Articles: a, an, the
Choose a, an or the based on sound and meaning.
Articles are the tiny words a, an and the that come before nouns. They work like special adjectives, and choosing the right one makes your English sound natural.
A and an are indefinite articles that refer to any one person or thing, while the is the definite article that points to a particular one.
Examples
- I saw a peacock in the field.
- Dad bought an umbrella at the market.
- The peacock spread its feathers.
- She waited for forty minutes at the bank.
- The Himalayas stretch across several countries.
- He is a European writer.
How it works
Go by sound, not spelling
Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Say the word aloud: a one-way street starts with a 'w' sound, and an heir has a silent h.
She carried a useful bag and an old map.
A or an for any one
Use a or an with a singular countable noun when you mention it for the first time or mean any one of its kind. It is also used to name someone's job.
Rohan wants to become an engineer.
The for something specific
Use the when the listener knows which one you mean, because you have mentioned it already or the rest of the sentence makes it clear.
I bought a kurta and a dupatta. The kurta is blue.
The for unique things and names
Use the for one-of-a-kind things, for rivers, seas, mountain ranges and groups of islands, and before superlatives and ordinals. Most names of people, cities and single mountains take no article.
The Narmada flows into the Arabian Sea.
Quick reference
| Article | Use it for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| a | words starting with a consonant sound | a book, a uniform, a one-day match |
| an | words starting with a vowel sound | an apple, an heir, an X-ray |
| the | something already mentioned or known | the letter I posted |
| the | one-of-a-kind things | the sun, the earth, the sky |
| the | rivers, seas and mountain ranges | the Yamuna, the Indian Ocean, the Alps |
| the | superlatives and ordinals | the tallest, the first |
| no article | most names of people, cities and single peaks | Mr Sen, Mumbai, Mount Everest |
Common mistakes
✕She gave me an useful tip.
✓She gave me a useful tip.
Useful begins with a 'yoo' sound, which is a consonant sound.
✕Brahmaputra floods almost every year.
✓The Brahmaputra floods almost every year.
Names of rivers take the.
✕He is best player in the team.
✓He is the best player in the team.
A superlative needs the before it.
Worked example
Exercise 1
Choose the correct article.
She is ___ honest officer. (a / an)
✓She is an honest officer.
Honest begins with a vowel sound (the h is silent), so an is used.
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