Articles: a, an and the · Grade 4
In Grade 4 you learn: a, an and the before a noun; a before consonant sounds, an before vowel sounds; a the first time, the after that.
Articles are the little words a, an and the that come before a noun. A and an mean one of many (any one); the means a particular one that we both know about. Choosing between a and an depends on the first sound of the next word, not the first letter.
Key facts
- Use a before a consonant sound: a dog, a book, a university (it starts with a y sound).
- Use an before a vowel sound: an apple, an egg, an hour (the h is silent).
- Use a or an the first time you mention something; use the when you mention it again: I saw a cat. The cat was black.
Worked examples
Example 1
Choose a or an: I ate ___ orange.
Answer: an: I ate an orange.
Example 2
Choose a or an: She waited for ___ hour.
Answer: an: She waited for an hour.
Example 3
Fill the gaps: I bought ___ new bag. ___ bag is blue.
Answer: I bought a new bag. The bag is blue.
Example 4
Choose a or the: Look at ___ sun!
Answer: the
Example 5
Put a or an before each word: cat, egg, bed, apple.
Answer: a cat, an egg, a bed, an apple
Example 6
Complete with a or the: I have ___ dog. ___ dog is called Max.
Answer: a, The