Using a, an and the: Simple English Articles
Using a, an and the: Simple English Articles
Lesson duration is: 80 minItems in this lesson
Using a, an and the: Simple English Articles
Can you give 2 examples of nouns?
What articles do you already know?
Learning Objective
At the end of the lesson you will:
Identify when and how to use a, an and the in English sentences.
What is an Article?
An article is a word used before a noun. We use articles to talk about people, things, or places.
Types of Articles
In English, we have two types of articles.
Indefinite articles: a, an.
Definite article: the.
Using 'a' and 'an'
'a' is used before words that start with a consonant sound.
'an' is used before words that start with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
Examples with 'a'
1. She has a dog.
2. He wants a biscuit.
Examples with 'an'
1. I saw an owl.
2. He ate an apple.
When to Use 'a' and 'an'
We use 'a' or 'an' when we talk about something for the first time or something not specific.
Practice: Fill in the gaps with a or an.
I saw ___ apple on the table.
She wants ___ new job.
He is eating ___ orange.
We have ___ meeting at 10 a.m.
There is ___ elephant in the zoo.
I need ___ pen to write this down.
She bought ___ umbrella because it was raining.
He is ___ honest man.
What is 'the'?
'The' is the definite article.
We use 'the' to talk about a specific person, place, or thing.
Examples of 'the'
1. Please close the door.
2. The sun is bright today.
When to Use 'the'
Use 'the' when both the speaker and listener know who or what is being talked about.
More Uses of 'the'
Use 'the' when you mention something again: I saw a cat. The cat was black.
Unique Things
Mentioned Before
Use 'the' with things that are one of a kind: the moon, the Eiffel Tower.
Do Not Use 'the' With...
We do not use 'the' with most names, languages, or general ideas.
Example: I like music, not I like the music.
Quick Review
Indefinite = a, an (not specific).
Definite = the (specific or known).
Gap Fill Practice
Complete each sentence with a, an or the.
1. I have ___ orange.
2. She found ___ book on ___ table.
3. ___ sun is hot.
4. He is ___ teacher.
5. Do you have ___ pen?
6. We saw ___ elephant.
7. ___ moon looks beautiful.
Gap Fill Activity
8. There is ___ apple in the bag.
9. ___ boy is my friend.
10. She bought ___ umbrella.
11. Are you ___ artist?
12. ___ cat is sleeping on ___ chair.
13. ___ river is deep.
14. I want ___ ice-cream.
15. He lives in ___ house.
Well Done!
You have learned how to use a, an and the in simple sentences.
Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.
Write down 2 things you want to know more about.
Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.
