1st grade articles (a, an, the) worksheets
A, an, and the are the little words that introduce nouns. First graders learn the sound rule in its simplest form: a before a consonant sound (a dog), an before a vowel sound (an egg).
Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.1.1.h.
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The kind of sentences you'll get
Circle the letter of the article that fits the sentence.
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Dan got shell.
a · an
Answer: a
- He ate ice pop. a · an
- Ants live in anthill. a · an
Every print pulls a fresh set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Choose the word. Circle the letter of the article that fits the sentence. 10 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Say both versions aloud and let the awkward one lose: "a apple" makes the mouth stumble, "an apple" glides. First graders pick the right article by ear long before they can explain it. Keep the choices to clear cases; the tricky ones (an hour) can wait.
Watch for: It's the sound that decides, not the letter. We say an hour because hour starts with a vowel sound (like our), and a unicorn because unicorn starts with a y-sound. The works for anything specific, but a and an only go with one of something you could count.
Common questions about articles (a, an, the)
- How do I explain a versus an to a 1st grader?
- Through the mouth, not a rule. Have your child say "a apple" and "an apple" and pick the one that feels smooth. The ear almost always chooses right, and the formal rule (vowel sounds take an) can be named later once the habit exists.
- Should my 1st grader worry about words like hour or unicorn?
- Not yet. Those hinge on sounds that disagree with spellings, which is a 2nd and 3rd grade refinement. First grade is for cementing the easy majority: a ball, an ant, a sock, an igloo.
Related worksheets
- 2nd grade articles (a, an, the) A step harder, same skill
- 3rd grade articles (a, an, the) A step harder, same skill
- 1st grade action verbs Same grade, nearby skill
- 1st grade common and proper nouns Same grade, nearby skill
- 1st grade coordinating conjunctions Same grade, nearby skill
- Articles (a, an, the), all grades The full progression
- All 1st grade English worksheets Every skill at this level
- All 1st grade worksheets Everything at this level
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Aligned to Common Core L.1.1.h. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 137, updated August 2026.
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