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Well, if you thought prepositions were “little” words, wait until we consider the part of speech called articles. Articles are similar to adjectives in that they modify nouns , but unlike adjectives, they don’t really describe a noun; they just identify a noun.

Articles are the smallest of the small but still serve an important function. We have three articles in the English language: a , an and the .

The is the definite article , which means it refers to a specific noun in a group.

A or an is the indefinite article , which means it refers to any member of a group. You would use the indefinite article when you aren’t trying to distinguish a particular noun.

Whether you use a or an depends on the noun that follows it. In general, you would use a if the noun begins with a consonant and an if the noun begins with a vowel.

Then, as always in English grammar, there are a few tricky exceptions. If a noun begins with  h , you should think about the sound it makes.

And if a noun starts with a vowel, but it makes a y sound, you should use a instead of  an .

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• Definite and Indefinite Articles | When to Use “The”, “A” or “An”

Definite and Indefinite Articles | When to Use "The", "A" or "An"

Published on February 11, 2016 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on November 16, 2022.

English has two types of articles to precede nouns : definite (the) and indefinite (a/an). You can improve the articles that appear in your dissertation by:

• not using unnecessary articles with plural nouns,
• not using “a” or “an” with uncountable nouns,
• using articles with singular countable nouns,
• correctly choosing “a” or “an” in front of an acronym,
• correctly deciding if an acronym for an entity needs “the,”
• correctly identifying if a country name needs “the.”

Table of contents

Avoid using unnecessary articles with plural nouns, don’t use “a” or “an” with uncountable nouns, use an article (or other determiner) with a singular countable noun, correctly choose “a” or “an” in front of an acronym, correctly decide if an acronym for an entity needs “the”, correctly identify if a country name needs “the”, other interesting language articles.

If you are using a plural noun (such as students, criteria, or theses), you usually don’t need to use “the.”

The exception is if you want to distinguish that you are talking about a particular group of people or things.

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As the term implies, an uncountable noun (mass noun) is something that normally cannot be counted (such as air, anger, information, knowledge, research, rice, and training).

Uncountable nouns cannot be accompanied by “a” or “an,” as it’s impossible to have one of these things. If you really want to talk about one of something, the easiest option is to replace the uncountable noun with one that is countable. Another option is to add a countable noun after the uncountable noun.

Singular countable nouns (such as formula, participant, and professor) generally cannot stand on their own. If you are not using a possessive (e.g., my, your, her) or a demonstrative (e.g., this, that), you should use an article or other determiner .

Most writers know that words starting with a consonant sound need “a” (e.g., a study, a participant, a European), while words starting with a vowel sound need “an” (e.g., an observation, an interview, an Ethiopian).

The same is true with acronyms (or initialisms), which are formed using the first letter of a series of words (such as SWOT for s trengths, w eaknesses, o pportunities, and t hreats). When deciding whether “a” or “an” is appropriate, focus on how the acronym would be pronounced. For instance, at first glance it might seem like “a HR manager” is right; however, given the way it is read, “an HR manager” is the correct choice.

Examples acronyms with a/an

Many employees earned an MBA or a PhD from an EU-accredited program.

After it creates an R&D department, the agency plans to apply for an FAO grant.

Having an HQ abroad can be difficult for a company with a HEPNET project.

Acronyms that relate to organizations and countries have their own special guidelines when it comes to “the.”

The general test is whether an acronym would be read letter by letter (as in ADB) or pronounced as a word (as in NATO). Acronyms that are read letter by letter usually need “the”:

Examples acronyms with “the”

The headquarters of the UN are in the US .

Several delegations from the EU have visited the UAE .

In contrast, acronyms that are read as words normally do not need “the”:

Examples acronyms without “the”

The secretary-general of OPEC used to work at UNESCO .

Officials from FIFA are currently under scrutiny.

Most country names do not need an article. For instance, we say “The researcher traveled to Zimbabwe” or “The study was conducted in Thailand.” However, “the” is needed in the following circumstances:

Note that when it comes before a country name, “the” does not need to be capitalized.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Proper nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement
• Conjunctions
• Interjections
• Determiners
• Prepositions

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Vinz, S. (2022, November 16). Definite and Indefinite Articles | When to Use "The", "A" or "An". Scribbr. Retrieved April 1, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/parts-of-speech/articles/

Aarts, B. (2011).  Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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Sarah's academic background includes a Master of Arts in English, a Master of International Affairs degree, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect formulation or wording and derives much satisfaction from helping students take their academic writing up a notch.

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• English Grammar
• Articles In English

Articles in English - Learn What It Is, Definition, Types, Uses and Examples

Have you ever been wondering what part of speech the articles belong to? Do you think they are pronouns , adverbs or adjectives ? Well, this article will help you with all that you need to know. Learn what articles are, their definition, types, how to use them, and uses, along with examples. Also, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the same.

Table of Contents

Definition of an article.

• Definite Article
• Indefinite Article

Usage and Exceptions – Points to be Remembered When Using Articles

Examples of articles, check your understanding of articles, frequently asked questions on articles in english grammar, what is an article.

An article is a short monosyllabic word that is used to define if the noun is specific or not. Articles are normally used before nouns and since they are used to speak about the noun, they can be considered as adjectives.

Look at how various dictionaries define an article to have a much clearer idea of what they are.

An article, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “any of a small set of words or affixes (such as a, an, and the) used with nouns to limit or give definiteness to the application.” According to the Collins Dictionary, “an article is a kind of determiner. In English, ‘a’ and ‘an’ are called the indefinite article, and ‘the’ is called the definite article.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines an article as “a type of determiner (=word used before a noun) that shows whether you are referring to a particular thing or to a general example of something. The indefinite article is ‘a’ or ‘an’ and the definite article is ‘the’.”

Types of Articles

There are three articles in English – ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’. These articles are divided into two types namely:

Among the three articles, ‘the’ is said to be the definite article. A definite article is used to determine something that is specific or particular. It is also used before plural nouns and to indicate the superlative degree of comparison . Furthermore, it can be used before collective nouns as well.

For example:

• The Sun sets in the west.

In the above sentence, the nouns ‘Sun’ and ‘west’ are proper nouns and are specific and so the definite article has to be used.

• The children are playing cricket.

In the above sentence, the definite article is used to determine the plural noun, ‘children’.

• This is the world’s longest river.

In the above sentence, the definite article is used to denote the superlative degree of comparison.

• The crowd sang along with the band.

In the above sentence, the definite article is used before the collective nouns, ‘crowd’ and ‘band’.

The articles ‘an’ and ‘an’ are termed as indefinite articles. An indefinite article, as the name suggests, is used to indicate something that is not definite or specific. It can also be used before singular nouns .

Among the indefinite articles, ‘an’ is used before singular nouns that start with vowel sounds and ‘a’ is used before singular nouns that begin with consonant sounds.

• I had an apple for breakfast.
• Do you have an eraser?
• I saw an aeroplane.
• She has a pet dog.
• My father is a doctor.
• My brother gave me a calculator.

Articles are used extensively by English language users, and for this very reason, it is important to know where and where not to use them. In order to have a thorough knowledge of how to use the right articles in the right places, have a look at the following.

The article ‘an’ is normally used before words that begin with vowel sounds. However, this is often confused with the idea that it can be used before words that start with a vowel. Look at the examples given below to understand how this works.

• I have an umbrella.
• This is an orange.
• An elephant was crossing the road.

If you see here, the words ‘university’ and ‘unique’ start with a vowel. However, it does not have a vowel sound but a consonant sound ‘yu’ in the beginning. It is because of this reason that the indefinite article, ‘a’ is used instead of ‘an’.

• Studying in a university will give you a lot of exposure.
• This is a unique way of communicating with birds.

In the examples given below, ‘an’ is used before ‘MBA’ and ‘hour’ though they are words starting with consonants. This is because the word ‘MBA’ starts with ‘m’ which has a vowel sound (em) in the beginning. Likewise, the ‘h’ in the word ‘hour’ is silent, thus having a vowel sound in the beginning.

• I have completed an MBA degree.
• It took an hour to reach the airport.

Words starting with a vowel, but use ‘a’ instead of ‘an’:

Words starting with a consonant, but use ‘an’ instead of ‘a’.

There are also some cases in which you will have to use the indefinite article ‘the’ before a common noun . Look at the following set of sentences to understand how this works.

Example 1: My brother and I are going for a wedding reception. The reception is held in an open lawn at 7 p.m.

Example 2: I saw a dog at the end of the street. The dog came running to me.

Example 3: Tharun watched a movie yesterday. He felt that the movie was too slow.

Let us look at a few more examples to find out how articles can be used.

• The English teacher is absent today.
• I saw a bird sitting on the tree in front of my house.
• Not many know how to use an oven properly.
• Tom has a cat.
• We are going to buy a dress for our daughter.
• Carry an umbrella. I am sure it will rain.
• Keren found a puppy on the road.
• The parents have been asked to attend a meeting tomorrow.
• The committee has decided to bring down the fuel rates.
• Due to a hartal, the shops have been closed.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate articles in the following sentences:

1. Have you watched ______ new movie?

2. I have never used ______ computer.

3. Do you know _____ multiplication tables?

4. Sandra brought ______ apple.

5. Madhu has ____ teddy bear.

6. ______ chairs are all broken.

7. The janitor asked ______ students to walk carefully as ______ floor was wet.

8. I have finished reading _____ book you lent me.

9. Hari is planning to buy ____ new car.

10. He has been waiting for ___ hour.

Check your answers.

1. Have you watched the new movie?

2. I have never used a computer.

3. Do you know the multiplication tables?

4. Sandra brought an apple.

5. Madhu has a teddy bear.

6. The chairs are all broken.

7. The janitor asked the students to walk carefully as the floor was wet.

8. I have finished reading the book you lent me.

9. Hari is planning to buy a new car.

10. He has been waiting for an hour.

What is an article?

What is the definition of an article.

An article, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “any of a small set of words or affixes (such as a, an, and the) used with nouns to limit or give definiteness to the application.” According to the Collins Dictionary, “an article is a kind of determiner. In English, ‘a’ and ‘an’ are called the indefinite article, and ‘the’ is called the definite article.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines an article as “a type of determiner (=word used before a noun) that shows whether you are referring to a particular thing or to a general example of something. The indefinite article is ‘a’ or ‘an’ and the definite article is ‘the’.”

What are the types of articles?

There are two types of articles in English and they are:

What is a definite article?

A definite article is used to determine something that is specific or particular. It is also used before plural nouns and to indicate the superlative degree of comparison. The article ‘the’ is the only definite article.

What is an indefinite article?

An indefinite article, as the name suggests, is used to indicate something that is not definite or specific. It can also be used before singular nouns. The articles ‘an’ and ‘an’ are termed as indefinite articles.

Give some examples of articles.

Here are a few examples to show you how articles can be used in sentences.

Why is it ‘a university’ and not ‘an university’?

The article ‘a’ is used before university because it does not have a vowel sound but a consonant sound ‘yu’ in the beginning.

Why is it ‘an MBA’ and not ‘a MBA’?

This is because the word ‘MBA’ starts with ‘m’ which is pronounced with a vowel sound (em) in the beginning.

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OASIS: Writing Center

Grammar: articles, articles video.

Note that this video was created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

• Mastering the Mechanics: Articles (video transcript)

Article Basics

What is an article.

• Articles ("a," "an," and "the") are determiners or noun markers that function to specify if the noun is general or specific in its reference. Often the article chosen depends on if the writer and the reader understand the reference of the noun.
• The articles "a" and "an" are indefinite articles. They are used with a singular countable noun when the noun referred to is nonspecific or generic.
• The article "the" is a definite article. It is used to show specific reference and can be used with both singular and plural nouns and with both countable and uncountable nouns.

Many languages do not use articles ("a," "an," and "the"), or if they do exist, the way they are used may be different than in English. Multilingual writers often find article usage to be one of the most difficult concepts to learn. Although there are some rules about article usage to help, there are also quite a few exceptions. Therefore, learning to use articles accurately takes a long time. To master article usage, it is necessary to do a great deal of reading, notice how articles are used in published texts, and take notes that can apply back to your own writing.

To get started, please read this blog post on  The Argument for Articles .

A few important definitions to keep in mind:

• one horse, two horses
• one chair, two chairs
• one match, two matches
• one child, two children
• one mouse, two mice
• Information

Please see this webpage for more about countable and uncountable nouns .

"A" or "An"

When to use "a" or "an".

"A" and "an" are used with singular countable nouns when the noun is nonspecific or generic.

• In this sentence, "car " is a singular countable noun that is not specific. It could be any car.
• "University" is a singular countable noun. Although it begins with a vowel, the first sound of the word is /j/ or “y.” Thus, "a" instead of "an" is used. In this sentence, it is also generic (it could be any university with this specialization, not a specific one).
• In this sentence, "apple" is a singular countable noun that is not specific. It could be any apple.

"A" is used when the noun that follows begins with a consonant sound.

• a uniform (Note that "uniform" starts with a vowel, but the first sound is /j/ or a “y” sound. Therefore "a" instead of "an" is used here.)

"An" is used when the noun that follows begins with a vowel sound.

• an elephant
• an American
• an MBA (Note that "MBA" starts with a consonant, but the first sound is /Ɛ/ or a short “e” sound. Therefore, "an" instead of "a" is used here.)

Sometimes "a" or "an" can be used for first mention (the first time the noun is mentioned). Then, in subsequent sentences, the article "the" is used instead.

• In the first sentence (first mention), "a" is used because it is referring to a nonspecified house. In the second sentence, "the" is used because now the house has been specified.

When to Use "The"

"The" is used with both singular and plural nouns and with both countable and uncountable nouns when the noun is specific.

• In this sentence, "book" is a singular, countable noun. It is also specific because of the phrase “that I read last night.” The writer and reader (or speaker and listener) know which book is being referred to.
• In this sentence, "books" is a plural, countable noun. It is also specific because of the phrase “for this class.” The writer and reader (or speaker and listener) know which books are being referred to.
• In this sentence, "advice" is an uncountable noun. However, it is specific because of the phrase “you gave me.” It is clear which piece of advice was helpful.

Here are some more specific rules:

"The" is used in the following categories of proper nouns:

• Museums and art galleries : the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Art
• Buildings : the Empire State Building, the Willis Tower
• Seas and oceans : the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean
• Rivers : the Mississippi, the Nile
• Deserts : the Sahara Desert, the Sonora Desert
• Periods and events in history: the Dark Ages, the Civil War
• Bridges: the London Bridge, the Mackinac Bridge
• Parts of a country : the South, the Upper Midwest

In general, use "the" with plural proper nouns.

• the Great Lakes
• the Rockies (as in the Rocky Mountains)

"The" is often used with proper nouns that include an “of” phrase.

• the United States of America
• the University of Minnesota
• the International Swimming Hall of Fame

Use "the" when the noun being referred to is unique because of our understanding of the world.

• The Earth moves around the sun.
• Wolves howl at the moon.

Use "the" when a noun can be made specific from a previous mention in the text. This is also known as second or subsequent mention.

• My son bought a cat. I am looking after the cat while he is on vacation.
• I read a good book. The book was about how to use articles correctly in English.

"The" is used with superlative adjectives, which are necessarily unique (the first, the second, the biggest, the smallest, the next, the only, etc.).

• It was the first study to address the issue.
• She was the weakest participant.
• He was the only person to drop out of the study.

Biber et al. (1999) found that "the" is about twice as common as "a" or "an" in academic writing. This may be because writers at this level often focus on overall ideas and categories ( generic reference , usually no article) and on specific references (definite reference, the article "the").

• Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S., & Finegan, E. (1999). Longman grammar of written and spoken English . Pearson.

No Article (Generic Reference)

Writers sometimes struggle with the choice to include an article or to leave it out altogether. Keep in mind that if the noun is singular, countable, and nonspecific or generic (e.g., book, author), the articles "a" and "an" may be used. However, if the noun is countable and plural (e.g.., "research studies") or uncountable (e.g., "information") and it is being used in a nonspecific or generic way, no article is used.

Here are some more specifics:

• I bought new pens and pencils at the store. (general, not specific ones)
• Cats have big eyes that can see in the dark. (cats in general, all of them)
• Babies cry a lot. (babies in general, all of them)
• I bought milk and rice at the store. (generic reference)
• We were assigned homework in this class. (generic reference)
• There has been previous research on the topic. (generic reference)

Articles in Phrases and Idiomatic Expressions

Sometimes article usage in English does not follow a specific rule. These expressions must be memorized instead.

Here are some examples of phrases where article usage is not predictable:

• Destinations: go to the store, go to the bank , but go to school, go to church, go to bed, go home
• Locations: in school, at home, in bed, but in the hospital (in American English)
• Parts of the day: in the morning, in the evening, but at night
• Chores: mow the lawn, do the dishes, do the cleaning

There are also numerous idiomatic expressions in English that contain nouns. Some of these also contain articles while others do not.

Here are just a few examples:

• To give someone a hand
• To be on time

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Knowledge Check: Articles

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• the car down the street, the man next to you
• a book, an apple, a bottle
• the definite article the : You use it before a singular or a plural noun when you talk about one or more specific member(s) of a group (things, places or people) that is known to you: the tall man, the big house, the man next to me ;
• the indefinite articles a/an : You use them before a singular noun when you talk about any general thing : a line, a house, a kitchen, a person, an apple, an airport, an idea, an umbrella .
• You use the article a before nouns/adjectives or numbers that start with a consonant : a line, a kitchen, a person, a dog, a book, a tall man, a five-year-old boy, a job interview .
• You use the article an before nouns that start with a vowel : an apple, an idea, an umbrella, an egg, an hour, an eight-year-old girl, an interview .
• There is --- a an airport close to the city.  
• Do you have --- a an armchair in your room?  
• She has --- an a idea!  
• They have --- an a female English teacher.  
• He eats --- an a apple.  
• There is --- a an school around the corner.  
• She has --- an a new armchair.  
• We will give him --- a an book for his birthday.  
• Check  (  1  )
• Check and show solutions
• He works as pilot.  
• I need new TV.  
• He is best teacher at the school.  
• They have eight-year-old girl.  
• book she bought yesterday is not so good.  
• She is nicest girl I know.  
• She is nice girl.  
• city that she likes the most is New York City.  
• time  
• shop  
• adjective  
• elephant  
• umbrella  
• week  
• opinion  
• number  
• English book  
• example  
• door  
• table  
• eagle  
• bike  
• Michael says: "I have best friend. His name is Josh. He lives in small house outside the city. They have beautiful garden behind house. house is painted blue and there is fence around garden. I love going there. It's so nice and peaceful."  

Learn more ...

Table of Contents

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process.

• © 2023 by Jenifer Paquette - Hillsborough Community College , Joseph M. Moxley - University of South Florida

English has three articles: a , an , and the . These little words are used to introduce certain nouns, but there are specific rules regarding the use of each one.

When do I use an article?

• “ A ” is used before a general noun that has not been introduced to the reader.

A cat walked by my door. (Note: I don’t know this cat, so it is referred to as a generic cat.)

• “ An ” is used before a general noun that has not been introduced to the reader and also begins with a vowel (or a vowel sound).

I found an umbrella leaning against the wall in the hallway. (Note: I don’t know whose umbrella this is, so it is generic.)

• “ The ” is used before a specific item, something you mentioned before, or something unique.

I noticed the cat rubbing up against the umbrella in the hallway. (Note: I already introduced these items before!)

The sun rose in the east. (Note: If there were more than one sun rising, this could become “A sun rose in the east.”)

The women played tennis. (Note: Here, the sentence refers to specific women, so the article is needed!)

When do I not use an article?

• Do not use an article before a plural count noun that refers to general items/groups.

Men and women both enjoy sports. (Note: it is not “The men” because this is a general category, not a specific one.)

• Do not use an article before a noncount noun, unless it names specific representatives of a general category.

Love grows stronger every year.

The love between us grows stronger every year. (Note: Here, the love is specifically between us.)

• Do not use an article before a proper noun.

How can I revise my article usage?

Ask yourself:

• Is the article necessary?
• Is the noun general or specific?

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Articles: What Are Articles? Definition and Types (Examples)

You'll learn everything you need to know about articles in this article. There'll be definitions, examples, exceptions, and exceptional cases.

This guide is part of our free online Grammar Book .

Before we start, you should know that there are three articles in the English language:

What Are Articles?

Articles are determiners that give more information about the noun that follows them, which makes them similar to adjectives. There are two different kinds of articles: definite and indefinite.

The rules around using definite vs. indefinite articles leave the door open for confusion because whether or not a sentence is vague or specific is sometimes open to interpretation.

Nonetheless, I believe this article will help clarify indefinite or definite articles and when you should use them.

Definite Article

There is one definite article in the English language: "the." You use it with a specific noun - singular or plural.

Using "the" makes it clear that you are talking about a specific thing. See the following examples.

I love coffee . I love the coffee .

The first sentence is a statement to show that the person loves coffee in general.

The second sentence shows the speaker is being specific about a specific coffee. They may be talking about the coffee at a particular cafe or the coffee they are drinking as they speak. Here are some examples of the sentence in context:

Yes, let's go to Ed's Cafe. I love the coffee there. It's nice of you to welcome us into your home Elsie. And thanks for the coffee .

Definite Article With Plurals

"The" can also be used with plural nouns. Here are some examples:

The cats are roaming in the garden. Have you seen the fireworks ? They're breathtaking! I love the colors in your kitchen.

Definite Article With Count / Uncountable Nouns

"The" can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns, so long as you are talking about something specific. Here are some examples of "the" with count nouns:

Can you pass me the pencil? You've collected all the 20th-century coins . We're going to the mall .

Now for some examples of "the" with uncountable nouns:

Pass me the wine ! It would be best if you didn't skate on that lake; the ice is too thin. I can't hear you over the music .

You can use "the" in the examples above because the wine, ice, and music are specific.

In the first sentence, the speaker is talking about a specific bottle or glass of wine. But you could also say:

I need wine !

In this case, the speaker isn't referring to any specific bottle or glass of wine; they'll be happy with any wine. The same applies to the two other examples and any uncountable noun.

Indefinite Articles

There are two definite articles in the English language: "a" and "an." You use them with a noun that is non-specific and singular. When using "a" or "an," you show that you are not talking about a specific thing.

See the following examples:

I'd love a coffee ! Please pass me a pencil. Let's try to find an elevator .

As you can see, the speaker isn't referring to a specific coffee, pencil, or elevator. Any will do.

Vowels and Consonants

When should you use "an" and when should you use "a"?

The general rule goes as follows:

• Use "an" when the noun following the article begins with a vowel
• Use "a" when the noun starts with a consonant.

But there are some exceptions. Of course! What did you expect? It wouldn't be English if there weren't.

If the noun begins with a silent consonant and a vowel sound, you should use "an." For example, with the word "honor," the "h" is silent. Therefore the first sound you hear is "o," a vowel sound. Therefore you should say "an honor."

That is not the case for the word "hospital," however, although both words "hospital" and "honor" begin with the same two letters. The "h" is not silent, meaning the word starts with a consonant sound, so you should say "a hospital."

The same applies the other way around, too. So if you have a noun that begins with a vowel, but the first sound pronounced is a consonant, you should use "a."

For example, "unicorn" begins with the vowel "u" but sounds like "y." Therefore it requires "a."

You are a unicorn .

Indefinite Articles With Plurals

Contrary to definite articles, indefinite articles don't work with plurals. That's because "a" and "an" are pretty much similar to "one." You can't say:

I'll bring a pencils tomorrow. ❌

But you can say:

I'll bring pencils tomorrow. ✅

You could also say, "I'll bring the pencils tomorrow," but then you'd be talking about specific pencils.

Indefinite Articles With Countable / Uncountable Nouns

You can use indefinite articles with countable nouns but not with uncountable nouns.

Below are examples of "an" and "a" used with count nouns. I'll use the same examples as earlier to illustrate the difference in meaning.

Can you pass me a pencil ? Are you starting a coin collection ? We're going to a mall .

You can't use indefinite articles for uncountable nouns, however. To illustrate, look at the following incorrect sentences:

Pass me a wine! ❌ An ice is too thin to skate on. ❌ I can't hear you over a loud music. ❌

If you wanted to use "a" or "an" for "wine," "ice," and "music," you would need to make some changes to the sentence so that the nouns are no longer uncountable. Let's see this in action:

Pass me a wine glass ! Can I have an ice cube ? He's just released a music record .

The nouns in the above sentence are no longer "wine," "ice," and "music"; they are "wine glass," "ice cube," and "music record." Therefore they are no longer uncountable nouns.

Zero Articles

Zero articles are for circumstances when you don't need to use an article. Below I'll list some of those circumstances.

Abstract Nouns In Vague Contexts

Abstract nouns are the uncountable kind.

Take as an example the word "knowledge." You can't count it, so it's uncountable. You can't touch or feel it, so it's also abstract.

You'll often hear that you don't use an article with an abstract noun, but this isn't wholly true.

Abstract nouns can be used in a vague or specific context.

• When used in a general context, you wouldn't use an article.
• When used in a specific context, you can use a definite article.

Here's an example of "knowledge" in a vague context:

Bill has a lot of knowledge which he uses to his advantage.

In the sentence above, the context is vague because we know that Bill has a lot of knowledge, but we don't know what kind of knowledge. So we don't use an article.

Now let's see it in a specific context:

Bill has the knowledge required for the job.

In the sentence above, we know what kind of knowledge Bill has: the type required for the job. The context isn't vague, so we use a definite article.

So when deciding whether or not to use an article, the important thing is the context, not the noun .

It goes back to what we learned earlier about only using a definite article in specific contexts.

Let's look at some more examples of abstract nouns, first in vague contexts, then in specific contexts:

He loves playing football . Vs. Are you watching the football match tonight? What do you usually like to eat for breakfast ? Vs. The breakfast at the Hilton is delicious! I used to love school ; now I find it a bit boring. Vs. The school I go to is fantastic. He's always wanted to play chess . Vs. The chess game's been going on for hours. We're traveling by car ; we're just not sure who's yet. Vs. We should take the car to the garage.

See how the vague statements don't take an article, and the ones in specific contexts do.

General Statement About a Plural Noun

You don't need to use an article if you're making a general statement about a plural noun. For example:

Be careful! Motorbikes can be dangerous.

Here you aren't talking about a specific motorbike. You are talking about motorbikes in general.

Let's look at some more examples of general statements about a plural noun:

Water parks are so much fun. I've noticed monkeys seem to really love bananas. Did you know airplanes are safer than cars?

Those last two examples are a double whammy as they each contain not one but two plural nouns that present general statements. Notice how neither has an article.

Proper Nouns

Places, people, languages, times, academic subjects, and other proper nouns don't require an article. Here are some examples:

We landed in Paris last night. Do you think we'll ever land on Mars ? I live on East Street . Let's go to Central Park . I'm studying at the University of Chicago . Don't enter room 237 ! The train leaves from platform nine and three-quarters.

**note: the last two examples aren't proper nouns, but they are still places, so I included them.***

Do you know who Mozart was? I don't know where Mary is. I'm a fan of actor Idris Elba .

Languages and Countries:

I don't speak French . Have you ever been to Australia ? I'd love to learn Mandarin .

I can't believe it's already October ! I'll be arriving on Monday evening . Summertime is my favorite season. Everything is so peaceful at nighttime .

**Ok, so that last example isn't a proper noun either, but it's a time, so I included it.**

Academic Subjects:

I'm currently studying History of Art . Have you done your Geography homework yet? I'm thinking of doing a Science major.

Possessive Pronouns

Another situation when you don't need to use an article is when there's a dependent possessive pronoun.

Dependent possessive pronouns are as follows:

You don't need an article in a sentence with a dependent possessive pronoun because the pronoun replaces the article .

Let's see some examples:

We're going to her house . Is this your glass ? Why are you talking to my sister ?

Indefinite Articles and Adjectives

There is one more thing you need to know about articles. Sometimes an article will precede an adjective instead of a noun. This can happen when an adjective is used in the sentence to modify the noun.

If an adjective modifies the noun, whether or not you'll use "a" or "an" depends on the adjective's beginning sound. For example:

You have an unbelievable house , Shirley.

In the sentence above, the noun "house" begins with the sound "h" - a consonant - so the rule dictates that you should use "a." However, since the adjective "unbelievable" modifies the noun "house," and the adjective begins with the sound "u" - a vowel - you should use "an."

In the first section of this article, I explained that when choosing the correct indefinite article to use, you should look at the sound of the word following the article.

Now you know this applies whether the following word is a noun or an adjective.

Let's see more examples of sentences with adjectives that change which article applies.

That is a beautiful animal . It's an honorable thing to do. We live in an extremely large castle .

Notice that the last example includes two modifiers for the noun.

Concluding Thoughts on Articles

That concludes our comprehensive article about, well, articles. If you found it helpful, check out our other articles about grammatical concepts in our Grammar Book .

We are a one-stop shop for all things grammar, so you don't need to look elsewhere to have your question answered. Our articles are comprehensive and don't waste your time with unnecessary fluff. Everything you need, nothing you don't!

Articles can be tricky to get the hang of due to the rules around a noun being general or specific, as it's not always easy to determine which of the two a sentence is.

But the good news is that with a bit of practice, you'll get it, and once you get it, you won't forget it. Just like riding a bike!

Learn More:

• Prepositions: What Are Prepositions? Definition and Types (Examples)
• Adverbs: What Are Adverbs? Definition and Types (Examples)
• Participles: What Are Participles? (Types and Examples)
• What is a Plural Noun? Definition and Examples
• Adjectives: What Are Adjectives? Definition and Types (Examples)
• Pronouns: What Are Pronouns? Definition and Types (Examples)
• Verbs: What Are Verbs? Definition and Types (Examples)
• ‘Log In To’ or ‘Log Into’ or ‘Login To’: Which is Correct?
• 'Double Check' or 'Double Confirm': Which is Correct?
• ‘Realy’ or ‘Really’: How to Spell ‘Really’ Correctly
• ‘Firey’ or ‘Fiery’: How to Spell It Correctly
• ‘Greatful' or 'Grateful': What's the Difference?
• ‘Grammar' or 'Grammer': What's the Difference?
• 'Whoa' vs 'Whoah': What's the Difference Between the Two?
• 'Renumeration' vs 'Remuneration': What's the Difference Between the Two?

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Articles in Grammar: From "A" to "The" With "An" and "Some" Between

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In English grammar , an article is a type of determiner that precedes and provides context to a noun . A determiner is a word or a group of words that specifies, identifies, or quantifies the  noun  or  noun phrase  that follows it: There are only two types of articles in English, definite or indefinite. The three main articles in English grammar are "the," "a," and "an." This grammatical concept may sound simple, but there are some tricky rules related to using it correctly.

Definite vs. Indefinite Articles

The only  definite article  is "the," which specifies a particular individual or thing in a particular  context . For example, in the title of a famous Sherlock Holmes story "The Hound of the Baskervilles," the first word of the sentence is a definite article because it refers to a specific case that the illustrious fictional detective tried to (and, of course, did) solve.

By contrast,  Purdue Owl  notes the indefinite articles—"a" and "an"—signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to  any  member of a group, or something that cannot be identified specifically by the writer or speaker. An example of a sentence containing both the "a" and "an" indefinite articles was published in E.B. White's classic children's tale "Charlotte's Web."

"Mr. Arable fixed  a  small yard specially for Wilbur under  an  apple tree, and gave him  a  large wooden box full of straw, with ​ a  doorway cut in it so he could walk in and out as he pleased."

This example uses both "a," which is always used before a  consonant sound , and "an," which is always used before a  vowel sound .

Using "A" and "An"

The key to knowing when to use "a" or "an" depends on the sound at the beginning of the noun (or adjective) that is being modified, not whether the noun or adjective actually begins with a vowel or consonant, notes  study.com :

"If the noun (or adjective) that comes after the article begins with a vowel sound, the appropriate indefinite article to use is 'an.' A vowel sound is a sound that is created by any vowel in the English language: 'a,' 'e,' 'i,' 'o,' 'u,' and sometimes 'y' if it makes an 'e' or 'i' sound."

By contrast, if the noun or adjective that comes after the article begins with a consonant that actually sounds like a consonant, use "a." "The Complete English Grammar Rules" presents some examples of when to use "a" or "an," depending on the sound of the first letter of the noun the article is modifying.

• "What an u nusual discovery." - This is correct because "unusual" starts with a "u" that makes an "uh" sound.
• "What a u nique discovery." - This is correct because the adjective after the article begins with a "u" that sounds like the consonant sound "yu."
• I bought " a h orse." - You use the "a" here because "horse" starts with an "h" that sounds like the consonant "h."
• " A h istorical event is worth recording." - Many folks think it should be "an" historic," but the article "a" is correct because the "h" is pronounced and sounds like the consonant "h."
• " An h our" has passed. - In this case, you use "an" because the "h" in hour is silent, and the noun actually begins with the vowel sound "ow."

Note that in the first two sentences above, the article actually precedes the adjectives, "unusual" and "unique," but the articles actually modify the noun, "discovery" in both sentences. Sometimes the article directly precedes an adjective that modifies the noun. When this occurs, look at the first letter of the adjective when determining whether to use "a" or "an" and then use the same rules as those discussed above to determine which article to use.

Before Countable and Uncountable Nouns

When dealing with articles, nouns can either be:

• Uncountable - You cannot count a specific number.
• Countable - The noun does indicate a specific number.

When a noun is uncountable, it is preceded by an indefinite article—"a" or "an."  Butte College  gives this example to illustrate both:

• I ate  an  apple yesterday.  The  apple was juicy and delicious.

In the first sentence, "apple" is uncountable because you're not referring to a specific apple; whereas, in the second sentence, "apple" is a countable noun because you are referring to one specific apple.

Another example would be:

• Would you like tea? or "Would you like some tea."
• "I would like the tea."

In the first instance, "tea" is uncountable because you're not referring to a specific tea, but instead, just to "some" tea (an undefinable number or amount). In the second sentence, by contrast, the speaker is referring to a specific cup or bottle of tea.

When to Omit Articles

As the first sentence in the previous example shows, you can sometimes omit the article particularly when the number or quantity is not known. Sometimes you would use the article in American English but not British English. For example:

• "I have to go to the hospital." (American English)
• "I have to go to hospital." (British English)

Conversely, sometimes you omit the article in American English but not in British English, as in:

• "I played rugby." (American English)
• "I play the rugby. (British English)

In these cases, the use, or omission, of the definite article depends on the type of English being spoken.

Pronouns, Demonstratives, and Possessives

You can also replace articles with  pronouns ,  demonstratives , and  possessives . They all work in the same way as a demonstrative article—naming a specific thing:

• In English grammar, a pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun, noun phrase, or noun clause. So, instead of the sentence: "Give the book to me," you would replace the definite article, "the," as well as the noun it modifies, "book," with the pronoun, "it," to yield the sentence: "Give it to me."
• A demonstrative is a determiner or a pronoun that points to a particular noun or to the noun it replaces. So, instead of saying: "The movie is boring," you would replace the definite article, "the," with the demonstrative "this" or "that" to yield: "This movie is boring" or "That movie is boring."
• A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that can take the place of a noun phrase to show ownership. Instead of saying: "The tale is long and sad!" you would replace the definite article, "the," to yield a sentence, such as: "Mine is a long and sad tale!" In the first sentence, the definite article, "the," modifies the noun, "tale." In the second sentence, the possessive pronoun, "mine," also modifies the noun, "tale."

High-Ranking Words

According to Ben Yagoda's book "When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It: The Parts of Speech, for Better and/or Worse," the word "the" is the most commonly-used word in the English language. It occurs "nearly 62,000 times in every million words written or uttered—or about once every 16 words." Meanwhile, "a" ranks as the fifth most commonly used word—and "an" ranks 34th.

So take the time to learn these important words—as well as their replacements, such as pronouns, demonstratives, and possessives—correctly to boost your command of English grammar, and in the process, enlighten your friends, impress your teachers, and gain the admiration of your associates.

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