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.