Choose the most appropriate article to fill in the blank:
Is there ______ ATM near the bus stand? I need some cash.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → an
Complete sentence: Is there an ATM near the bus stand? I need some cash. “ATM” is read letter by letter: A-T-M. The letter A is said “ay”, which is a vowel sound.
| Option | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a | before a consonant sound | Is there a bank near your office? |
| (2) the | a particular thing already known; “Is there” asks about any one, so it needs “a” or “an” | The ATM outside our society is out of cash again. |
| (3) an (answer) | one thing, before a vowel sound | Sunil works as an engineer in Chennai. |
| (4) No article | plural or uncountable nouns used in a general sense; “ATM” here is a singular noun that can be counted, so it needs an article | Cash is still useful in small shops. |