English Grammar Guide


Indefinite Articles & Plurals: a/an & -s/-es


Grammar - Articles: a/an

We use a or an with singular nouns.

We use a with singular nouns that begin with a consonant sound (b-/c-/d-/f-/g-/...).

We use an with singular nouns that begin with a vowel sound (a-/e-/i-/o-/u-).

  • a/an + SINGULAR (1) NOUN
  • a + CONSONANT (b-/c-/d-/f-/g-/...)
  • a bag
  • an + VOWEL (a-/e-/i-/o-/u-)
  • an apple

Examples - Articles: a/an

...ARTICLESINGULAR NOUN
I needabag.
You wantacat.
He hasadog.
She hasafridge.
We haveagoldfish.
I haveanapple.
You eatanegg for breakfast every day.
He wantsanice cream.
She eatsanorange every day.
I needanumbrella.

⚠ Be Careful!

  • CONSONANT LETTER with VOWEL SOUND:
  • an MP3 ("em-pee-3")
  • an hour ("ow-er")
  • LETTER U with "yu" SOUND:
  • a university ("yu-ni-ver-si-tee")
  • a U-turn ("yu-turn")

Grammar - Plurals

We usually add -s to the ends of plural nouns.

For nouns that end with consonant-y, we replace -y with -ies.

For nouns that end with -ss, -sh, -ch, -o or -x, we add -es.

  • PLURAL (2/3/4/...) NOUNS:
  • NOUN → NOUN-s
  • cat → cats
  • NOUN ending in CONSONANT-y:
  • NOUN → NOUN (- y) + -ies
  • diary → diaries
  • NOUN ending in -ss/-sh/-ch/-o/-x:
  • NOUN → NOUN-es
  • glass → glasses

Examples - Plurals: -s

...PLURAL
I likecats.
He likesdogs.
She buysoranges.
She readsbooks.

Forms - Plurals: -es

SINGULARPLURAL
partyparties
daydays
glassglasses
dishdishes
watchwatches
potatopotatoes
boxboxes

Examples - Plurals: -es

...PLURAL
They likeparties
She works5 days a week.
I need myglasses.
He washes thedishes
She sellswatches.
I likepotatoes.
We useboxes.

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See Also

01) Have Got: Forms

02) Have Got: Contractions

03) Have Got: Negatives

04) Have Got: Open Questions

05) Have Got: Closed Questions & Short Answers

06) Irregular Plurals

07) Indefinite Articles vs The Definite Article: a/an vs the

08) Proper Nouns

09) The with Only One Thing

10) The with Places and Time Phrases

11) Determiners: some/any

12) There is & There are

13) Determiners: some/any/a/an

14) How much & How many: Questions about Quantities

15) Demonstratives: this/that/these/those




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