Articles in English: A, An, and The
A, an, and the are called articles.
They are small words, but they make a big difference to meaning in English.
In this lesson, you’ll learn the basics and practise using them correctly.
What are A, An, and The?
- Articles are words used before nouns.
- A and an are used with singular, countable nouns when we are speaking generally.
- The is used when something is specific, known, or already mentioned.
Examples
I saw a dog in the park.
She wants an apple.
The dog followed me home.
* Notice how the refers to something specific.
Practise
Choose the correct article to complete each sentence.
Common mistakes learners make
- Using the when speaking generally
- Forgetting articles completely
- Using a before vowel sounds (instead of an)
Common mistakes learners make
- Using the when speaking generally
- Forgetting articles completely
- Using a before vowel sounds (instead of an)
Watch: Articles explained by a British tutor
In this video, Claire explains articles clearly with more examples.
