Pre-A1 Starter Pronouns, to be and articles
a and an
Lesson goal. After this lesson you can put a or an in front of a singular noun, and you will remember that English does not leave that slot empty.
When to use it
- Mentioning a person or thing for the first time: I see a dog.
- Giving a job: She is a nurse.
- Meaning any one, not a particular one: Give me a pen, please.
Form
| Next word starts with | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| consonants: b, c, d, f, g, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w, y | a | a book · a cat · a school |
| vowels: a, e, i, o, u | an | an apple · an egg · an orange |
Step by step
- Look at the word immediately after the gap — it may be an adjective, not the noun.
- Check its first letter.
- a, e, i, o, u → use an. Otherwise → use a.
Where it gets tricky
| Case | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| with an adjective in between | an old bicycle | Look at old, not at bicycle. |
| with an adjective in between | a big apple | Look at big, not at apple. |
| silent h | an hour | The h is not pronounced; it sounds like /au/. |
| u pronounced /ju/ | a university | It sounds like 'yoo' — a consonant sound. |
Examples
I have a new bike.
She is an English teacher.
There is a cat under the chair.
He eats an egg every morning.
My father is an engineer.
We wait an hour for the bus.
Common mistakes
I have book. → I have a book.
Vietnamese has no articles, so learners leave the slot empty. An English singular countable noun always needs a, an or the.
a apple → an apple
apple begins with the vowel a → use an so it is easier to say.
an book → a book
book begins with the consonant b → use a.
Memory tip
Say it aloud. a apple trips you up, an apple flows. The extra n exists to link the two vowels.
Summary
- a before a consonant · an before a vowel a, e, i, o, u.
- Check the word right after the gap, even if it is an adjective.
- A singular countable noun never stands alone.
Practise this lesson
Do exercises with an explanation for every question, take mini tests and track your progress on GrammUp.