A, An, The or No Article? 20 Exercises With Answers

Use a or an for one new countable thing, the when the context identifies which thing, and no article for general plural or uncountable nouns. These 20 A2 English articles exercises help you choose a, an, the or no article in everyday situations. Write your answers first, then check the explanation for each choice.

Before you begin

Read the explanation: English Articles — a, an, the

These tasks practise common patterns, not every exception in English. Each item states the intended context so you do not have to guess whether a noun is general or specific. Write ∅ when no article is needed.

A quick decision guide

Use the sound of the next word, not only its first letter. University begins with a ‘y’ sound; hour begins with a vowel sound because its h is silent.

Look for the context

Compare “I bought a book” with “I read the book you recommended”. The first sentence introduces a book; the second identifies a particular one. Compare “I enjoy music” with “The music at the concert was loud”. Music is uncountable in both sentences, but only the second refers to a particular performance.

Singular countable nouns usually need a determiner. In these exercises, choose an article because no other determiner is given. Outside the exercises, words such as my, this, or each can also fill that role: my bag, this book, each student.

Common traps

1. Do not choose an only because a word starts with a vowel letter: a university uses a consonant sound.

2. Do not add a/an to general uncountable nouns such as advice, music, or water.

3. Do not remove the just because a noun is uncountable: the advice you gave can be specific.

4. Use a/an for a job: an engineer, a nurse.

5. Use no article for an ordinary meal expression such as have breakfast. Modified or specific meals can use an article, so context matters.

Practice: 20 questions

Exercise 1: choose an article in context (1–10)

Write a, an, the, or ∅. The symbol ∅ means use no article. Read the context before choosing.

Exercise 2: complete the short situations (11–20)

Again use a, an, the, or ∅. Each item includes enough context to identify the intended meaning.

Answers and explanations

Complete each exercise and choose Check my answers to reveal its answers and explanations. You can also open the complete answer key below for self-study.

Show the complete answer key (1–20)

Check the meaning and grammar of each answer. For rewriting tasks, a natural alternative with the same meaning can also be correct.

Answers 1–10

1. a — Bag is a singular countable noun introduced for the first time, and begins with a consonant sound.

2. an — Umbrella is singular and begins with a vowel sound.

3. the — The dog has already been introduced, so the reader knows which dog.

4. the — The sun is treated as unique in this everyday context.

5. a — Use a/an when stating a person's job. Nurse begins with a consonant sound.

6. a — University begins with a consonant ‘y’ sound, so use a, not an.

7. an — The h in hour is silent, so the word starts with a vowel sound.

8. ∅ — General uncountable water takes no article.

9. ∅ — General uncountable music takes no article.

10. ∅ — General plural nouns take no article.

Answers 11–20

11. an — Engineer starts with a vowel sound and names a job.

12. the — The novel refers back to the particular novel already mentioned.

13. ∅ — The name of the language normally takes no article in this general use.

14. the — The context identifies a particular door for both people.

15. an — Old begins with a vowel sound; the photo is newly introduced.

16. ∅ — Meals usually take no article in expressions such as have breakfast.

17. the — Specific, identified uncountable nouns can take the, including this particular advice.

18. a — Cup is singular and countable. The article belongs to cup, not tea.

19. ∅ — This is a general statement about plural bicycles.

20. the — The context identifies the single capital city of Japan.

Review your result

Award one point for each correct article choice, up to 20. This score is a self-check, not an English-level assessment. For each mistake, identify its category: sound, singular countability, shared reference, or general meaning.

Turn article rules into a short story

Write three connected sentences introducing one object, mentioning it again, and explaining what you did with it. Then add a general statement with a plural noun.

Model: I bought a notebook yesterday. The notebook has a blue cover. I use it to record new words. Notebooks are useful when I revise.

Frequently asked questions

When should I choose a or an?

Choose by the first sound of the following word, not just its first letter: a university begins with a consonant sound, while an hour begins with a vowel sound. A and an introduce singular countable nouns.

What does no article or zero article mean?

It means no article is placed before the noun. General plural and uncountable nouns often take no article: Books are useful; Music helps me relax. In this exercise set, write ∅ for no article.

Can the go before an uncountable noun?

Yes, when the context identifies something specific: the advice you gave me. Compare that with a general statement such as Advice can be useful. Countability and whether the noun is general or specific both matter.

Keep practising

Return to the articles guide

Review everyday A1 grammar and noun patterns

Reference: British Council — Articles: a, an, the