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A1 · grammar

A and An Exercises (A1) — Free

A or an: choosing the article by the first sound of the next word

Use a or an before one person or thing (a book, an apple). Use 'a' before a consonant sound (a dog, a big house) and 'an' before a vowel sound (an egg, an orange). What matters is the sound, not the letter: we say 'an hour' because the h is silent, but 'a university' because it starts with a 'yoo' sound. Look at the word right after a/an: if there's an adjective, the adjective decides (an apple, but a red apple). Use a/an with jobs, too: She is a nurse. A common mistake is to leave it out: 'My dad is engineer' is wrong; say 'My dad is an engineer'.

  1. I have (a/an) brother and two sisters.

  2. She eats (a/an) apple every morning.

  3. Is there (a/an) bank near here?

  4. Take (a/an) umbrella. It's raining.

  5. My dad is (a/an) engineer.

  6. We have (a/an) big garden.

  7. My grandparents live in (a/an) old house.

  8. Our flat is near (a/an) hospital.

  9. The bus to the airport takes (a/an) hour.

  10. My sister is (a/an) university student.

  11. (a/an) elephant is (a/an) very big animal.

  12. Is your mum (a/an) teacher or (a/an) artist?

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