Defining Words: What Are Indefinite Articles (a and an) Quiz?

  • 1st Grade
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| Attempts: 11 | Questions: 20 | Updated: Jan 6, 2026
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1. What are the words "a" and "an" called in English grammar?

Explanation

A and an are called indefinite articles because they talk about a non-specific person, place, or thing.

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About This Quiz
Defining Words: What Are Indefinite Articles (A And An) Quiz? - Quiz

Indefinite articles play a small but important role in sentence clarity. In this indefinite articles quiz, you’ll learn how a and an are used to introduce non-specific nouns. You’ll explore the basic rules behind their usage, understand why sound matters more than spelling, and practice identifying correct forms in simple... see moresentences. Each question builds a strong foundation for using indefinite articles accurately in everyday writing.
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2. When do we usually use "a" before a noun?

Explanation

We use a before a consonant sound, like a dog or a pencil.

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3. When do we usually use "an" before a noun?

Explanation

We use an before a vowel sound, like an apple or an egg.

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4. We use "a" or "an" when we talk about one thing, not many things.

Explanation

Indefinite articles show that we are talking about one, non-specific person or thing.

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5. We use "a" and "an" with plural nouns, like "a cats" or "an apples."

Explanation

A and an are only used with singular nouns, like a cat or an apple.

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6. Which nouns normally use "a" in front of them?

Explanation

Cat, book, and pencil start with consonant sounds, so they use a.

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7. Which nouns normally use "an" in front of them?

Explanation

Apple, egg, octopus, and igloo start with vowel sounds, so they use an.

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8. Choose the correct article: She has ___ dog.

Explanation

Dog begins with a consonant sound d, so we use a.

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9. Choose the correct article: I ate ___ apple for lunch.

Explanation

Apple begins with a vowel sound a, so we use an.

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10. Choose the best sentence.

Explanation

Pencil begins with a consonant sound p, so we use a pencil.

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11. Choose the best sentence.

Explanation

Egg begins with a vowel sound e, so we use an egg.

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12. We choose "a" or "an" based on the sound at the start of the next word, not just the first letter.

Explanation

It is the starting sound that matters, such as a unicorn (y sound) but an umbrella (u vowel sound).

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13. Which words use "a" because they start with a consonant sound?

Explanation

Unicorn, user, and university start with a y sound, so they use a, not an.

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14. Which words use "an" because they start with a vowel sound?

Explanation

Hour, honest, and umbrella begin with vowel sounds, so they use an.

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15. Choose the correct article: We waited for ___ hour.

Explanation

Hour starts with a silent h, so the first sound is a vowel sound, and we use an.

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16. Choose the correct article: She saw ___ unicorn in the storybook.

Explanation

Unicorn starts with a y sound (you-nicorn), so we use a, not an.

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17. Which sentence best explains how we use "a" and "an"?

Explanation

A and an come before singular nouns when we are not talking about a specific one.

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18. We normally use "a" or "an" with uncountable nouns like water or rice.

Explanation

We usually do not use a or an with uncountable nouns; we say some water or a bottle of water instead.

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19. Choose the correct sentence.

Explanation

Ice cream begins with a vowel sound i, so an ice cream is correct here.

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20. We use ___ before words that start with a consonant sound and "an" before words that start with a vowel sound.

Explanation

A comes before a consonant sound, and an comes before a vowel sound.

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What are the words "a" and "an" called in English grammar?
When do we usually use "a" before a noun?
When do we usually use "an" before a noun?
We use "a" or "an" when we talk about one thing, not many things.
We use "a" and "an" with plural nouns, like "a cats" or "an apples."
Which nouns normally use "a" in front of them?
Which nouns normally use "an" in front of them?
Choose the correct article: She has ___ dog.
Choose the correct article: I ate ___ apple for lunch.
Choose the best sentence.
Choose the best sentence.
We choose "a" or "an" based on the sound at the start of the next...
Which words use "a" because they start with a consonant sound?
Which words use "an" because they start with a vowel sound?
Choose the correct article: We waited for ___ hour.
Choose the correct article: She saw ___ unicorn in the storybook.
Which sentence best explains how we use "a" and "an"?
We normally use "a" or "an" with uncountable nouns like water or rice.
Choose the correct sentence.
We use ___ before words that start with a consonant sound and "an"...
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