Grammar Rules and Exercises: How to Use “A”, “An”, “One”, and “Ones” Correctly
Grammar Exercise: “A” / “An” or “One” / “Ones”?
Understanding the difference between the articles A and An and the number word One can sometimes be tricky, especially for English learners. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the grammar rules behind A, An, One, and Ones. We’ll also provide practical exercises to help reinforce these concepts.
Rules for Using “A” and “An”
The articles A and An are used with singular nouns to indicate any general, non-specific object or entity. The choice between A and An depends on the sound that follows them:
A is used before words starting with a consonant sound.
- a dog
- a university (pronounced with a consonant sound /juː/)
An is used before words starting with a vowel sound.
- an apple
- an hour (even though the word starts with an “h,” it is silent, so the word starts with a vowel sound)
Important note: The decision between A and An depends on the pronunciation, not the spelling of the word. For example, the word “hour” starts with a silent “h,” so we say an hour.
Practice: “A” / “An” or “One” / “Ones”?