The words a, an and the are called articles, and they come before nouns. Use a before a word that starts with a consonant sound, as in a dog or a table, and use an before a word that starts with a vowel sound, as in an apple or an egg. This worksheet gives ten phrases with a blank, and the child circles a or an. Some phrases start with a describing word first, such as a red balloon or an old shoe, so the child has to listen to the sound of the very next word, not to the noun.
Ask your child to say each phrase aloud both ways. An egg flows from the voice naturally, while a egg does not. A few words, such as hour, start with a silent letter, but this sheet uses plain cases.
What your child will learn
Use a before a consonant sound
Use an before a vowel sound
Look at the very next word, not the noun
Common Core standard: L.2.1
Worked example
an apple, because apple starts with a vowel sound. a dog, because dog starts with a consonant sound.
Common mistake
Looking at the noun instead of the next word (an red apple is wrong; a red apple is right).
Helpful hint
Say it aloud. Use an before a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u). Use a before the others.