Grammar
A, an, and the: choose an article
Why do we say a university but an hour? Start with the sound you hear, then check which thing you mean.
Articles show your listener what you mean. This guide helps you choose a, an, and the smoothly.
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
a, an, and the AY-AN-and-THEE
The short answer
Use a or an for one countable thing; the means the listener knows which one. Choose a or an by the next sound; general plural and uncountable nouns often need no article.
I saw a dog in the park, and the dog barked.
Why it works: The first mention uses a dog, and the second mention uses the dog.
4 more examples
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Getting ready to go outside
I need to buy an umbrella before it rains.
Use an umbrella because the word umbrella starts with a vowel sound.
Not this:I need to buy
a umbrellabefore it rains. What changes: Umbrella starts with a vowel sound. An is the standard choice before this sound. -
Talking about a new vehicle
She bought a car yesterday, and the car is red.
Start with a car and switch to the car once it is known.
Not this:She bought
the caryesterday, and the car is red. What changes: Here the car suggests that your listener knows which car you mean. That can be correct in another context, but not when you both lack that shared knowledge. -
Sitting at the dinner table
Can you pass me the salt on the table?
Use the salt because both of you see the exact salt pot.
Not this:Can you pass me
a salton the table? What changes: Salt is not a single item here. The salt points to what is on the table. -
Waiting for a delayed train
He waited for an hour at the train station.
Use an hour because the letter h is silent.
Not this:He waited for
a hourat the train station. What changes: Hour starts with a vowel sound. An hour follows the usual English article pattern.
Quick check
Your friend does not know the bakery you found. Introduce it without suggesting they know which one. Which sentence fits?
Answer: I found a great bakery near my flat.
Show the answer
Answer: I found a great bakery near my flat.
A bakery means one bakery your friend does not yet know about.
Read the full guide
You are ordering coffee at a busy counter. You want a pastry and the receipt. Small words like a, an, and the make your request clear right away.
Pick by sound, not spelling
The problem: I choose a or an by the first letter, so I say an university or a hour.
At a café counter, you order a sandwich and an apple. When choosing between a and an, listen to the very next word. This can be an adjective: say an old chair but a wooden chair.
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Not this:
She goes to an university in Leeds.Say: She goes to a university in Leeds.
University starts with a y sound like you, so use a instead of an.
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Not this:
We will leave in a hour.Say: We will leave in an hour.
Hour starts with a vowel sound, so use an instead of a.
Your turn
Choose a or an to introduce one apple.
Answer: She took an apple from the bowl on the counter.
Show the answer
Answer: an
Apple begins with a vowel sound, so use an.
Start with a, then say the
The problem: I say the car on first mention when the listener does not know which car I mean.
Introduce a cat, then call it the cat when you mean the same one. The also works on first mention. One open door may be clear from what you both see.
- Elena
I saw a cat in the garden this morning.
- Liam
What colour was the cat?
- Elena
The cat was black with white paws.
The listener does not know the item yet.
I bought a coat.
Both of you now know the exact item.
The coat is warm.
Your turn
Introduce a jacket your friend does not know, then describe that same jacket. Which pair makes this meaning clear?
Answer: I saw a jacket yesterday. The jacket was blue.
Show the answer
Answer: I saw a jacket yesterday. The jacket was blue.
A jacket brings a new item into the story. The jacket refers back to that same one.
Countable things and uncountable words
The problem: I use a with plural words or words like advice and water.
Use a or an with one thing you can count: a question. Say some advice or a piece of advice. The works with all three noun types: the question, the questions and the advice.
-
Not this:
My boss gave me an advice yesterday.Say: My boss gave me some advice yesterday.
Advice is uncountable, so do not use an.
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Not this:
I saw a cars outside the shop.Say: I saw some cars outside the shop.
Cars is plural, so do not use a.
Your turn
You want help from your manager. Which sentence is correct?
Answer: Could you give me some advice about my work?
Show the answer
Answer: Could you give me some advice about my work?
Advice is uncountable, so use some.
General things versus specific groups
The problem: I put the before plural nouns when I talk about things in general, like I love the dogs.
Use a plural noun with no article to speak about a group in general. Use the for a certain group. The same choice works with music: all music, or the music you both hear.
Talking about the whole group in general.
Dogs are friendly animals.
Talking about certain items in that place.
The dogs in that park are friendly.
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Music helps me relax.
Why it works: Music has a general meaning here, so it has no article.
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The music next door is loud.
Why it works: The speaker means the music from one place, not music in general.
Your turn
Make a general statement about cats as a group, without pointing to certain cats. Which sentence fits?
Answer: Cats need fresh water every day.
Show the answer
Answer: Cats need fresh water every day.
The plural noun cats has no article in this general statement. The cats would point to certain cats.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
Order the words to make a correct sentence.
Answer: We stayed at a hotel near the lake.
Show the answer
Answer: We stayed at a hotel near the lake.
Here a hotel means one hotel. The lake refers to the lake you both know from the context.
Remember this
Before you speak, picture your listener. Could they point to what you mean? Then check the word after a or an. Try one sentence about a new object and one about a whole group.
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 "A, an, and the: choose an article"
Can I use the before mentioning something for the first time?
Yes. An earlier mention is only one way to make your meaning clear. A shared place or situation can also tell the listener which thing you mean. At a desk with one screen, the screen may be clear already. Use a or an when you introduce one thing without that shared knowledge.
Could you turn the screen towards me?
I bought a screen for my home office.
Does an adjective change whether I use a or an?
It can. Listen to the word right after the article, even when that word describes the noun. An engine becomes a small engine because small starts with a consonant sound. A coat becomes an old coat because old starts with a vowel sound. The spelling of the noun does not decide the choice.
They repaired a small engine.
He was wearing an old coat.
Why can someone order a coffee if coffee is uncountable?
Coffee can name the drink in general or one serving. At a café, a coffee usually means a cup of coffee. Two coffees means two servings. This countable use depends on the noun and situation. It does not make every uncountable noun countable: use a piece of advice, not an advice.
We ordered two coffees after lunch.
Could I have a coffee with milk?
Should I add an article before my or this?
Not when my or this already tells you which noun is meant. Say my notebook, not the my notebook. Say this folder, not a this folder. A singular countable noun usually needs a word such as a, the, my or this, but you do not normally combine two of these before it.
I left my notebook upstairs.
This folder holds the receipts.
When does the sound like thuh or thee?
In ordinary speech, the often sounds like thuh before a consonant sound and thee before a vowel sound. Listen to the next sound, which may come from an adjective. Speakers can also use the stronger thee form for emphasis. These changes affect pronunciation, not whether the noun needs the.
Put it on the shelf.
Look at the empty shelf.
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