There are three articles in English – a, an, the. These three words are noun markers. The words a, an, and the are always followed by a common noun. If you are looking to find a noun in a sentence, look for the word following a, an, or the.
The word a is used with nouns that begin with a consonant. The word an is used with nouns that begin with a vowel.
I see a bug.
John ate an apple.
The word the is a definite article. It points out an exact noun. Use the with all common nouns.
I read the book you recommended.
Sam took the bus to school today.
The articles – a, an, the – are noun markers. If you see a, an, or the, you know that the following word is a noun. A common noun always comes after a, an, or the in a sentence.
▶It’s your turn. Find two nouns in this sentence by looking for the articles that come before the nouns. Dad gave a treat to the dog. Did you find the articles and the nouns? Good for you!