For parents of young learners
A, an, the for kids
A, an and the are called articles. Children use them in almost every sentence, so getting them right makes English sound natural. Here are the easy rules, plenty of examples and a short practice.
By the Eloqova team · Updated 31 October 2026
Free printable kit for your child's class: speaking worksheets and a speech planner.Get it freeListen to the sound, not the letter: use an before a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u sounds). That's why we say an hour but a uniform.
The rules
| Article | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | one thing, word starts with a consonant sound | a dog, a ball |
| an | one thing, word starts with a vowel sound | an apple, an egg |
| the | a particular thing, or one we already know about | the sun, the book on the table |
20 words with "a"
- a ball
- a cat
- a dog
- a pen
- a book
- a tree
- a house
- a car
- a bag
- a girl
- a boy
- a cup
- a kite
- a fan
- a box
- a doll
- a bus
- a lion
- a mango
- a rose
20 words with "an"
- an apple
- an egg
- an ant
- an owl
- an umbrella
- an orange
- an elephant
- an ice cream
- an inkpot
- an onion
- an aeroplane
- an eagle
- an igloo
- an ox
- an idea
- an engine
- an arm
- an eye
- an hour
- an honest man
Tricky ones: it's the sound that counts
| Say | Why |
|---|---|
| an hour | the h is silent, so it starts with an "o" sound |
| an honest girl | the h is silent |
| a uniform | u sounds like "you", a consonant sound |
| a unicorn | u sounds like "you" |
| a one-rupee coin | one starts with a "w" sound |
| an MP | M is said "em", a vowel sound |
20 sentences with "the"
- The sun is bright.
- The moon is round.
- The sky is blue.
- Please close the door.
- The book on the table is mine.
- The dog in our street is friendly.
- Look at the stars.
- The Ganga is a long river.
- The teacher is kind.
- Switch off the fan.
- The milk is in the fridge.
- The train is late.
- I saw a cat. The cat was white.
- The Taj Mahal is in Agra.
- Pass me the salt, please.
- The children are in the garden.
- The earth goes round the sun.
- The baby is sleeping.
- The red pencil is broken.
- We went to the zoo.
Practice: fill in a, an or the
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| I ate ___ apple. | an |
| She has ___ cat. | a |
| ___ sun rises in the east. | The |
| He wants ___ ice cream. | an |
| We waited for ___ hour. | an |
| I wear ___ uniform to school. | a |
| Close ___ window, please. | the |
| There is ___ owl on the tree. | an |
How to practise at home
- Name objects around the house with a or an: "a spoon, an onion".
- Play "I see": take turns saying "I see a ___" or "I see an ___".
- Read a short story and circle every a, an and the.
- Say the tricky words aloud so your child hears the starting sound.
Questions parents ask
When do we use a and an?
Use a before words that start with a consonant sound (a ball) and an before words that start with a vowel sound (an apple). It depends on the sound, not the letter.
Why do we say "an hour" and not "a hour"?
Because the h in hour is silent, so the word starts with a vowel sound.
When do we use "the"?
Use the when you mean a particular thing, something already mentioned, or something there is only one of, like the sun or the moon.
More free guides
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