Many languages don’t use articles, so their presence in English can be challenging for new learners. It’s easy to just leave them out—especially since people usually understand us without them. However, articles help add precision to our communication. Today, I’ll focus on “a” and “an” so you’ll know how to use them correctly. (For information on “the,” check out my post here.)

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What are “a” and “an”?

“A” and “an” are called indefinite articles. Unlike “the,” they refer to something not specific. When you talk about something for the first time or something general, you use “a” or “an.”

For example:

• There was a black cat on my porch.
  (This doesn’t refer to a specific cat both you and your listener know, but any cat—maybe one of many strays in the neighborhood.)
• I’m going to read a book.
  (You aren’t referring to a specific book, or if you are, you haven’t mentioned it to your listener before.)

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Changing from “a/an” to “the”

Sometimes, once you’ve introduced something, you switch from “a” or “an” to “the” because the listener now knows exactly what you mean.

Consider these paragraphs:

There was a black cat on my porch. I didn’t know what to do, so I brought it inside. Now the cat lives with me and demands that I feed it. I guess the cat is mine now.

In this paragraph, the first sentence introduces the cat using “a.” The following sentences use “the” because now the cat is specific and known to the listener.

Another example:

I’m going to read a book. It’s a big one, but everyone says the book is a really great read. Even if it takes me a long time to finish, I’ve been assured that the book is worth it.

Again, the introduction uses “a,” and later the article changes to “the” as the book becomes specific.

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When the shift doesn’t happen

Sometimes, the shift from “a/an” to “the” doesn’t occur because the thing mentioned remains general:

• I’m going to take a drink.

We wouldn’t say, “I’m going to take the drink,” unless we’re talking about a specific drink already known. Here, the phrase refers to the activity in a general way.

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Using “an”

So far, I’ve used examples with “a.” But when do you use “an”?

It depends on the sound the next word starts with:

• Use “a” before words that begin with a consonant sound.
• Use “an” before words that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).

Here are some examples:

• She took an airplane.
• He ate an apple.
• It took them an hour to get here. (The “h” is silent, so it starts with a vowel sound.)
• That was a unique statement. (Though “unique” starts with a vowel letter, it sounds like it begins with “you,” a consonant sound.)

Note: Usage of “a” and “an” can vary by location. For example, in the UK, people might say “an history” while in the US, it’s more common to say “a history.”

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Ready to test your knowledge?

Fill in the blanks with a or an:

1. She went to (a / an) barbeque.
2. The man ate (a / an) orange.
3. Lucy drank from (a / an) glass.

Fill in the blanks with a or the:

4. I’m going to (a / the) bathroom.
5. There’s (a / the) white cow in that field.
6. I have (a / the) chihuahua.

Fill in the blanks with a, an, or the:

7. I’m taking (a / an / the) train. (general)
8. He’s eating (a / an / the) coconut. (specific)
9. (A / An / The) octopus is swimming in the ocean. (general)
10. We are going to (a / an / the) orchard. (specific)

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Answers:

A/An

1. a (barbeque starts with a consonant sound)
2. an (orange starts with a vowel sound)
3. a (glass starts with a consonant sound)

A/The

1. the (the bathroom is known/specific)
2. a (one of many cows, not specific)
3. a (introducing the chihuahua for the first time)

A/An/The

1. a (general, not a specific train)
2. the (specific coconut)
3. an (octopus begins with a vowel sound and is general)
4. the (specific orchard)

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How did you do? If you nailed it, great job! If not, don’t worry—articles are tricky. With more exposure and practice, you’ll get the hang of it.