Indefinite Articles – ‘a’, ‘an’

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English grammar for everyone… Indefinite Articles – ‘a’, ‘an’…

The indefinite articles (‘a’, ‘an’) are used when we talk about people in a general or indefinite way. English grammar

* The article system in English consists of the indefinite article ‘a’ or ‘an’ and definite article ‘The’.

* We can think of nouns in a specific or general way. When we fefer to particular people or things or something that has already been mentioned or can be understood, we use the definite article ‘the’. 

* When we refer to singular nouns for the first time, or fefer to things in a general way, we use the indefinite article ‘a’ pr ‘an’.

* The article ‘a’ is used before the words which begin with consonant sounds and ‘an is used before the words beginning with vowel sounds. 

* However, some words starts with a vowel letter but begin with a consonant sound. So we use the article ‘a’ before these words:English grammar

• example:- 
• He is teaching at a university.                       
• He is a European.
• This is a unique idea.
• This is a one-parent family.   etc

* We use an before words which begin with a vowel sound:
example:-

• He is an indian.
• The girl bought an orange.
• He had an umbrella in his hand.

* Some words begin with a silent h. So we use an before them:
example:- 

• I met him an hour ago.
• He is an honest man.
• an hour.
• an hair, an heiress, an honour, an honorarium, an honest man, an honourable man, an hourly report, an honorary nob, an heirloom etc.

* We use ‘a’ or ‘an’ before singular countable nouns: 
examples:-English grammar

• Kolkata is a big city.
• The dog is an animal.

* We use ‘a’ or ‘an’ bofore the names of occupations and professions: 
examples:- 

• He is a pilot.
• His father is an engineer.

* When we use ‘a’ before ‘little’ and ‘fwe’, there is a change in the meanings of these words. 
* ‘A few’ is used with plural countable nouns, and ‘a little’ with uncountable nouns. ‘Few’, ‘little’ means some:

examples:- 

• There is a little milk in the bottle.
• Few people visit this temple now.
• I know a few students of this school.
• There is little water in the bucket.

* We use ‘a’, ‘an’ before an adjective in a noun phrase:
example:- 

• She told me an interesting story.
• He is a good boy.

* We use ‘an’ with abbreviations beginning with the following letters:
A, E, F, H, I, L, M, N, O, R, S, X (They should have vowel sounds).
for example:

• He is an N.R.I.
• His father is an M.P.
• She got an X-Ray done.

* We use the indefinite article before certain nouns considered as a single unit: English grammar
examples:-

• The old lady had a cup and saucer in her hand.
• She nought a knife and fork.