel arrived ____ Tuesday morning.
Ready to practise?
Eight questions on what you have just read. Nothing is timed, and you can play as many times as you like.