English grammar: Articles a, an, the

What this grammar point covers

Articles are small function words before nouns. They signal whether a noun is general or specific.

When to use it

Use a/an for one non-specific item and the for a known or specific item.

Key forms

• a + consonant sound noun
• an + vowel sound noun
• the + specific noun

Examples

Tips

• Choose by sound, not spelling: an hour, a university.
• At beginner level, practice with common nouns first.
• Articles are frequent and important for natural English.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some nouns appear without articles in fixed expressions: at home, go to school.