Articles - a, an & the - English Grammar lesson

Articles - a, an & the - English Grammar lesson

The 3 articles in English are a, an and the. The learner has to decide noun-by-noun which one of the articles to use.

In fact, there are 4 choices to make, because sometimes no article is necessary. Native-speakers, of course, use the articles correctly without thinking. English learners, on the other hand, need to have some guidelines for making the right choice - particularly those learners whose own language does not have articles.

The guidelines that follow in this lesson should help ESL students to a basic understanding of English article use.

The words a, an and the are known as articles.
• We use an before words that begin with vowels (a,e,i,o,u).

E.g. I found an orange boat.

However there are few exceptions like the words honest and hour. In the words honest and hour the alphabet h is silent and therefore the letter o becomes the first alphabet of the word and hence we use the article an.

E.g. Mr. Smith is an honest man.
I will be with you in an hour.

We use a before words that begin with consonants (all the letters of the alphabet except the vowels).

E.g. Bumble is a baby elephant.
• We use the before words that we have already spoken about.
E.g. I bought an apple. The apple is very sweet.

[simranbuddy]

For a Beginner it is good and simple to understand. I as a Voice trainer I feel it was explained beautifully with just one correction is is used not just in front of a Vowel but Vowel sounds.

[navinjkumbla]

Thanks Tash, you have taught how to use articles. It's simple and informative teaching by you.

[learningisfun]

Ultimate channel to learn English. Superb

[vijayprakaash]

Very impressive teaching skills you have. Thanks Ma'am . Waiting for new videos.

[JahanZeb]

You are an excellent trainer like other trainers are. Especially Cema is awesome! Regards,

[vicky]

If a teacher like you then who gonna concentrate on looking on teacher....

[Ieng]

You stated that one uses "an" before a word that begins with a vowel, and "a" before a word that begins with a consonant. Most teachers teach this rule, but it is incorrect. You use "an" when the word after it begins with a vowel SOUND, and "a" when the word after it begins with a consonant SOUND.

Here are examples of words that begin with vowels, but we use "a" for them, because they begin with consonant SOUNDS:

- A university
- A unicycle.

Here is a word that begins with a consonant, but we use "an" for it, because it begins with a vowel SOUND:

- An x-ray.

The reason why one should use "an" before a word that begins with a silent h, is because words that begin with silent h also begin with vowel sounds.

[rajatahir]

Wonderful. Easy way to learn articles even for kids.

[EngBell_]

A/An is used with vowel sounds, not with the vowel letters.

[Wake.Up.World.]

Thank you ma'am it helped me alot

[nishavasaikar]

You are an excellent teacher. Great job.

[subekshyakhatri]

Thanks you mam for teaching in easy way and you teach easily with out wasting our time thank you so much mam

[thamanreddy]

Thanks a lot mam.
I understood Articles I will write exam tomorrow we'll.

[satyjeetshinde]

good video. you were nervous at starting but you manage well thanks for knowledgeable video.

[pvraju]

Beautiful..&..physical strong....and also excellent explanation

[kalikirirupa]

Thank so much mam.your explanation is very good and short because of it easy to remember.

[iakmenlangl.nongrang]

Thank you Miss/Mrs Tash for your contribution to the weaked English writing like me I couldn't met u face to face but my prayer to U is that God will bless u on your external life forever and ever.

[ramva]

Nicely u thought mam. Thank you somuch.

[shashikumarsharma]

I love teaching work and all teacher.
Love you and Thank you.

[umarmekala]

Thank you Medam I was understood the about the vowels and articles trick i was getting in English good marks