Articles Usage: A, An, and The

In English, articles play an important role in indicating whether we are referring to something specific or general. The three main articles are ‘a,’ ‘an,’ and ‘the,’ each with its own rules for usage.

Use ‘a’ before words that begin with a consonant sound. For example, “a car,” “a house,” and “a university.” Although ‘university’ starts with the vowel letter ‘u,’ the pronunciation begins with the consonant sound ‘y,’ so we use ‘a’ in this case.

Use ‘an’ before words that start with a vowel sound. For example, “an apple,” “an hour,” and “an elephant.” Even though ‘hour’ starts with the consonant letter ‘h,’ it’s pronounced with a silent ‘h,’ starting with the vowel sound ‘o,’ so we use ‘an.’

Use ‘the’ when referring to something specific or already known. For example, “the sun,” “the car we bought,” and “the best option.” ‘The’ is used to talk about things that both the speaker and listener are familiar with.

This video will provide you with clear examples and help you confidently use articles in everyday English conversations.