Articles — a / an / the
Use "a" before words that start with a consonant sound, and "an" before words that start with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u). Use "the" when you're talking about a specific thing both people already know.
The rule
a + consonant sound · an + vowel sound · the + specific thing
Right and wrong
I saw a dog.
I saw an dog.
"Dog" starts with a consonant sound, so use "a".
She ate an apple.
She ate a apple.
"Apple" starts with a vowel sound, so use "an".
Please close the door.
Please close a door.
If it's a specific door you both know, use "the", not "a".
He is an honest man.
He is a honest man.
"Honest" starts with a vowel sound (the h is silent), so use "an".
Practice
1. I need ___ umbrella.
2. She has ___ cat.
3. Please pass ___ salt on the table.
4. He works as ___ engineer.
5. We saw ___ elephant at the zoo.
Practise in the app
Day to Day English lets you practise grammar inside real situations, with audio and a story to follow.