Articles (a, an, the)

When to use a, an, the or no article, with rules, exceptions and common errors.

The two kinds of article

Indefinite articles (a, an): used with singular countable nouns that are not specific — a book, an apple.
Definite article (the): used with a specific or already known noun, singular or plural, countable or uncountable — the book on the table.
Zero article: no article, used with many plural and uncountable nouns in a general sense, and with most proper nouns — Books are useful. Water is essential.

A or an: decided by sound, not spelling

Rule	Examples
'An' before a vowel sound	an apple, an hour, an honest man, an MBA, an MP, an X-ray
'A' before a consonant sound	a book, a university, a European, a one-rupee coin, a useful tool, a UN agency

Use 'the'

With something already mentioned: I bought a pen. The pen is blue.
With things that are unique: the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky.
With superlatives and ordinals: the best student, the first chapter.
With rivers, seas, oceans, deserts and mountain ranges: the Indus, the Arabian Sea, the Thar, the Himalayas.
With plural country names and names containing 'Republic', 'Kingdom' or 'States': the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States.
With newspapers, famous buildings and holy books: the Dawn, the Taj Mahal, the Holy Quran.
With musical instruments: She plays the violin.
With a singular noun representing a whole class: The cow is a useful animal.
With adjectives used as nouns for groups: the poor, the rich, the young.

No article

Before proper nouns of people, cities, most countries and single mountains: Ali, Lahore, Pakistan, K2.
Before languages and subjects: She speaks English. He studies physics.
Before meals, games and diseases in general: We had lunch. They play cricket. He has diabetes (but: a cold, a headache).
Before abstract and uncountable nouns used generally: Honesty is the best policy. Milk is healthy.
In set phrases with institutions used for their purpose: go to school, in hospital, at church, to bed (but: He went to the school to meet the teacher).

Common errors

Wrong	Right
He is honest man.	He is an honest man.
She is an European.	She is a European. ('European' begins with a 'you' sound)
The honesty is the best policy.	Honesty is the best policy.
Indus is longest river of Pakistan.	The Indus is the longest river of Pakistan.
He plays the cricket.	He plays cricket.
I have a good news.	I have good news. (news is uncountable)
What a beautiful weather!	What beautiful weather!

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Practise English MCQs

The two kinds of article

Indefinite articles (a, an): used with singular countable nouns that are not specific — a book, an apple.

Definite article (the): used with a specific or already known noun, singular or plural, countable or uncountable — the book on the table.

Zero article: no article, used with many plural and uncountable nouns in a general sense, and with most proper nouns — Books are useful. Water is essential.

Rule

Examples

'An' before a vowel sound

an apple, an hour, an honest man, an MBA, an MP, an X-ray

'A' before a consonant sound

a book, a university, a European, a one-rupee coin, a useful tool, a UN agency

Use 'the'

With something already mentioned: I bought a pen. The pen is blue.

With things that are unique: the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky.

With superlatives and ordinals: the best student, the first chapter.

With rivers, seas, oceans, deserts and mountain ranges: the Indus, the Arabian Sea, the Thar, the Himalayas.

With plural country names and names containing 'Republic', 'Kingdom' or 'States': the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States.

With newspapers, famous buildings and holy books: the Dawn, the Taj Mahal, the Holy Quran.

With musical instruments: She plays the violin.

With a singular noun representing a whole class: The cow is a useful animal.

With adjectives used as nouns for groups: the poor, the rich, the young.

No article

Before proper nouns of people, cities, most countries and single mountains: Ali, Lahore, Pakistan, K2.

Before languages and subjects: She speaks English. He studies physics.

Before meals, games and diseases in general: We had lunch. They play cricket. He has diabetes (but: a cold, a headache).

Before abstract and uncountable nouns used generally: Honesty is the best policy. Milk is healthy.

In set phrases with institutions used for their purpose: go to school, in hospital, at church, to bed (but: He went to the school to meet the teacher).

Common errors

Wrong	Right
He is honest man.	He is an honest man.
She is an European.	She is a European. ('European' begins with a 'you' sound)
The honesty is the best policy.	Honesty is the best policy.
Indus is longest river of Pakistan.	The Indus is the longest river of Pakistan.
He plays the cricket.	He plays cricket.
I have a good news.	I have good news. (news is uncountable)
What a beautiful weather!	What beautiful weather!