A, An and The

• 1st grade
• CCSS L.1.1h

A, an and the are called articles. Use a before a consonant sound (a dog), an before a vowel sound (an apple) and the for one particular thing (the moon).

What are articles?

Articles are tiny words that come before a noun. A and an mean "any one": a dog could be any dog. The points to one particular thing: the dog means the one we're talking about.

Choosing between a and an depends on the sound at the start of the next word, not the letter. If it starts with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u), use an. Say both out loud; one is always easier to say.

The 1st grade Common Core standard (L.1.1h) calls these determiners and includes this, that, these and those, which are covered further down this page.

A or an?

Say each pair aloud. Hear how an makes vowel sounds easier to say?

The last two rows are the tricky ones. Hour starts with a silent h, so it begins with a vowel sound: an hour. Unicorn starts with a "yoo" sound, so it takes a.

Articles in sentences

The highlighted words are articles and pointing words. Ask your child why each one fits.

1. I ate an orange.
2. We saw a zebra at the zoo.
3. The sun is hot.
4. Mia has an idea.
5. Can I have a cookie?
6. This book is mine.
7. That bird is far away.
8. These shoes are new.
9. Those clouds look like sheep.
10. We waited an hour.

In sentence 3 we say the sun because there's only one. In sentence 5, a cookie means any cookie at all.

This, that, these and those

These pointing words show how many and how near:

• this: one thing, near you. This cup is hot.
• that: one thing, far away. That plane is high.
• these: more than one, near you. These grapes are sweet.
• those: more than one, far away. Those hills are green.

How to teach a, an and the

Five short steps, about 10 minutes each.

1. Say it both ways. Say "a apple" and "an apple." Ask which is easier to say. The easy one is right.
2. Sort picture cards. Gather toys or pictures. Your child sorts them into an "a" pile and an "an" pile.
3. Point near and far. Hold a crayon: "this crayon." Point across the room: "that door." Then do it with groups: these, those.
4. Spot the articles. Read a page aloud. Your child claps each time they hear a, an or the.
5. Write a shopping list. Your child writes five items with a or an: an egg, a banana, an onion.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Practice: a, an and the quiz

10 questions. Your child can tap the speaker to hear a question read aloud. The first try on each question counts toward the score.

1. 1.Which is correct?

   🔈
   an apple a apple
   Show answer

   an apple.

2. 2.Which is correct?

   🔈
   a dog an dog
   Show answer

   a dog.

3. 3.I found ___ egg.

   🔈
   an a
   Show answer

   an egg.

4. 4.I saw ___ owl.

   🔈
   an a
   Show answer

   an owl.

5. 5.Tap the two articles.

   🔈

   The cat ate a fish.

   Show answer

   The and a.

6. 6.We waited ___ hour.

   🔈
   an a
   Show answer

   an hour.

7. 7.(The shoes are right here.) ___ shoes are mine.

   🔈
   These This Those
   Show answer

   These. More than one, and near.

8. 8.(The bird is far away.) Look at ___ bird.

   🔈
   that this these
   Show answer

   that. One thing, far away.

9. 9.Which is correct?

   🔈
   a umbrella an umbrella
   Show answer

   an umbrella.

10. 10.Which word is an article?

    🔈
    the red run
    Show answer

    the.

A, An and The worksheet (free PDF)

A, An and The Worksheet, 1st grade

Write a or an, choose this, that, these or those, fix article mistakes and write about things you see. Prints on US Letter paper, with an answer key.

Download the PDF

Try it at home

• At the store: name items in the cart with a or an: an onion, a lemon.
• Around the house: point near and far: this chair, that window, these spoons, those trees.
• At breakfast: "Do you want an egg or a waffle?"
• In the car: spot things outside and say them with a or an.
• When reading: find a word starting with a vowel and check its article.

What comes next

Next, kids learn where-and-when words in prepositions, then joining words in conjunctions. See all 1st grade skills on the 1st grade page, or browse all grammar lessons.

Last reviewed: November 11, 2026

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