Articles in English (A, An, The) – Rules and Examples
Articles are small words, but they play a big role in English grammar. They help us understand whether we are talking about something specific or general.
There are three articles in English:
- A
- An
- The
- Indefinite Articles: A and An
A and An are used when talking about something general or mentioned for the first time.
When to use A
Use A before words that start with a consonant sound.
Examples:
- a book
- a car
- a university (sounds like “you”)
Example sentences:
- She bought a dress.
- He is a teacher.
When to use An
Use An before words that start with a vowel sound.
Examples:
- an apple
- an hour (silent “h”)
- an umbrella
Example sentences:
- She ate an apple.
- He waited for an hour.
- Definite Article: The
The is used when we talk about something specific or already known.
Example sentences:
- I saw a dog. The dog was friendly.
- The sun rises in the east.
Common Uses of “The”
- With unique things: the moon, the earth
- With superlatives: the best, the tallest
- With specific places: the school, the office
When NOT to Use Articles
Articles are not used with:
- Plural nouns (general): Dogs are friendly.
- Uncountable nouns: Water is important.
- Proper nouns: India, John (usually)
Common Mistakes
❌ She is a honest person
✅ She is an honest person
❌ I like the music (general)
✅ I like music
Practice Tip
Try making 5 sentences using a, an, and the correctly.
Learning articles improves fluency and makes your English sound natural.