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Articles: a, an, the
A1 A1 grammar · lesson 5 of 24
A, an and the are small words, but English uses them all the time. Learn when to use each one and when to use no article.
A and an
We use a or an with one thing (a singular noun) when we say it for the first time, or when it is not a special one.
- Use a before a consonant sound: a book, a car, a university.
- Use an before a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u): an apple, an egg, an hour.
We also use a / an for jobs: She is a doctor. He is an engineer.
The
We use the when the listener knows which thing we mean. The is for singular and plural nouns.
- We talk about the thing again: I have a dog. The dog is black.
- There is only one: the sun, the moon, the sky.
- Everyone knows which one: Close the door, please.
Sam has a cat and a bird.
The cat is white.
I eat an orange every day.
Lucy is an artist.
The sun is hot today.
Where are the keys?
We live in a small house.
Can you open the window?
No article
We do not use a / an with plural nouns. We often use no article when we talk about things in general: I like dogs. Cats are nice.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| a book | books |
| an egg | eggs |
| the book | the books |
Common mistakes
✗ She is doctor.
✓ She is a doctor.
✗ I have a apple.
✓ I have an apple.
✗ I see a moon.
✓ I see the moon.
✗ I want a new shoes.
✓ I want new shoes.