English grammar quiz
English articles quiz: a, an, the
If your language has no articles, they’re what gives you away in English. Test yourself on 12 sentences — from a / an to the names of countries and rivers.
- 12 questions
- Level A1–B1
- Every answer explained
- No sign-up
Quiz: Articles a, an, the
Choose the right option — you’ll instantly see if you got it and why. Your score comes after the last question.
Question 1.
She’s (blank) honest person.
Choose the right option
A or an depends on the sound, not the letter. The h in honest is silent, so it starts with a vowel sound: an honest person.
Question 2.
I saw a dog in the park. (blank) dog was really huge.
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First mention: a dog. Second mention, when we know which dog: the dog.
Question 3.
He’s (blank) university student.
Choose the right option
University starts with the consonant sound [j], so a, even though the first letter is a vowel. Same with a European country, a one-way ticket.
Question 4.
(blank) sun rises in the east.
Choose the right option
Things that are unique take the: the sun, the moon, the sky, the world.
Question 5.
I love (blank) music, especially jazz.
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When we talk about something in general, uncountable and plural nouns take no article: I love music, I like cats.
Question 6.
Can you close (blank) door, please?
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Both people know which door (the one in this room), so the.
Question 7.
We had (blank) dinner at home yesterday.
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Meals usually take no article: have dinner, after lunch. Add one with an adjective: We had a lovely dinner.
Question 8.
(blank) Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
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Single mountains, lakes, cities and most countries take no article: Mount Everest, Lake Baikal, Kyiv, Ukraine. Superlatives take the: the highest.
Question 9.
They live in (blank) Netherlands.
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Plural country names and names with Republic, Kingdom or States take the: the Netherlands, the UK, the USA, the Czech Republic.
Question 10.
My son goes to (blank) school by bus.
Choose the right option
School, university, hospital and prison take no article when we mean their main purpose: he goes there to study. A parent visiting the building goes to the school.
Question 11.
What (blank) beautiful day!
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What + a singular countable noun always takes a / an: What a day! What an idea! Uncountable nouns take none: What nice weather!
Question 12.
(blank) Thames flows through London.
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Rivers, seas, oceans and mountain ranges take the: the Thames, the Dnipro, the Black Sea, the Alps.
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Take the level testEnglish articles: the rules
An article shows what we mean: any one thing, a specific thing, or things in general.
a / an: “one, any”
Only with singular countable nouns: when we mention something for the first time or say what someone is. A or an depends on the sound: an hour, but a university.
I’ve got a new phone.
first mention
She’s an engineer.
her job
the: “that one, the specific one”
When both people know what we mean: we’ve mentioned it, there’s only one, or the sentence makes it specific.
The phone I bought is great.
made specific by “I bought”
Close the window, please.
the one in this room
No article: “in general”
Plural and uncountable nouns in general, names, most cities and countries, meals, languages and sports.
Cats are clever.
all cats in general
We play football after school.
sports: no article
Place names
The: rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges, plural country names and names with Republic / Kingdom / States. No article: single mountains, lakes, cities and most countries.
the Dnipro, the Alps, the USA
a river, a mountain range, a “States” name
Lviv, Mount Everest, Poland
a city, a single mountain, a country
Typical mistakes
Things learners of English often say. On the left — what to avoid, on the right — the correct version.
Not this:
I am student.This: I am a student.
Saying what someone is: a / an.
Not this:
I love the music.This: I love music.
Music in general: no article.
Not this:
a hour, an universityThis: an hour, a university
The sound matters, not the letter.
Not this:
I live in the Ukraine.This: I live in Ukraine.
Ukraine takes no article, like most countries.
FAQ
Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.
When do I use a and when an?
Look at the first sound of the next word, not the letter. A vowel sound takes an: an apple, an hour (silent h), an MBA. A consonant sound takes a: a cat, a university [juː], a European country.
Why Ukraine and not the Ukraine?
Most countries take no article: Ukraine, Poland, France. “The Ukraine” is outdated: it sounds like the name of a region rather than a state, so since independence the correct form is Ukraine. The stays with Republic, Kingdom, States and plural names: the UK, the USA, the Netherlands.
Do languages and school subjects need an article?
No: I speak English, She studies maths. But if the word language follows, use the: the English language.
How can I learn articles if my language has none?
Learn whole phrases with their articles, not single words: go to school, at the weekend, play the guitar, have breakfast. And read more: you get used to articles through real examples.
More grammar quizzes
- A1
There is / there are
There is or there are: singular, plural, questions and the past.
- A1–A2
Present Simple vs Present Continuous
I work or I’m working: habits and facts vs what’s happening right now.
- A1–A2
Much, many, a lot of
Much or many, a few or a little: countable and uncountable nouns.
- A1–A2
Prepositions in, on, at
In May, on Monday, at 5 o’clock: prepositions of time and place.
- A1–A2
Comparatives and superlatives
Bigger, the biggest, more interesting: rules and exceptions.
- A1–A2
Question forms
Do / does / did, word order, subject questions and question tags.
- A2–B1
Present Perfect vs Past Simple
I have seen or I saw: experience and results vs the finished past.
- A2–B1
Will vs going to
A decision now or an earlier plan: the future with will and going to.
- A2–B2
Modal verbs
Can, must, should, might: obligation, advice, possibility, deduction.
- A2–B1
Present tenses
All four: Present Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous in one quiz.
- A2–B2
Past tenses
Past Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous: what happened, what was going on, what came first.
- A2–B2
Future tenses
Will, going to, Present Continuous, Future Continuous and Future Perfect: how to talk about the future.
- A2–B2
Passive voice
Be + past participle in every tense: is made, was built, has been sold.
- B1–B2
Gerund or infinitive
Enjoy doing, want to do, stop doing or stop to do.
- B1–B2
Conditionals
Zero, first, second, third and mixed: if I have, if I had, if I had had.
- B1–B2
I wish and if only
I wish I knew, I wish I had known, I wish you would stop.
- B1–B2
Reported speech
She said she was tired: tense changes, said or told, questions.
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