Articles: a, an, the
When to put a, an, the or nothing before a noun.
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English has three small words before nouns: a, an and the. Sometimes there is no article at all. One useful rule to start with: a singular noun that we can count (book, flat, job) almost never stands alone. It needs a, an, the or a word like my or this.
A or an: the sound decides
Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Listen to the sound, not the letter.
Article | Before | Examples |
|---|---|---|
a | a consonant sound | a book, a cat, a university |
an | a vowel sound | an apple, an egg, an hour |
- The lesson is an hour long.
(The h in hour is silent.)
- He works at a university.
(University starts with a "you" sound.)
- Incorrect: a apple
- Correct: an apple
- Incorrect: an university
- Correct: a university
A and an: one thing, the first time
Use a or an with one thing that we can count, when we talk about it for the first time.
- I've got a brother and a sister.
- Is there a bank near here?
- We live in a flat.
- Incorrect: I have car.
- Correct: I have a car.Car is singular, so it needs an article.
A and an: jobs and what something is
Use a or an to say what someone's job is or what something is.
- My mother is an engineer.
- It's a bank.
- Incorrect: She is doctor.
- Correct: She is a doctor.One person's job needs a or an.
The: we know which one
Use the when we talk about something again, or when the listener knows which one we mean.
- We live in a flat. The flat is small but nice.
- Can you open the window, please?
- The children are in the garden.
(We know which children: ours.)
The: there is only one
Use the when there is only one of something, and before superlatives like best and biggest.
- The sun is very hot today.
- It's the best café in town.
No article: things in general
Don't use an article with plural nouns or uncountable nouns (water, music, life) when we talk about things in general. Most names of people, cities and countries have no article too, but we say the UK and the USA.
- I like cats, but I don't like dogs.
- I don't drink coffee.
- She lives in Paris.
- Incorrect: The life is beautiful.
- Correct: Life is beautiful.
- Incorrect: I like the music, especially pop.
- Correct: I like music.We mean music in general. The music means one piece of music, for example the music at this party.
Phrases with no article
Some common phrases have no article.
Say this | Not this |
|---|---|
at home, at work | at the home |
go to bed, go to school | go to the bed |
by bus, by train | by the bus |
have breakfast, have lunch | have the breakfast |
- I go to work by bus.
- We usually have breakfast at home.
Summary
This table puts it all together.
Noun | Any one, first time | We know which |
|---|---|---|
one thing: book | a book | the book |
many things: books | books | the books |
uncountable: water | water | the water |
- I need a pen. Can I use the pen on your desk?
- Books are expensive. The books in this shop are cheap.
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Related rules
Where this rule sits
All A1 rulesNouns and articles: all rules