A or An – Interactive Practice Exercises

Build confidence using the articles a and an with these interactive practice exercises. The activities below will help you understand when to use a and an, and give you the opportunity to practice through multiple-choice quizzes, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and other interactive activities.

These exercises can be completed independently by learners, or teachers can use the Fullscreen button to display the activities on a classroom screen for whole-class practice and discussion.

Exercise 1: Vowel Sound or Consonant Sound

We use a before consonant sounds and an before vowel sounds. Remember, it is the sound that matters, not the letter.

For example, the letter h is a consonant, but in the word hour the h is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound. This is why we say an hour. On the other hand, the letter u is a vowel, but in the word university it is pronounced with a y sound (yoo-ni-ver-si-ty), which is a consonant sound. This is why we say a university.

In this first exercise, listen to each word and decide whether it begins with a vowel sound or a consonant sound.

Exercise 2: Choose A or An

Now that you can identify vowel and consonant sounds, it’s time to apply the rule. Choose a or an to complete each sentence. Remember, it is the sound at the beginning of the next word that matters, not the first letter.

Exercise 3: Type A or An to Fill in the Blank

In this exercise, type a or an to complete each sentence.

Exercise 4: Uncramble the Sentence

Click the words below in order to make an accurate sentence with a or an.

More Ways to Practice A and An

After completing these exercises, students can practice further with our free Articles A, An, The worksheets.