English Language Arts
Grade 3
15 min
Use the correct article: a or an
Use the correct article: a or an
What you'll learn
- Identify the correct dictionary definition for a given word in a sentence with at least 80% accuracy.
- Explain how multiple meanings of a word can change the meaning of a sentence, providing at least two different interpretations.
- Apply dictionary definitions to determine the meaning of 3 unfamiliar words encountered in a short paragraph.
- Choose the most appropriate definition from a dictionary entry to correctly use a word in a new sentence, demonstrating understanding of context.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and consonants in the alphabet.
State the rule for using the article 'a' before words that start with a consonant sound.
State the rule for using the article 'an' before words that start with a vowel sound.
Choose the correct article ('a' or 'an') to use before a given noun or adjective.
By the end of of this lesson, students will be able to write complete sentences using 'a' and 'an' correctly.
Explain that the choice between 'a' and 'an' depends on the sound, not just the letter, a word starts with.
Would you rather eat __ orange or __ banana? 🍊🍌 Let's learn which little word to use to make our sentences sound just right!
Today, we...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
ArticleA small word that comes before a noun to tell us if we are talking about one general thing.In the sentence 'I see a dog,' the word 'a' is the article.
NounA word for a person, place, or thing.Examples of nouns are 'teacher', 'school', and 'pencil'.
VowelThe special letters in the alphabet that are a, e, i, o, and u.The word 'apple' starts with the vowel 'a'.
ConsonantAny letter in the alphabet that is not a vowel.The word 'ball' starts with the consonant 'b'.
Vowel SoundThe sound that a vowel letter makes at the beginning of a word.The word 'egg' starts with an 'eh' sound, which is a vowel sound.
Consonant SoundThe sound that a consonant letter makes a...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The 'A' Rule
Use 'a' before a word that starts with a consonant sound.
If the very next word after the article begins with a sound like 'b', 'c', 'd', 'f', etc., you should use the article 'a'.
The 'An' Rule
Use 'an' before a word that starts with a vowel sound.
If the very next word after the article begins with a sound like 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', or 'u', you should use the article 'an'.
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Challenging
Fill in the blanks in order: My grandpa is ___ old man who lives in ___ yellow house. He has ___ amazing garden.
A.a, a, an
B.an, an, a
C.a, an, a
D.an, a, an
Challenging
Which of these sentences has a mistake in how it uses 'a' or 'an'?
A.It is an huge building.
B.She is a university student.
C.He is an honest, kind person.
D.I have an uncle from Italy.
Challenging
The sentence below has a mistake. 'My brother wants to be an hero like the ones in his comic books.' How should you fix it?
A.Change 'brother' to 'brothers'.
B.Change 'wants' to 'want'.
C.Change 'an hero' to 'a hero'.
D.Change 'books' to 'book'.
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What grade level is "Use the correct article: a or an"?
Use the correct article: a or an is a Grade 3 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Use the correct article: a or an?
You'll be able to: Identify the correct dictionary definition for a given word in a sentence with at least 80% accuracy; Explain how multiple meanings of a word can change the meaning of a sentence, providing at least two different….
Is "Use the correct article: a or an" free to practice?
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How many practice questions are included with Use the correct article: a or an?
This lesson includes 27 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.