Articles are small words that come before nouns. They help show whether we are talking about something specific or something general.
Think of articles as “noun helpers.” They make it clear if we mean one specific thing or any one of many things.
We use a before words that begin with a consonant sound. We use an before words that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
Pay attention to the sound, not just the first letter. For example, we say an hour because “hour” starts with a vowel sound.
We use the when we are talking about one specific thing that everyone knows about. It can be used with singular or plural nouns.
Remember: the points to something already known or easy to identify.
Articles can change depending on whether the noun is singular or plural.
A and an are used only with singular nouns. The can be used with both singular and plural nouns.
Articles make your writing clear. Practice using them in full sentences so you can see how they work.
When you read your sentence, ask yourself: Am I talking about something general (a, an) or something specific (the)?