Articles

Articles are words that you use with nouns. An article determines the noun. The articles in the English language are the, a, an:
  • the car down the street, the man next to you
  • a book, an apple, a bottle
An article belongs to a noun, but it can also be placed before a number or an adjective: the man, the tall man, the two men, the two tall men.
As you can see, there are two different kinds of articles:
  • the definite article the:
    You use it before a singular or a plural noun when you talk about one or more specific member(s) of a group (things, places or people) that is known to you:
    the tall man, the big house, the man next to me;
  • the indefinite articles a/an:
    You use them before a singular noun when you talk about any general thing:
    a line, a house, a kitchen, a person, an apple, an airport, an idea, an umbrella.
Note:
  • You use the article a before nouns/adjectives or numbers that start with a consonant:
    a line, a kitchen, a person, a dog, a book, a tall man, a five-year-old boy, a job interview.
  • You use the article an before nouns that start with a vowel:
    an apple, an idea, an umbrella, an egg, an hour, an eight-year-old girl, an interview.
Choose between the article a and an.
 
en
  1. There is airport close to the city.
     
  2. Do you have armchair in your room?
     
  3. She has idea!
     
  4. They have female English teacher.
     
  5. He eats apple.
     
  6. There is school around the corner.
     
  7. She has new armchair.
     
  8. We will give him book for his birthday.
     
 
 
Write a, an or the into the gap.
 
en
  1. He works as pilot.
     
  2. I need new TV.
     
  3. He is best teacher at the school.
     
  4. They have eight-year-old girl.
     
  5. book she bought yesterday is not so good.
     
  6. She is nicest girl I know.
     
  7. She is nice girl.
     
  8. city that she likes the most is New York City.
     
 
 
Do the words need the article a or an?
 
en
  • time
     
  • arm
     
  • example
     
  • adjective
     
  • week
     
  • door
     
  • day
     
  • elephant
     
  • bike
     
  • shop
     
  • number
     
  • umbrella
     
  • opinion
     
  • eye
     
  • English book
     
  • table
     
  • eagle
     
  • key
     
an
 
a
 
 
 
 
 
Write the correct definite article the or indefinite article a into the gaps.
 
en
  • Michael says: "I have best friend. His name is Josh. He lives in small house outside the city. They have beautiful garden behind house. house is painted blue and there is fence around garden. I love going there. It's so nice and peaceful."
     
 
 
 

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