Practice
Articles exercise: choose a, an, the, or no article
A short email can contain several article choices: I need a meeting room, an hour to prepare, and the notes from yesterday. Each small word tells the reader something about the noun. This exercise helps you choose it for a reason.
Choose a, an, the, or no article by checking whether a noun is singular and countable, specific, or a general idea.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
an hour; a university /ən ˈaʊə/; /ə ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti/
The short answer
Choose a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Choose the for a particular person or thing. Leave the article out when you make a general statement about plural or uncountable nouns.
Could you send me an updated schedule?
Why it works: The speaker asks for one schedule, but does not mean a known, particular schedule. Updated begins with a vowel sound, so an fits.
5 more examples
-
I booked a table for two people.
Table is one countable noun. The listener does not yet know which table, so a introduces it.
Not this:
The tablenear the window is ready. What changes: Near the window identifies one particular table, so use the. -
She waited for an hour before the interview.
Hour begins with a vowel sound because the written h is silent, so the article is an.
Not this:She attended
a universityinterview last week. What changes: University begins with a /j/ sound, like you, so it takes a rather than an. -
We bought a map at the station.
A map is newly introduced as one item among many possible maps.
Not this:
The mapshowed a shorter route home. What changes: The second sentence refers back to the map already mentioned, so use the. -
Coffee helps some people focus in the morning.
Coffee is uncountable here and means coffee in general, so it has no article.
Not this:
The coffeein this cup is too cold. What changes: In this cup identifies particular coffee, so the is needed. -
Libraries offer quiet places to study.
Libraries is plural and the sentence makes a general statement, so no article is used.
Not this:
The librariesnear my office close at six. What changes: Near my office limits the meaning to particular libraries, so use the.
Read the full guide
Start with the noun. Is it one countable thing, such as book or job? If so, it usually needs a determiner, often a or an when it is new information. Then ask whether the reader knows exactly which one you mean. If the noun is already identified, use the. For a general plural or an uncountable idea, such as books or advice, an article is often unnecessary.
First, decide whether the noun is one thing or a general idea
A singular countable noun normally needs something before it. When you mean one new or non-specific item, use a or an. Plural nouns and uncountable nouns can stand alone when you speak generally. That first decision prevents many article errors.
I need a charger for my phone.
I need chargers for our office means chargers in general or more than one. A charger means one item.
Choose a or an by sound
Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Let the opening sound guide your choice rather than the first written letter. This is why an hour and a university are both correct.
He gave an honest answer after a useful meeting.
Honest begins with a vowel sound because the h is silent. Useful begins with a /j/ sound, so it takes a.
Choose the article: ___ European colleague called this morning.
Use a: A European colleague called this morning. European starts with a /j/ sound.
Use the when the noun is identifiable
Use the when the context tells your reader which person or thing you mean. A previous sentence, a following description, or a shared situation can make the noun specific.
Please close the door before you leave.
Please buy a door would mean any one door. In a room, the door is usually identifiable to both speakers.
Use no article for broad plural and uncountable meaning
Leave out the article when a plural or uncountable noun refers to a whole class or idea. Add the when you narrow that meaning to a known group or a particular amount.
Students often need quiet time before an exam.
The students in my evening class need quiet time refers to one identified group, so it takes the.
Check meaning when a noun can be counted
Some nouns change article patterns when their meaning changes. Coffee is uncountable when it means the drink in general. A coffee can mean one serving in a café. Before choosing an article, ask what the speaker is counting or identifying.
Could I have a coffee, please?
Coffee is available in the kitchen refers to the drink generally, so there is no a.
Choose the best phrase for one cup in a café: I would like ___ coffee.
Use a coffee when you mean one serving. Use coffee with no article for the drink as a general substance.
Work through each sentence in order
For each blank, name the noun first. Decide whether it is singular countable, plural, or uncountable. Then decide whether the listener can identify it. Only after those meaning checks should you choose a, an, the, or no article.
I saw a film yesterday. The film was much longer than I expected.
The first sentence introduces one film. The second sentence points back to that same film.
Before you go
Remember this
For one new countable noun, use a or an. Let the opening sound decide between them. Use the when the noun is specific or already known. With general plural nouns and uncountable nouns, use no article unless a phrase makes them particular.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Articles exercise: choose a, an, the, or no article"
When should I use a or an?
Use a or an with one non-specific countable noun. The sound decides which one: I booked a table for two people uses a, while She waited for an hour uses an because hour begins with a vowel sound.
I booked a table for two people.
Why do we say a university but an hour?
The choice follows sound, not spelling. University begins with the /j/ sound, so say a university. The h in hour is silent, so hour begins with a vowel sound and takes an.
The table near the window is ready.
When do I use the?
Use the for a noun the listener can identify. The table near the window is ready names one particular table. The map showed a shorter route home points back to the map introduced earlier.
She waited for an hour before the interview.
Why is there no article before coffee or libraries?
Coffee helps some people focus in the morning uses uncountable coffee in general. Libraries offer quiet places to study uses plural libraries in general. Add the when a phrase identifies a particular coffee or group of libraries.
She attended a university interview last week.
Can a noun change from no article to a or the?
Yes. Coffee is available in the kitchen refers to the drink generally, while Could I have a coffee, please? means one serving. The coffee in this cup is too cold identifies a particular amount.
We bought a map at the station.
Questions & comments
Ask about this lesson, share an example, or help another learner.
