Articles

Indefinite Articles 'A' and 'An'

(1) Indefinite Article 'A'

The Indefinite Article 'a' means 'one'. It is used before a countable noun which starts with a consonant.

Examples: a bicycle, a fish, a house, a king, a lion, a pen, a queen, a towel, a watch, a zoo.

I have a bicycle.

There is a house on top of the hill.

May I have a towel, please?

Jennifer's father gave her a watch on her birthday.

A lion roars.

I saw a fish in the stream.

Exceptional Case

a is used before words like university, European, etc.

(2) Indefinite Article 'An'

'an' is used before vowel sounds.

Examples: an apple, an elephant, an umbrella.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Exceptional Case

an hour, an honest man

Definite Article 'The'

'the' is used when referring to something specific.

I have a pen. The pen is blue.

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks with the articles 'a' or 'an'. Leave the blanks empty if no articles are needed.

1. __________ owl is __________ bird.

2. __________ snake slithers.

3. Mr. Gabriel is __________ security guard. He wears __________ uniform to work.

4. Lucy is peeling __________ apple with __________ knife.

5. James and Nicholas have been fishing by the river for __________ hour.

6. It looks like rain. You had better take __________ umbrella or __________ raincoat with you.

7. __________ blacksmith makes things out of __________ iron.

8. She puts __________ bouquet of flowers into the vase.

9. Paula is having __________ cold. She has gone to see __________ doctor.

10. __________ elephant has __________ trunk.

B. Fill in the blanks with the articles 'a', 'an' or 'the'. Leave the blanks empty if no articles are needed.

1. I have __________ Indian friend who comes from __________ India. He is __________ Hindu.

2. Jupiter is __________ largest planet in __________ solar system.

3. __________ wealthy man lives in a bungalow. __________ bungalow overlooks __________ sea.

4. My mother bought __________ necklace yesterday. She is going to wear __________ necklace to __________ dinner tonight.

5. __________ Mount Everest is __________ highest mountain in __________ world.

6. My brother and sister enjoy playing __________ Chinese chequers.

7. He is __________ first person to sail across __________ Atlantic Ocean.

8. This is __________ magazine that I told you about earlier.

9. I used to live on __________ High Street but now I live on __________ Crescent Road.

10. I went to see __________ movie last evening. __________ movie is about __________ man who was stranded on __________ island for four years before he was rescued by __________ captain of __________ ship.

C. Fill in the blanks with the articles 'a', 'an' or 'the'. Leave the blanks empty if no articles are needed.

1. I am __________ eldest child in my family.

2. __________ tailor is __________ person who makes __________ clothes for men.

3. __________ tourists are going to climb __________ Mt. Fuji tomorrow.

4. __________ porpoise is __________ sea mammal.

5. My mother is having __________ perm in __________ unisex beauty shop.

6. __________ orang-utan is __________ endangered species.

7. __________ bus journey takes half __________ hour.

8. That is __________ man who comes from __________ Korea.

9. After I had mopped __________ floor, I went out to play __________ baseball.

10. __________ heir is __________ person who has __________ legal right to receive another person’s property when that person dies.

Answers

1. An, a

2. A

3. a, a

4. an, a

5. an

6. an, a

7. A, -

8. a

9. a, a

10. An, a

1. An, -, a

2. the, the

3. The, the, the

4. a, the, a

5. -, the, the

6. -

7. the, the

8. the

9. -, -

10. a, The, a, an, the, a

1. the

2. A, a, -

3. The, -

4. The/A, a

5. a, a/the

6. The, an

7. The, an

8. the, -

9. the, -