Articles & nouns · CEFR A1
“I am teacher” or “I am a teacher”? Articles with jobs
Incorrect
I am teacher
Correct
I am a teacher
Use a or an before a singular job: “I’m a teacher”, “She’s an engineer.” Leaving out the article (“I am teacher”) is incorrect in English.
The rule
Singular job: a/an + job. Use an before a vowel sound: an architect, an engineer.
Plural jobs: no article: “They are nurses.”
Unique roles can drop the article: “She was elected president”, “He is head of sales.”
Examples
✗ I am doctor.
✓ I am a doctor.
✗ She is engineer.
✓ She is an engineer.
✗ My father is a policemen.
✓ My father is a policeman.
Why learners make this mistake
Spanish (soy profesor), Portuguese (sou professor), French (je suis professeur), Italian and many Slavic and Asian languages don’t use an article here.
Remember
One person, one job: A or AN.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need an article with “I work as…”?
- Yes: “I work as a translator.”
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