The Rule
| Article | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | First mention / one of many / consonant sound / jobs | I have a meeting. He is a manager. |
| an | Same as 'a' but before a vowel sound | She is an engineer. It was an honest mistake. |
| the | Specific / already mentioned / unique / superlatives | The client called. The CEO announced it. |
| zero (—) | General / uncountable / plural / most proper nouns | I love — coffee. — Meetings are important. She lives in — Madrid. |
Zero article rules to remember:
- Languages: I speak — Spanish. (not the Spanish)
- Meals: We had — lunch. (not a lunch)
- Transport: I came by — train.
- Most cities and countries: — Madrid, — Spain, — France (but: the UK, the USA, the Netherlands)
- Plural generalisations: — Managers need good communication skills.
Common Mistakes
She is engineer at a very large international company.
She is an engineer at a very large international company.
I had the lunch with an important client this afternoon.
I had — lunch with an important client this afternoon.
The life is difficult and unpredictable sometimes.
— Life is difficult and unpredictable sometimes.
We have meeting with the new supplier at 3pm today.
We have a meeting with the new supplier at 3pm today.
She is an honest and a hard-working person.
She is an honest and hard-working person. (no second 'a')
Gap Fill — Press Enter to Check
Error Correction
Multiple Choice
Put the Words in the Correct Order
Sentence Transformation — Press Enter to Check
Conversation Practice
1
Tell your partner about your job using a, an, and the correctly: your role, your company, your daily tasks.
2
Describe the last business meal you had with a client or colleague. Pay close attention to your articles.
3
Talk about your city: use no article for the city name but 'the' for specific well-known places.
Homework
Write a short professional biography (8 sentences) paying very careful attention to articles throughout. Underline every article you use and check each one is correct before submitting.