Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation

A, an and the

Choose a, an or the to put in front of a naming word.

Three tiny words go in front of naming words. They are a, an and the.

The rule

Use 'an' when the next word begins with a vowel sound — say the word aloud and listen: an ostrich, an ink pot. Use 'a' for the rest, and 'the' when everyone already knows which one you mean.

Worked example

___ olive and ___ carrot.

  1. Olive starts with o.

    Say it aloud: olive opens with the vowel sound 'o', so it takes 'an'.

Try it together

Let's fill three gaps together.

    1.One word for the gap: "I have ___ pencil."

    Have a go

    Have a go. Which word fits? "I saw ___ owl."

    Ready to practise?

    Eight questions on what you have just read. Nothing is timed, and you can play as many times as you like.

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