A, an and the are some of the most common words in English. Use a or an for one thing that is new to the listener. Use the when the listener knows which one you mean. And for things in general, you often need no article at all.
The pattern
I ordered a pizza. The pizza was cold.
My sister is a nurse.
Dogs need exercise.
01A or an? Listen to the first sound
Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Listen to the sound, not the letter. Hour starts with a silent h, so it's an hour. University starts with a "you" sound, so it's a university.
| a (consonant sound) | an (vowel sound) |
|---|---|
| a car | an apple |
| a university | an umbrella |
| a uniform | an hour |
| a one-way ticket | an honest answer |
| a hotel | an email |
02A or an: one new thing
Use a or an with one thing (a singular noun) when you mention it for the first time, or when it doesn't matter which one.
- I have a question.
- There's a new coffee shop on my street.
- Can I borrow a pen?
03The: we both know which one
Use the when the listener knows exactly which thing you mean. Maybe you mentioned it before, maybe there is only one, or maybe it's clear from the situation, like the door of the room you're in.
- I bought a lamp and a rug. The rug was on sale.
- The sun is really strong today.
- Can you close the door, please?
- Where's the bathroom?
04No article: things in general
Don't use an article when you talk about plural or uncountable things in general: I love dogs. Coffee keeps me awake. Compare: The coffee at my office is terrible. That's one specific coffee, so it takes the.
05Jobs take a or an
When you say what someone does, use a or an before a singular job: She's a nurse. He's an engineer. I'm a student. In the plural, there's no article: They're teachers.
06Common mistakes
She is nurse.
She is a nurse.
A singular job needs a or an.
I waited a hour.
I waited an hour.
Hour starts with a vowel sound because the h is silent.
The vegetables are good for you.
Vegetables are good for you.
For things in general, use no article.
Look at a moon!
Look at the moon!
There is only one moon, so use the.