Articles – A, An, The

✅ When to use “A” or “An”

1. Talking about something for the first time. I saw a bird in the garden. She met an old man on the road.
2. Talking about just one of something. I need a pen. Can I have an egg, please?
3. Jobs or professions. He is a teacher. She wants to be an astronaut.
4. Measurements, speed, price. We earn ₹500 a day. This car runs 20 km a litre.
5. Exclamations. What a beautiful sunset! What an amazing idea!

✅ When to use “The”

1. When the speaker and listener know what they are talking about. The door is open. (We both know which door). I saw the movie you recommended.
2. Mentioning something after the first time. I saw a dog. The dog was barking.
3. There is only one like it (unique things). The sun, the moon, the Earth, the sky.
4. Superlative adjectives. He is the best player. She is the most intelligent girl in the class.
5. Ordinal numbers (first, second, etc.). The first time I met her, she smiled. He lives on the third floor.
6. Musical instruments. She plays the piano. He can play the flute.
7. Rivers, seas, oceans, deserts, mountain ranges. The Nile, the Pacific Ocean, the Sahara, the Alps.
8. Famous buildings and institutions. The Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, the Parliament.
9. Countries with plural or union names. The United States, the Netherlands, the Philippines.
10. Groups of people. The poor need help. The British ruled India.
11. Newspapers. The Hindu, The Times of India

✅ No Articles

1. With names (proper nouns): Ø India, Ø Rahul, Ø Delhi
2. Languages and subjects: Ø English, Ø Maths, Ø Science. He teaches Ø history.
3. Sports: Ø Football, Ø Cricket. She plays Ø tennis.
4. Meals (general): We had Ø lunch. She skipped Ø dinner.
5. Uncountable nouns (general meaning). Ø Water is important. Ø Honesty is the best policy.
6. Plural countable nouns (general). Ø Dogs are loyal animals. Ø Computers are useful tools.
7. Transportation with “by”. She came by Ø bus. He went by Ø car.

🟩 Sentences with “A”

1. I saw a cat in the garden.
2. She is a doctor.
3. He bought a car yesterday.
4. They have a big house.
5. I need a pen to write.
6. We saw a monkey on the tree.
7. He is a student at that school.
8. She wore a red dress.
9. He is reading a book now.
10. I saw a shooting star last night.
11. There is a spider on the wall.
12. We rented a boat for the day.
13. He gave me a gift.
14. She has a cold.
15. They met a famous singer.
16. I want to eat a mango.
17. He bought a shirt and a pair of jeans.
18. She made a cake for my birthday.
19. He is a kind man.
20. We visited a museum in the city.
21. She found a ring on the road.
22. I need a new phone.
23. He saw a tiger in the forest.
24. I watched a movie yesterday.
25. She brought a gift for you.

🟨 Sentences with “An”

1. I ate an apple in the morning.
2. He is an honest man.
3. She saw an eagle flying high.
4. They need an umbrella.
5. I saw an elephant at the zoo.
6. He gave me an idea for the project.
7. She had an egg for breakfast.
8. It was an exciting match.
9. He bought an orange for me.
10. She is an artist.
11. He is an engineer.
12. We watched an old movie.
13. She wants to be an astronaut.
14. I had an hour to finish the test.
15. They heard an owl at night.
16. She saw an iguana in the garden.
17. It was an honor to meet her.
18. I found an empty bottle.
19. He made an announcement.
20. She is an excellent singer.
21. I saw an insect on the wall.
22. They had an interesting discussion.
23. He is an expert in English.
24. We need an answer quickly.
25. She saw an old friend at the market.

🟥 Sentences with “The”

1. The sun is shining brightly.
2. I closed the door.
3. The moon looks beautiful tonight.
4. She is the best player in the team.
5. I met the man you told me about.
6. We went to the park yesterday.
7. She read the book you gave her.
8. He lives on the first floor.
9. I visited the Taj Mahal last year.
10. The apples on the table are fresh.
11. The dog barked at the stranger.
12. The teacher is very strict.
13. I cleaned the kitchen.
14. They went to the zoo last Sunday.
15. We saw the Alps during our trip.
16. I am going to the bank.
17. He opened the window.
18. She likes the movie you recommended.
19. I saw the accident happen.
20. We crossed the river by boat.
21. The stars are shining.
22. He climbed the mountain.
23. I visited the museum.
24. She lives near the beach.
25. I watched the football match on TV.

🟦 Sentences with No Article (Ø)

1. Ø Water is essential for life.
2. Ø Honesty is the best policy.
3. She plays Ø cricket every weekend.
4. He speaks Ø English fluently.
5. We had Ø lunch at noon.
6. Ø Elephants are large animals.
7. Ø Books are sources of knowledge.
8. He studies Ø science at school.
9. Ø Milk is rich in calcium.
10. They went by Ø train.
11. She goes to Ø church on Sundays.
12. Ø Time heals all wounds.
13. Ø Sugar is sweet.
14. Ø Air is all around us.
15. She plays Ø piano. (OR: She plays the piano — both are correct depending on context)
16. Ø Dogs are loyal.
17. Ø Gold is a precious metal.
18. Ø Life is beautiful.
19. Ø Students must work hard.
20. He is afraid of Ø snakes.
21. I drink Ø tea every morning.
22. Ø Honesty should be rewarded.
23. Ø Love is powerful.
24. Ø Trees give us oxygen.
25. Ø Football is popular in Europe.

✅ Sentences Using “A” Before AEIOU Words

1. She is a university student. (“university” begins with “yu” sound)
2. He gave me a useful gift. (“useful” begins with “yu” sound)
3. I waited for a European guest. (“European” begins with “yu”)
4. They saw a one-eyed cat. (“one” starts with “w” sound)
5. She wrote a unique story. (“unique” = “yu-neek”)
6. We met a union leader. (“union” = “yu-nee-un”)
7. He bought a unicorn toy. (“unicorn” = “yu-ni-corn”)
8. She heard a universal truth. (“universal” = “yu-ni-ver-sal”)
9. He married a U.S. citizen. (“U.S.” = “you-es”)
10. I saw a uniform on the bed. (“uniform” = “yu-ni-form”)
11. He gave me a one-time offer. (“one” = “won”)
12. She found a useful solution. (“useful” = “yu-sful”)
13. It was a unanimous decision. (“unanimous” = “yu-nan-i-mous”)
14. I bought a USB drive. (“USB” = “you-es-bee”)
15. He listened to a European song. (“European” = “yu-ro-pean”)
16. She wore a U-shaped necklace. (“U” = “you”)
17. We stayed in a unique hotel. (“unique” = “yu-neek”)
18. He received a union card. (“union” = “yu-nee-un”)
19. She painted a utility room. (“utility” = “yu-til-i-ty”)
20. They built a unit for storage. (“unit” = “yu-nit”)

✅ Sentences Using “An” Before Consonants

1. He is an MP from Kerala. (“M” sounds like “em” — a vowel sound)
2. She met an MLA yesterday. (“M” = “em”)
3. It’s an honor to meet you. (“h” is silent: sounds like “onor”)
4. He got an honest reply. (“h” is silent: “onest”)
5. They called an SOS team. (“S” = “ess”)
6. We saw an NGO worker helping flood victims. (“N” = “en”)
7. She is an heir to the throne. (“h” is silent: “air”)
8. He received an MBA from Harvard. (“M” = “em”)
9. She got an HIV test. (“H” = “aitch”)
10. I wrote an FAQ page for the website. (“F” = “ef”)
11. They met an FBI agent. (“F” = “ef”)
12. He gave an IOU note. (“I” = vowel sound)
13. She is an honorary member. (“honorary” = “onorary”)
14. They interviewed an MA student. (“M” = “em”)
15. We called an ICU doctor. (“I” = vowel sound)
16. He saw an SOS alert on TV. (“S” = “ess”)
17. She works as an HR consultant. (“H” = “aitch”)
18. He is an LLB graduate. (“L” = “el”)
19. She prepared an HTML file. (“H” = “aitch”)
20. He joined an NCC camp last week. (“N” = “en”)

💡 Reminder:

Always listen to the sound, not the letter:

• Use “an” if the first sound is an open vowel (a, i, o) but be careful with not-open vowels (eu, u).
• Even if the word starts with a consonant letter, if its spoken form begins with a vowel sound, use “an”.