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Indefinite Articles 'A' or 'An'
You will need to remember which letters are vowels for this quiz.

Indefinite Articles 'A' or 'An'

Learn when to use a or an in KS1 English. Spot the starting sound of each word so your sentences are smooth and correct.

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Fascinating Fact:

Use “a” before words like “unicorn”, because it starts with /y/ sound: “a unicorn”, not “an unicorn”.

In KS1 English, children learn that choosing a or an depends on the sound at the start of the next word. This helps sentences read clearly and sound natural aloud.

Key Terms

  • Indefinite article: The small words a and an, used before nouns when we do not mean one specific thing.
  • Vowel sound: A sound like /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/ at the start of a word, such as in “an apple”.
  • Consonant sound: Any other starting sound, like /b/ in “a ball” or /y/ in “a unicorn”.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is the rule for using a or an in KS1 English?

Use a before a consonant sound (a dog, a unicorn) and an before a vowel sound (an apple, an egg, an orange, an umbrella).

Why do we say a unicorn but an umbrella?

“Unicorn” starts with a /y/ consonant sound, so we use a. “Umbrella” starts with a /u/ vowel sound, so we use an.

How can teachers help children remember a and an?

Ask children to say the next word aloud and listen for the starting sound. If it begins with a vowel sound, use an; if not, use a.

Try These Related Quizzes

To see a larger image, click on the picture.
1 .
Let's recap. Which letters are the five vowels?
aeiou
abcde
vwxyz
aoyui
Great! Now you know the five vowels, you'll know to write 'an' in front of a word that starts with one.
2 .
Which of these words would you write 'an' in front of?
bug
insect
bee
wasp
Most insects hatch from eggs.
3 .
Which of these words would you write 'a' in front of?
excited
overwhelmed
tired
amused
We would write 'a tired woman'. The term for learning about 'a' or 'an' is called the indefinite article.
4 .
Which of these words would you write 'an' in front of?
banana
strawberry
grape
apple
The word 'apple' begins with an 'a', which is a vowel. Because the word begins with a vowel, we would write 'an apple'.
5 .
Which of these words would you write 'an' in front of?
goat
elk
hedgehog
bunny
An elk is a type of deer.
6 .
Which of these words would you write 'a' in front of?
egg
oven
ice cube
cake
We would normally put the indefinite article in front of a noun or an adjective.
7 .
Which answer is correct?
an rose
an garden
a rose
a orange flower
The words 'a' and 'an' mean one, so if you are writing about roses, you wouldn't use either indefinite article.
8 .
Which of these words would you write 'a' in front of?
assortment
arrangement
animal
toy
We could say it is an assortment of toys, or a toy.
9 .
Which of these words would you write 'an' in front of?
orange
red
yellow
blue
These are the colours of the rainbow. All the other colours would have 'a' in front of them, like 'a blue coat'.
10 .
Which of these words would you write 'a' in front of?
seal
otter
octopus
eel
We would say 'a seal' and all the others begin with a vowel and would have 'an' in front of them.
Author:  Finola Waller (MEd, Primary School Teacher & KS1 English Quiz Writer)
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