Articles belong to a group of words called determiners. There are two types of articles in English. The indefinite article – a, an and the definite article – the.

How to use articles correctly?

Here are some general rules regarding the correct use of articles.

Use a or an when you are talking about a person or thing for the first time.

Use the in subsequent references to that person/thing.

Use a/an to mean one.

We do not normally use articles with plural or uncountable nouns when we are talking about people or things in general.

Always use an article or another determiner with a singular countable noun.

Articles worksheet

Fill in the blanks with an appropriate article.

1. I met …………………. girl in the store. (a / and / the)
2. She has ……………. son and …………….. daughter. (a / an / the)
3. I have ……………………. pet dog. (a / an / the)
4. There is …………………… man at the gate. (a / an / the)
5. Call ……………………. man waiting outside. (a / an / the)
6. They have bought …………………. car. (a / an / the)
7. I bought ………………….. laptop yesterday. (a / an / the)
8. …………………… laptop that I bought yesterday is not very expensive. (A / The / An)
9. ………………….. apple ………………. day keeps ……………….. doctor away. (a / an / the)
10. I read …………………… interesting novel yesterday. (a / an / the)
11. She has acted …………………… movie. (a / an / the)
12. This is ……………………. best gift I have ever received. (a / an / the)
13. He is ……………………. honest man. (a / an / the)
14. His wife is ………………….. European. (a / an / the)
15. My wife is ……………………. dentist. (a / an / the)
16. I always wake up early in ………………………. morning. (a / an / the)
17. It was ……………………….. cold evening in December. (a / an / the)
18. Have you fed ………………………. dog? (a / an / the)
19. I forgot to lock ………………………. door. (a / an / the)
20. I always feed ……………………… dogs before I have breakfast. (a / an/ the)
21. It was ………………………. unbelievable story. (a / an / the)
22. Who is ……………………….. girl sitting next to your mother? (a / an / the)
23. In many parts of Europe, you can’t see ……………………. sun for days. (a / an / the)
24. I am ……………………….. youngest in my family. (a / an / the)
25. We both went to …………………………. same school. (a / an / the)

Answers

1. I met a girl in the store.
2. She has a son and a daughter.
3. I have a pet dog.
4. There is a man at the gate.
5. Call the man waiting outside.
6. They have bought a car.
7. I bought a laptop yesterday.
8. The laptop that I bought yesterday is not very expensive.
9. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
10. I read an interesting novel yesterday.
11. She has acted in a movie.
12. This is the best gift I have ever received.
13. He is an honest man.
14. His wife is a European.
15. My wife is a dentist.
16. I always wake up early in the morning.
17. It was a cold evening in December.
18. Have you fed the dog?
19. I forgot to lock the door.
20. I always feed the dogs before I have breakfast.
21. It was an unbelievable story.
22. Who is the girl sitting next to your mother? (Use the to talk about a particular person or thing.)
23. In many parts of Europe, you can’t see the sun for days. (Sun is a unique object. Hence, we use the with it.)
24. I am the youngest in my family. (Use the with superlative adjectives.)
25. We both went to the same school.