Articles — a, an and the
The three small words before a noun: a and an (one, not specific), the (specific, both people know which one), and when to use no article at all.
English uses a tiny word before most nouns — a, an, the, or nothing at all. The choice is not about the word itself; it is about how much the listener already knows.
A — a or an? Listen to the sound, not the letter
Use an before a vowel sound, and a before a consonant sound. The spelling of the first letter does not matter — only how the word is pronounced.
1) The normal rule
a + consonant sound, an + vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
- a book · a dog · a student · a university
- an apple · an egg · an hour · an umbrella
2) The traps: spelling lies about the sound
these are the words learners get wrong.
- an hour — the h is silent, so it starts with a vowel sound.
- a university — starts with a "y" sound (yoo-niversity), so a, not an.
- a European country — same "y" sound.
- an honest man — silent h again.
The rest of this lesson is in the General English course:
- B — a/an vs the: has the listener heard about it yet?
- Remember
- C — the: obvious from the situation
- D — No article at all
- E — Fixed expressions with no article
- Correct vs wrong
Try it: a or an?
Listen to the sound, not the spelling.
- I ate ___ apple for breakfast.
(a) a (b) an - She waited for ___ hour at the station.
(a) a (b) an - My brother is ___ university student.
(a) a (b) an - There is ___ dog in the garden.
(a) a (b) an - He is ___ honest man.
(a) a (b) an - She works for ___ European company.
(a) a (b) an
Check your answers in the course — it marks them instantly. This is one of the unit's 5 exercises; the other 4 are in the General English course too.
Practise this unit in the course →