Ampersand Lab

Foundation grammar · Lesson 65 · A1

a/an ...

Use a or an for one thing or one person. Use an before a vowel sound, and use a or an to say what something is and what somebody does for a living.

Start the lesson

15Steps · about 29 minutes

In this lesson

a = oneA4 screens of questions
an before a vowel soundB1 screen of questions
Saying what something is, and what people doC5 screens of questions

Point A of 3

a = one

A man has a bag over his shoulder: he has got a bag. A woman is standing by the road with her arm up: she is waiting for a bus. The sun is out and the sky is blue: it is a lovely day.

a means one thing or one person. With a singular noun such as bank, car or question, English needs a in front of it. It cannot stand alone.

  • My sister works in a shop. (not in shop)
  • Can I make a suggestion? (not make suggestion)
  • We haven't got a garden.
  • There's a man outside the door.

Point A · Exercise 65.1 · part 1 of 2

Write a or an.

  1. Example

    an empty box

    Answeran empty box

  2. door

  3. house

  4. orange

  5. big orange

Point A · Exercise 65.1 · part 2 of 2

Write a or an.

  1. umbrella

  2. uniform

  3. honest answer

  4. easy question

Point A · Exercise 65.4 · part 1 of 2

Finish each sentence with a word from the box. Use a or an.

Use these

engineerforeign languagehorsehospitalold farmhousequestiontiewedding

  1. Example

    Can I ask you ... ?

    Can I ask you a question?

    AnswerCan I ask you a question?

  2. My mum works in ...

  3. Dan never wears ...

  4. Zara would like to learn ...

  5. I can't ride ...

Point A · Exercise 65.4 · part 2 of 2

Finish each sentence with a word from the box. Use a or an.

Use these

engineerforeign languagehorsehospitalold farmhousequestiontiewedding

  1. Our neighbours live in ...

  2. My cousin is ...

  3. On Saturday we're going to ...

Point B of 3

an before a vowel sound

Use an, not a, before a, e, i, o, u.

What matters is the sound, not the letter. The h in hour is silent, so it is an hour. University and European begin with a y sound, so they take a.

another (an + other) is written as one word.

  • Would you like an orange or a pear?
  • I need a towel and an umbrella.
  • We watched an old film on the telly.
  • The train was an hour late.
  • My brother goes to a university in Scotland.
  • Is Norway a European country?
  • Could I have another biscuit?

Point B · Extra practice

Put in a or an. Listen to the first sound of the next word.

  1. We waited for hour at the bus stop.

  2. Kofi is university student.

  3. Would you like apple?

Point C of 3

Saying what something is, and what people do

Use a/an to say what a thing or a person is.

Use a/an for jobs as well. A woman in a white coat leans over a patient and says, "I'm a dentist." She does not say I'm dentist.

  • The robin is a bird.
  • Snooker is a game.
  • Leeds is a city in Yorkshire.
  • An ant is an insect. It's a very small insect.
  • My gran is a very kind woman.
  • "What's your job?" "I'm a nurse."
  • "What does Jamie do?" "He's an electrician."
  • Would you like to be a vet?
  • Elgar was a composer.
  • Turner was a famous painter.
  • Is your brother a student?

Point C · Exercise 65.2 · part 1 of 3

What are these things? Choose from the box. Use a or an.

Use these

birdflowerfruitgamemountainmusical instrumentplanetrivertoolvegetable

  1. Example

    A robin is a bird.

    AnswerA robin is a bird.

  2. A parsnip is .

  3. Chess is .

  4. A spanner is .

  5. Ben Nevis is .

Point C · Exercise 65.2 · part 2 of 3

What are these things? Choose from the box. Use a or an.

Use these

birdflowerfruitgamemountainmusical instrumentplanetrivertoolvegetable

  1. Mars is .

  2. A plum is .

  3. The Thames is .

  4. A daisy is .

Point C · Exercise 65.2 · part 3 of 3

What are these things? Choose from the box. Use a or an.

Use these

birdflowerfruitgamemountainmusical instrumentplanetrivertoolvegetable

  1. A violin is .

Point C · Exercise 65.3 · part 1 of 2

What are their jobs? Choose from the box and finish the sentences. The last one is about you.

Use these

electricianhairdressernursephotographerplumbertaxi driverwaiter

  1. Example

    A woman is cutting a man's hair in a salon.

    She's a hairdresser.

    AnswerShe's a hairdresser.

  2. A man in a cafe is carrying two plates of food to a table.

    He's .

  3. A woman with a large camera is taking pictures of a bride and groom.

    She .

  4. A man is driving a black cab with a passenger in the back.

    .

  5. A man is fixing the wires in a fuse box.

    .

Point C · Exercise 65.3 · part 2 of 2

What are their jobs? Choose from the box and finish the sentences. The last one is about you.

Use these

electricianhairdressernursephotographerplumbertaxi driverwaiter

  1. A woman in a uniform is taking a patient's temperature in a hospital ward.

    .

  2. A man is lying under a kitchen sink with a wrench, and water is dripping on his face.

    .

  3. And you? I'm .

Lesson 65 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: train(s), bus(es) (singular and plural)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. a = one–Not checkedB. an before a vowel sound–Not checkedC. Saying what something is, and what people do–Not checked