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Beginning English - Lesson 2 - School
This page: The difference between "an" and "an," how to form plurals, and telling time.
Pages in this lesson: Vocabulary - Grammar - Listening - Dialogue - Reading - Pronunciation - Dictation - Game

 

a vs. an

Video

Watch the "The English Minute" video below to learn how to use the articles "a" and "an" in English. The English Minute (www.theenglishminute.com) is website designed for mobile phones that has short English lessons with videos.

The words "a" and "an" are articles to indicate one thing. We use "a" when the word starts with a consonant.

a book    a man    a game

We use "an" when the word starts with a vowel.

an apple    an orange    an eraser

Exceptions
There are words that start with a consonant but the first SOUND is a vowel sound.

an hour (We don't pronounce the "h" in this word.)

There are also words that start with a vowel but the first SOUND is a consonant sound.

a university (We pronounce this word as if it started with the letter "y," a consonant sound.)

Practice
Select the correct article.

1. bank   

2. hospital   

3. elephant   

4. desk   

5. school   

6. umbrella   

7. city   

8. beach   

9. island   

10. order   

11. house   

12. antenna   

13. computer   

14. university *    

15. hour *    

* Exceptions - See explanation above.

 

Plurals in English

Video

Watch the "The English Minute" video below to learn how form the plural in English.

Usually we add an S to a word to make it plural.

book - books

If a word ends with an S, CH, SH, or X, we add "es." With some (but not all) words that end with O, we also add "es" to form the plural.

class - classes

If a word ends with a consonant and then the Y, we change the Y to an I and then add ES. (If the word ends with a vowel and then Y, it doesn't change.)

city - cities 

key - keys

Some (but not all) words that end with F or FE, change to VES in the plural.

leaf - leaves

wife - wives

Irregulars - There are some words that change in the plural. They are irregular.

man - men

woman - women

child - children

tooth - teeth

foot - feet

Practice
Change the word to plural. 

example:
paper 

1)  pen

2)  island

3)  glass

4)  watch

5)  bicycle

6)  wish

7)  knife

8)  tax

9) tooth

10) child

11) tray

12) country

 

Time in English

What time is it? 

1:00 - It's one o'clock.
3:05 - It's three oh five.
2:10 - It's two ten.
6:30 - It's six thirty.
8:45 - It's eight forty-five.

Video

Watch the "The English Minute" videos below to learn how to say the time in English.

 

Practice
Write the time.

example:
5:20 

3:00

7:00

9:00

6:10

8:20

10:25

7:05

4:08

11:30

3:35

3:55

2:45

9:15

12:23

2:38

 

More ways to write the time:

quarter = 15 minutes (a quarter of an hour)
to = minutes until the next hour
after = minutes after the previous hour
half = 30 minutes

1:15 - It's a quarter after one.
   (It's one fifteen.)
2:30 - It's half past two.
   (It's two thirty.)
3:45 - It's a quarter to four.
   (It's three forty-five.)
4:20 - It's twenty after four. 
   (It's four twenty.)
5:40 - It's twenty to six.
   (It's five forty.)

12:00 PM - It's noon.
   (twelve o'clock in the afternoon)
12:00 AM - It's midnight.
   (twelve o'clock at night) 

Practice
Write the time in another way.

example: 
4:15  It's four fifteen.

1)   3:05 - It's three oh five.

2)   7:15 - It's seven fifteen.

3)  10:45 - It's ten forty-five.

4)   2:20 - It's two twenty.

5)  10:40 - It's ten forty.

6)  8:30 - It's eight thirty.

7)   6:10 - It's six ten.

8)   1:50 - It's one fifty.

9)   9:06 - It's nine oh six.

10)  8:15 - It's eight fifteen.

11)  5:25 - It's five twenty-five.

12)  2:45 - It's two forty-five.

13)  7:55 - It's seven fifty-five.

14) 12:00 PM - It's twelve o'clock PM.

15) 12:00 AM - It's twelve o'clock AM.

 

Find the Mistake

Instructions
Find the errors in the sentences. Write the sentences correctly.

example
He are a student. - He is a student. 

1. I has two pens.

2. They have an umbrellas.

3. Paris and Rome are citys.

4. Five mens are in the house.

5. Eigth books are on the desk.

 

Writing

Write a list of things in the room where you are (to practice with the articles, numbers, and plurals). You can write on piece of paper or in the comments section below.

examples
a pencil, an eraser, two books, etc.

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Beginning English - Lesson 2 - School
Vocabulary - Grammar - Listening - Dialogue - Reading - Pronunciation - Dictation - Game

 

 

 

 

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