Articles in English: a, an and the
When to use a, an and the, why it is "an hour" but "a university", when to use no article at all and the common place-name rules.
By Polarzinho ·
"A panda ate the bamboo." That "a" and that "the" are articles. One says the panda could be any panda. The other says the bamboo was a specific one: mine.
English has three articles: a, an and the. Here is when to use each one, and when to use none.
A or an?
Use "a" before a consonant sound and "an" before a vowel sound. It is about the sound, not the letter.
- a cat, a panda, a game
- an apple, an egg, an idea
- an hour (the H is silent), an honest player
- a university, a one-time bonus (they start with a "y" or "w" sound)
When to use "the"
- Something specific or already mentioned: I saw a dog. The dog was huge.
- Something unique: the sun, the moon, the internet
- Superlatives and ordinals: the best game, the first level
When to use no article
- General plural nouns: Pandas love bamboo.
- Uncountable nouns in general: I like music.
- Most names of people, cities and countries: Maria, Chicago, Brazil
Practice by playing
In Stop!, the quick category game, every answer is a noun, and articles help you check: if you can put "a" or "the" before it, it counts.
PolarzinhoIn Stop! I write "bamboo" and everyone knows it is the bamboo. Mine.
And in Letter River, every answer is vocabulary practice.
PolarzinhoNot just an otter: the otter from Letter River, one of a kind.
FAQ
Is it "a hour" or "an hour"?
"An hour", because the H is silent and the word starts with a vowel sound.
Is it "an university" or "a university"?
"A university", because it starts with a "y" sound.
What is the definite article?
"The". "A" and "an" are the indefinite articles.
Your turn
Fill in a, an or the: "I ate ___ apple and ___ banana. ___ apple was sweet."