Articles are words like "a," "an," and "the" that come before nouns. They specify whether the noun is singular or plural, and whether it is definite or indefinite.
* Indefinite articles ("a" and "an") are used when the noun is not specific. For example, "I saw a bird." This could be any bird.
* Definite articles ("the") are used when the noun is specific. For example, "I saw the bird." This refers to a particular bird that has already been mentioned or is understood.
"An" is used before words that start with a vowel sound (e.g., an apple, an hour).