English exercises / A1 / Nouns, articles & adjectivesFirst mention, second mention, and the times you use no article.
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English articles
Use a or an when you mention a countable thing for the first time, or when any one of a kind will do. Use the when both speaker and listener know which one is meant. Use no article for plurals and uncountables spoken of in general: cars are expensive, water is free.
Read the full explanationArticles a, an, the: worked examples
Five from the set, with the answer filled in and the rule that decides it.
- 01
The film only lasts about an hour and a half.
The h in 'hour' is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound.
- 02
I bought a jacket and a scarf, but the jacket was too big.
First mention takes a/an; after that we both know which one, so 'the'.
- 03
Both my parents are (none) teachers.
No article before a plural noun naming a job: they are teachers.
- 04
You need a university degree for that job.
'university' starts with a /y/ sound, so it takes 'a', not 'an'.
- 05
It was an honest mistake, so nobody blamed her.
Silent h again: honest, hour, honour all begin with a vowel sound.