INDEFINITE ARTICLES (A OR AN?) EXERCISE 2 (ESL)
level: Beginner (A1/A2)
A second exercise on the indefinite articles a and an, focusing on the trickiest cases — words with a silent h, words that start with a vowel letter but a consonant sound, and abbreviations. If you haven’t done exercise 1 yet, start there for the basic rule.
Grammar review
A or AN? Tricky cases and silent letters
The basic rule is simple: an before a vowel sound, a before a consonant sound. The tricky cases are words where the spelling and the sound don’t match.
Silent H — always use an:
an honest answer, an heir, an honorable man
(The h is not pronounced, so the word starts with a vowel sound)
Words beginning with H that is pronounced — always use a:
a house, a hotel, a history book, a helpful friend
Words spelled with a vowel but starting with a consonant sound — use a:
a university (sounds like yoo-niversity)
a European country (sounds like yoo-ropean)
a one-way street (sounds like wun)
Abbreviations — go by how you say the letter:
an MP, an MBA, an FBI agent (say the letters M, B, F out loud, they start with vowel sounds: em, bee, ef)
a URL, a UN report (U and Y both start with a yoo sound, which counts as a consonant sound)
The basic rule is simple: an before a vowel sound, a before a consonant sound. The tricky cases are words where the spelling and the sound don’t match.
Silent H — always use an:
an honest answer, an heir, an honorable man
(The h is not pronounced, so the word starts with a vowel sound)
Words beginning with H that is pronounced — always use a:
a house, a hotel, a history book, a helpful friend
Words spelled with a vowel but starting with a consonant sound — use a:
a university (sounds like yoo-niversity)
a European country (sounds like yoo-ropean)
a one-way street (sounds like wun)
Abbreviations — go by how you say the letter:
an MP, an MBA, an FBI agent (say the letters M, B, F out loud, they start with vowel sounds: em, bee, ef)
a URL, a UN report (U and Y both start with a yoo sound, which counts as a consonant sound)
Choose a or an to complete each sentence.
1. He lived in ________ big apartment.
Correct answer: a — a before consonant sounds — big starts with a consonant.
2. Her sister is ________ writer.
Correct answer: a — a before consonant sounds — writer starts with a consonant.
3. That's ________ excellent choice!
Correct answer: an — an before vowel sounds — excellent starts with a vowel.
4. That's ________ beautiful color!
Correct answer: a — a before consonant sounds — beautiful starts with a consonant.
5. Mr. Williams is ________ honored guest.
Correct answer: an — an before vowel sounds — honored starts with a vowel sound (silent h).
6. Catherine will be here in ________ hour.
Correct answer: an — an before vowel sounds — hour starts with a vowel sound (silent h).
7. My mother is ________ happy person.
Correct answer: a — a before consonant sounds — happy starts with a consonant.
8. My sister works in ________ shopping center.
Correct answer: a — a before consonant sounds — shopping starts with a consonant.
9. Philip is in ________ lot of trouble.
Correct answer: a — a before consonant sounds — lot starts with a consonant.
10. Would you like ________ apricot?
Correct answer: an — an before vowel sounds — apricot starts with a vowel.
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
More article exercises:
A or the? Exercise 2 (A1/A2)
Article or No Article? Exercise 3 (A2/B2)
A or the? Exercise 1 (A1/A2)
Articles with Geographic Names Exercise 1 (B1/B2)
Article or No Article? Exercise 1 (A2/B1)
Articles with Idioms Exercise 1 (B1/B2)
Related countable/uncountable noun exercises:
Countable or Uncountable Nouns? Exercise 1 (A2/B1)
Isn'T or Aren'T? 1 (B1/B2)
Countable or Uncountable Nouns? Exercise 2 (A2/B1)
Countable or Uncountable Nouns? Exercise 3 (B1/B2)
Browse all article exercises →
More article exercises:
A or the? Exercise 2 (A1/A2)
Article or No Article? Exercise 3 (A2/B2)
A or the? Exercise 1 (A1/A2)
Articles with Geographic Names Exercise 1 (B1/B2)
Article or No Article? Exercise 1 (A2/B1)
Articles with Idioms Exercise 1 (B1/B2)
Related countable/uncountable noun exercises:
Countable or Uncountable Nouns? Exercise 1 (A2/B1)
Isn'T or Aren'T? 1 (B1/B2)
Countable or Uncountable Nouns? Exercise 2 (A2/B1)
Countable or Uncountable Nouns? Exercise 3 (B1/B2)
Browse all article exercises →
