Articles are some of the most common words in English, and they cause problems for many learners. Russian, Chinese and Japanese have no articles at all, and Turkish has no word for the. Spanish, French and Arabic do have articles, but they do not always use them in the same places as English.
The good news is that three questions solve most cases. Is the noun countable or uncountable? Is it singular or plural? Does the listener know which one you mean? This page explains a and an, the, when to use no article, and some fixed expressions that are best learned as whole phrases.
How to choose the right article
A and an go only with singular countable nouns. The can go with any noun (singular, plural or uncountable) when the listener knows which one you mean. Plural and uncountable nouns with a general meaning take no article.
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | a + consonant sound: one person or thing, not specific | a book, a car, a university, a one-way ticket |
| an | an + vowel sound: one person or thing, not specific | an apple, an egg, an hour, an honest answer |
| the | the + any noun: the listener knows which one | the sun, the book on my desk, the people next door |
| No article | plural or uncountable noun with a general meaning | Dogs need exercise. I love music. Coffee keeps me awake. |
- Choose a or an by the first sound of the next word, not the first letter: a uniform (a /j/ sound), a one-way street (a /w/ sound), an hour (the h is silent), an X-ray (X starts with an /e/ sound).
- An adjective before the noun can change the article: an old car but a new car; an umbrella but a big umbrella.
- Never use a or an with plural or uncountable nouns: some apples (not an apples), some advice or a piece of advice (not an advice).
- The usually sounds like /ðə/ before a consonant sound (the bus) and /ði/ before a vowel sound (the airport).
- Most names of people, cities, countries, streets, lakes and single mountains have no article (Ana, Paris, Mexico, Main Street, Lake Victoria, Mount Fuji). Use the with rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges and country names with words like States, Kingdom or Republic (the Nile, the Pacific, the Alps, the United States).
When to use a, an and the
1. A/an: one person or thing, mentioned for the first time
Use a or an with a singular countable noun when the listener does not know which one you mean, often because you mention it for the first time or because it is not important which one.
- I saw a dog in the street.
- There's a bank near my apartment.
- Can I have an apple?
2. A/an: jobs and descriptions
Use a or an to say what someone's job is or what kind of person or thing something is. Many languages need no article here, but English does.
- My mother is a doctor.
- He's an engineer.
- This is a very old house.
3. The: the listener knows which one
Use the when it is clear which person or thing you mean: you mentioned it before, there is only one in the situation, or the words after the noun tell you which one.
- I saw a dog and a cat. The dog was very big.
- Can you close the door, please?
- The woman in the blue coat is my teacher.
4. The: only one, and with superlatives
Use the for things that are unique (the sun, the moon, the internet) and before superlatives and ordinal numbers (the best, the tallest, the first).
- The moon is very bright tonight.
- This is the best pizza in town.
- Take the second street on the left.
5. No article: things in general
Use no article when you talk about a plural or uncountable noun in general. If you add the, you are talking about specific things.
- Dogs need a lot of exercise.
- I don't drink coffee in the evening.
- Children learn languages quickly.
6. Fixed expressions
Some common expressions have no article, even with a singular noun: go to bed, go to work, at home, by bus, have breakfast. Others always take the: in the morning, go to the movies, listen to the radio. One US/UK difference: a patient is in the hospital in American English but in hospital in British English.
- I go to bed at eleven.
- She goes to work by bus.
- We listen to the radio in the morning.
Common expressions with no article
- go to bed
- go to work
- go to school
- go home
- at home
- at work
- at night
- by bus
- by car
- on foot
- have breakfast
- have lunch
- watch TV
- next week
- last year
Learn these as whole phrases. Compare go to school (as a student) with go to the school (to visit the building), and watch TV with listen to the radio.
Examples
Positive
- I need a new phone.
- She's an artist from Brazil.
- The museum is closed on Mondays.
- Elephants are very intelligent animals.
Negative
- I don't have a car.
- There isn't an elevator in this building.
- We don't watch TV in the evening.
- He isn't the manager. He's an assistant.
Questions
- Is there a bank near here?
- Do you have an umbrella?
- Where's the nearest bus stop?
- Do you like jazz?
A/an or the?
Use a or an when the listener doesn't know which one you mean, or when it doesn't matter. Use the when you both know exactly which one. The same noun can take a or an in one sentence and the in the next.
| a / an | the |
|---|---|
| I had a sandwich and a salad. (first mention) | The sandwich was good, but the salad was too salty. (the ones I just mentioned) |
| Can I borrow a pen? (any pen) | Can I borrow the red pen? (that pen, not another one) |
| She's a teacher. (her job; one of many teachers) | She's the teacher I told you about. (one specific person) |
| This is a good restaurant. (one of many) | This is the best restaurant in town. (only one can be the best) |
Common mistakes
- WrongMy father is engineer.RightMy father is an engineer.
A singular job needs a or an in English, and engineer starts with a vowel sound.
- WrongI waited for a hour.RightI waited for an hour.
The h in hour is silent, so the word starts with a vowel sound and takes an.
- WrongCan you give me an advice?RightCan you give me some advice?
Advice is uncountable, so it cannot take a or an; use some advice or a piece of advice.
- WrongI love the nature.RightI love nature.
When you mean nature, life or music in general, use no article.
- WrongShe is best student in the class.RightShe is the best student in the class.
Superlatives like best, biggest and most expensive need the.
- WrongI go to the bed at eleven.RightI go to bed at eleven.
Go to bed (to sleep) is a fixed expression with no article.
The bakery on my street
Examples of a, an and the are highlighted.
There is a small bakery on my street. An old man and his daughter run it. The bakery opens at six, and there is always a long line outside the door. I usually buy a loaf of bread and an apple pie. The pie is the best in the city, but it is a bit expensive. On Fridays, the old man gives me a free cookie. "For the student who comes every day," he says with a smile. I don't usually eat sugar in the morning, but I always eat the cookie on the bus to school. Life is better with good bread and kind neighbors.
Articles: a, an, the quiz
8 questions. Choose an answer to see if it is right and why.
Articles: a, an, the: questions and answers
When do you use a and when do you use an?
Use a before a consonant sound (a car, a university) and an before a vowel sound (an apple, an hour). The sound at the start of the next word matters, not the letter.
What is the difference between a and the?
A (or an) is for one of many, or for something the listener does not know yet: I saw a dog. The is for a specific thing that both of you can identify: The dog was huge.
When do we use no article in English?
Use no article with plural and uncountable nouns in general (Dogs are friendly. I love music.), with most names of people, cities and countries, and in fixed expressions like go to bed, at home and by bus.
Do we use the before names of countries?
Most countries have no article (Japan, Brazil, Canada). Use the when the name has a word like States, Kingdom or Republic in it, or when it is plural: the United States, the United Kingdom, the Philippines.
Why do many learners forget articles?
Russian, Chinese and Japanese have no articles, and Turkish has no word for the, so speakers of these languages often leave them out in English. A good habit is to check every singular countable noun: it needs a, an, the or a word like my or this in front of it, except in fixed expressions like by bus or at home.