A, an, the and plurals

Choose the right article and say plurals the way they sound. Lesson 6 of 58: Foundations, CEFR A1.

A or an: listen, don’t look

• Use “a” or “an” for one of something, mentioned for the first time. The choice depends on the first sound, not the first letter: “an” before a vowel sound, “a” before a consonant sound.
• an hour (The h is silent: “an-our”)
• a university (Starts with a “you” sound)
• an MBA (Starts with “em”)
• a one-way ticket (Starts with a “w” sound)

The

• Use “the” when both of you know which one: it was mentioned before, there is only one, or it is clear. “I bought a car. The car is blue.” “The sun.” “Close the door.”
• Say “the” as “thuh” before a consonant sound, and “thee” before a vowel sound: “thuh book”, “thee apple”.
• I saw a film. The film was great. (Second mention)
• Can you open the window? (We both know which)
• the end, the internet, the sun (Only one)

Nothing at all, and plurals

• Use no article for things in general: “I love music.” “Dogs are friendly.” Not “The life is short”, but “Life is short.”
• Plural -s has three sounds: /s/ after p, t, k, f (cats), /z/ after most sounds (dogs), and an extra syllable /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch, j (buses, watches). Some plurals are irregular: person → people, child → children, man → men.
• cats, books (/s/)
• dogs, days (/z/)
• buses, pages, watches (/ɪz/: an extra syllable)

Lines to have ready

• I’ll be there in an hour. (Telling somebody when)
• Is there a bank near here? (Asking for something)
• The meeting is in the main room. (Saying which one)
• It’s a great idea. (Praising an idea)

Your turn to speak

• Describe the room you are in: name ten things in it, using a, an and the correctly, and two plurals.
• I used “a” and “an” by sound
• I used “the” for things already mentioned
• I said an /ɪz/ plural, like boxes or glasses

Related

• Lesson 5: Asking questions
• Lesson 7: Vowel sounds: ship or sheep
• The whole English course

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