a and an (indefinite article)
Use a / an with singular countable nouns when talking about something for the first time or when it could be any one of its kind:
| Article | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | Before consonant sounds | a dog · a book · a university |
| an | Before vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) | an apple · an egg · an orange · an hour |
Sound, not spelling:
Use an before a VOWEL SOUND: "an hour" (the h is silent → sounds like "our"), "an honest man". Use a before a CONSONANT SOUND: "a university" (sounds like "yoo-niversity" → consonant y). It's the sound that matters, not the letter.
the (definite article)
Use the when both speaker and listener know which specific thing you mean:
| When to use the | Example |
|---|---|
| Second mention (already introduced) | I have a dog. The dog is black. |
| Only one exists | the sun · the moon · the internet |
| Both know which one | Can you close the door, please? (the door of this room) |
| Superlatives | She is the best student in the class. |
No article (zero article)
Some nouns take no article at all:
| When | Example |
|---|---|
| Plural nouns in general | I like cats. (cats in general) |
| Uncountable nouns in general | I drink water. (not "a water") |
| Names of people | Maria is my friend. (not "the Maria") |
| go to school / work / bed / home | She goes to school every day. |
| Names of languages, sports, meals | I speak English. We play tennis. I eat breakfast. |
First mention = a/an, second mention = the:
"I saw a man in the street. The man was wearing a red hat. The hat was very big." — first time we mention the man: a man. After that we know which man: the man.
Exercise
1. I have ______ orange in my bag.
2. She is ______ best teacher in the school.
3. I saw ______ film last night. ______ film was very funny. (first blank)
4. ______ sun is very hot today.
5. She goes to ______ school by bus. (everyday routine, no article)