INDEFINITE ARTICLES 'A' AND AN
A. 'A/an' is used before singular countable nouns and exclamations containing singular countable nouns.
Examples:
A dog, a plant, an elephant, an airplane, etc.
B. Before a vowel, 'an' is used instead of 'a'.
Examples:
An elephant, an umbrella, an idea, an ox, an alligator.
C. 'A' is used before vowels which have a consonant sound.
Examples:
A university, a one-man army.
👉REMEMBER:
The vowel 'u' has two sounds - Europe, Union (sounds like 'yoo").
In this case 'a' will be the preceding article- a European girl, a union leader.
The second sound is - Usher, Umbrella (sounds like 'uh').
In this case 'an' will precede the noun-an usher, an umbrella.
D. 'An' is used before consonants which have a vowel sound.
Examples:
- An hour, an MP, an honest man.
E. 'A/an' can be used in several cases.
1. One thing or person
Examples:
- A car was parked near my house.
- My sister's husband is a doctor.
- I lived in an old house.
2. One unit/member of a particular class
Examples:
- A doctor cures people.
- Show me an old house.
- A car can be used for various purposes.
3. Defining and classifying
Examples:
- I am a teacher.
- She will soon become a mother.
- A cube has six sides..
- You cannot have an elephant as your pet.
4. In descriptions
Examples:
- She is a sweet girl.
- It was a warm day.
- It is an extremely cold night.
- He is a well mannered boy.
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