A and an: listen to the first sound — Learn & Practise

Talk about one object or person with a or an. The first sound of the next word helps you choose.

Understand the idea

Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. These words go before a singular countable noun, sometimes with an adjective between. Say an umbrella but a uniform. Umbrella starts with a vowel sound; uniform starts with a “yoo” sound. Say an hour because the h is silent. We say a bag, but an empty bag. Empty is now the next word and starts with a vowel sound. For two or more objects, say two bags or some bags, without a or an.

See a worked example

a pencil / an orange / an old bag

A useful check

Book begins with the consonant sound /b/.

Read the full lesson and translations →

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