Unit 5 · Pre-A1 / A1
Articles
The Article "A"
When you talk about one thing — one cat, one ball, one book — you often use the small word "a" before the noun. You say "a cat," not just "cat." The word "a" is called an article. It is a tiny but very important word in English.
Student-Friendly Definition: "A" is a small word used before a singular noun when you mean "one" of something, and the noun starts with a consonant sound.
The Article "An"
Sometimes you say "a cat," but other times you say "an apple." Why? The word "an" is used before words that start with vowel sounds. It is another form of the indefinite article, paired with "a."
Student-Friendly Definition: "An" is a small word used before a singular noun when the noun starts with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
Introduction to "The"
"A" and "an" mean "any one." But what if you are talking about one specific thing — not just any cat, but THE cat you already know about? That is when you use the word "the." The word "the" points to something specific.
Student-Friendly Definition: "The" is a small word used before a noun when you are talking about a specific person, place, animal, or thing that everyone knows about.
Practise Articles in a game — 6 friendly questions are ready.