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1. A-used before words that begin with consonant sounds

ex:

• A lion
• A bulldozer
• A girl
• A lawyer

2. AN-used before words that begin with vowel sounds

         

ex:

• An umbrella
• An eraser
• An eagle
• An orange

       -Also used before words that begin with silent 'h'

 ex:

• An honest person
• An hour

3.  THE-used for nouns that are only one of the kind.

ex:

• The sun 
• The universe
• The moon
• The earth

       -Also used when speaking of a person, place or thing that has already been mentioned or known

ex:

• The boy lives in Petaling Jaya
• The blue shirt is mine

        -Also used for superlatives (words with 'est' or most)

ex:

• He is the smartest of all
• That is the most expensive.

Note: Article 'An' is NOT used before these words - uniform, university (because they do not have vowel sounds). instead, article 'A' is used.