Articles in English: A, An, and The

Grammar
A1

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

1. I saw a dog in the park.

2. She wants an apple.

3. 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.

👉 Read the full guide to A, An, and The

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