English Unite - Grammar Worksheets - Articles - Free Printable

Let's solve this Articles Test step by step and explain the rules used.

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Part 1: Put the words in the correct columns: "A" or "An"

We use:
- "a" before words that start with a consonant sound.
- "an" before words that start with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).

> Note: It’s about sound, not spelling. For example, "hour" starts with a silent 'h', so it sounds like "our" → vowel sound → "an".

#### Words to sort:
apricot, apple, book, cat, chair, city, country, doctor, eagle, family, flower, hour, house, honest, idea, mother, movie, phone, tree, umbrella

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#### ✔ Column A (consonant sound):
- book (b)
- cat (k)
- chair (ch)
- city (s)
- country (c)
- doctor (d)
- eagle (e = /eɪ/, but starts with consonant sound 'e' as in "ay"? Actually, "eagle" starts with /ˈeɪɡl/ — "e" is pronounced as a vowel sound? Wait: Let's be careful.)

Wait! The rule is based on the first sound, not the letter.

Let’s go one by one:

| Word | First Sound | Rule | Article |
|------------|-------------|------|--------|
| apricot | /ˈæprɪkɒt/ → a sound | Vowel sound | an |
| apple | /ˈæpl/ → a sound | Vowel sound | an |
| book | /bʊk/ → b | Consonant | a |
| cat | /kæt/ → k | Consonant | a |
| chair | /tʃeər/ → ch (sh-like) | Consonant | a |
| city | /ˈsɪti/ → s | Consonant | a |
| country | /ˈkʌntri/ → k | Consonant | a |
| doctor | /ˈdɒktər/ → d | Consonant | a |
| eagle | /ˈeɪɡl/ → e (vowel sound) | Vowel | an |
| family | /ˈfæməli/ → f | Consonant | a |
| flower | /ˈflaʊər/ → f | Consonant | a |
| hour | /ˈaʊər/ → o sound (silent h) | Vowel | an |
| house | /haʊs/ → h | Consonant | a |
| honest | /ˈɒnɪst/ → o sound (silent h) | Vowel | an |
| idea | /aɪˈdɪə/ → i sound | Vowel | an |
| mother | /ˈmʌðər/ → m | Consonant | a |
| movie | /ˈmuːvi/ → m | Consonant | a |
| phone | /foʊn/ → f | Consonant | a |
| tree | /triː/ → t | Consonant | a |
| umbrella | /ʌmˈbrelə/ → u sound | Vowel | an |

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#### ✔ Final Answer – Column Sorting:

A
- book
- cat
- chair
- city
- country
- doctor
- family
- flower
- house
- mother
- movie
- phone
- tree

An
- apricot
- apple
- eagle
- hour
- honest
- idea
- umbrella

> Note: Even though "apple" starts with an "a", it's pronounced with a vowel sound (/æ/), so we use an.

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Part 2: Fill the gaps with “a” or “an”

Use "a" before consonant sounds, "an" before vowel sounds.

1. He got a job as a teacher.
→ "teacher" starts with t → consonant → a

2. Jack is a good student.
→ "good" starts with g → consonant → a

3. Patty is reading an English book.
→ "English" starts with E → vowel sound → an

4. The singer has a beautiful voice.
→ "beautiful" starts with b → consonant → a

5. I have a toothache.
→ "toothache" starts with t → consonant → a

6. She ate an apple and a banana for lunch.
→ "apple" starts with a → vowel sound → an
→ "banana" starts with b → consonant → a

7. You should take an umbrella.
→ "umbrella" starts with u → vowel sound → an

8. They play baseball twice a week.
→ "a week" is fixed expression → a

9. Would you like a cup of tea?
→ "cup" starts with c → consonant → a

10. Mark has a great memory.
→ "great" starts with g → consonant → a

11. My mother bought herself a new computer.
→ "new" starts with n → consonant → a

12. He wants a puppy for his birthday.
→ "puppy" starts with p → consonant → a

13. Mary thinks English is an easy language to learn.
→ "easy" starts with e → vowel sound → an

14. They are looking for a new game to play on weekends.
→ "new" starts with n → consonant → a

15. Jack and James saw an elephant and a zebra when they visited the zoo.
→ "elephant" starts with e → vowel sound → an
→ "zebra" starts with z → consonant → a

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✔ Part 2 Answers:

1. a
2. a
3. an
4. a
5. a
6. an, a
7. an
8. a
9. a
10. a
11. a
12. a
13. an
14. a
15. an, a

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Part 3: Fill in the blanks with “the” or no article (“Ø”)

Rules:
- Use "the" for specific things, unique items, or previously mentioned nouns.
- Use no article ("Ø") for general things, plural countable nouns, uncountable nouns in general, or common expressions.

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1. He is the best student in our class.
→ Superlative: always use the

2. He studied the life of worms.
→ "life" here refers to a specific concept — the life cycle or nature of worms → the

3. I need a new pair of Ø shoes. The ones I have are broken.
→ General category: "shoes" → no article
→ Specific ones: "the ones I have" → the

4. The banana I ate this morning was green.
→ Specific banana → the

5. He went to Ø school by Ø bike.
→ "go to school" is a fixed expression → no article
→ "by bike" is also a fixed expression → no article

6. The girl who is sitting in the front row is my sister.
→ Specific girl → the
→ "front row" is specific → the

7. Can you pass me the salt, please?
→ Refers to a specific item (on the table) → the

8. They live in the USA, but they were born in Ø China.
→ Countries: "USA" requires the (because of abbreviation)
→ "China" does not require the (most countries don't)

9. The Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
→ "Mount Everest" is a specific name → the (but note: some people omit "the" before mountain names; however, "Mount Everest" is usually without "the", but here it says "the Mount Everest" — actually, it's incorrect to say "the Mount Everest". But in many tests, they accept it due to grammar pattern.
→ However, correct usage: "Mount Everest" → no article
→ But since the sentence says "the Mount Everest", let’s follow test logic:
- "the highest mountain" → superlative → the
- "in the world" → the
- So: the Mount Everest → although not ideal, often accepted in tests

> Actually, standard rule: Do not use "the" before mountain names unless it's part of the official name (like "the Andes")
> So: Mount Everest → no article
> But if the sentence says "the Mount Everest", it's grammatically incorrect.

However, in this test context, likely intended answer is:

→ the Mount Everest (even though it's debatable)
→ the highest mountain
→ the world

But better:
→ Mount Everest → no article
→ the highest mountain
→ the world

So: Ø Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

But the blank is before "Mount Everest" → so Ø

→ Correct: Ø Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

But the test says: “______ Mount Everest” → so fill with Ø or the?

Since "Mount Everest" is a proper noun and doesn’t take "the", we use Ø

So: Ø Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

10. Jack plays the piano in Ø evenings.
→ "Jack" → proper noun → no article
→ "piano" → musical instrument → use the
→ "in evenings" → general time → no article
→ But: "in the evenings" is common → the
→ Actually: "in the evenings" means regularly at night → the

So: Jack plays the piano in the evenings.

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✔ Part 3 Answers:

1. the
2. the
3. Ø, the
4. the
5. Ø, Ø
6. the, the
7. the
8. the, Ø
9. Ø, the, the
10. Ø, the, the

> Note: In #9, "Mount Everest" does not take "the", so Ø
> In #10, "in the evenings" → the

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✔ Final Answers Summary

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#### Part 1: Sort Words

A:
book, cat, chair, city, country, doctor, family, flower, house, mother, movie, phone, tree

An:
apricot, apple, eagle, hour, honest, idea, umbrella

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#### Part 2: a / an

1. a
2. a
3. an
4. a
5. a
6. an, a
7. an
8. a
9. a
10. a
11. a
12. a
13. an
14. a
15. an, a

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#### Part 3: the / Ø

1. the
2. the
3. Ø, the
4. the
5. Ø, Ø
6. the, the
7. the
8. the, Ø
9. Ø, the, the
10. Ø, the, the

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✔ This completes the Articles Test with full explanations. Let me know if you'd like a printable version or quiz format!