FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Use a or an before one singular countable noun, and use plural forms when you mean more than one.
Overview
Use a or an before one singular countable noun, and use plural forms when you mean more than one.
Form and rules
Use a/an only with one singular countable noun: a chair, an idea.
Choose a or an by sound, not simply by the first letter: a university /juː.../, an hour /aʊ.../.
Most plural nouns add -s. Add -es after sounds/spellings such as -s, -sh, -ch, -x, and often -o: boxes, watches.
Many nouns ending consonant + y change y to ies: city → cities.
Some common plurals are irregular: child → children, person → people, man → men, woman → women.
A closer look
Use a or an only with one singular countable noun. The choice depends on sound, not spelling: a university but an umbrella.
Most plural nouns add -s or -es, but common irregular plurals include children, people, men, women, feet, and teeth.
Examples
a book
an umbrella
a university
an hour
two children
Common mistakes
University begins with the consonant sound /j/.
Child has the irregular plural children.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.