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1 a/an (the indefinite article)
The
form a is used before a word beginning with a consonant, or a vowel with
a consonant sound:
a
man a hat a university a European
a
one-way street
The
form an is used before words beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or
words beginning with a mute h:
an
apple an island an uncle
an
egg an onion an hour
or
individual letters spoken with a vowel sound:
an
L-plate an MP an SOS an 'x'
a/an is the same for all genders:
a
man a woman an actor an actress a table
2
Use of a/an.
a/an is used:
A. Before a singular noun which is countable (i.e. of which there is more
than one) when it is mentioned for the first time and represents no particular
person or thing:
/
need a visa. They live in a flat. He bought an ice-cream.
B. Before a singular countable noun which is used as an example of a class
of things:
A
car must be insured =
All cars/Any car must be insured.
A
child needs love = All children need/Any child needs love.
C. With a noun complement. This includes names of professions:
It
was an earthquake. She'll be a dancer. He is an actor.
D. In certain expressions of quantity:
a lot of a
couple
a
great many a dozen
(but one
dozen is also possible)
a
great deal of
E. With certain numbers
a
hundred a thousand
(See 349 )
Before half when half follows a whole number
ll/2
kilos = one and a half kilos
or a kilo
and a half But 1/2 kg = half a kilo (no a before half), though
a + half + noun is sometimes possible
a
half holiday a half portion a half share
With 1/3 1/4, 1/5 etc a is usual a third, a
quarter etc , but one is also possible (See 350 )
F.
In expressions of price, speed, ratio etc
5p
a kilo £1 a metre sixty kilometres an hour
lOp
a dozen four times a day
(Here a/an
= per )
G.
In exclamations before singular, countable nouns
Such a long queue' What a pretty girl'
But Such long queues' What pretty girls'
(Plural nouns, so no article See 3 )
H.
a can be placed before Mr/Mrs/Miss + surname
a
Mr Smith a Mrs Smith a Miss Smith
a
Mr Smith means 'a man called Smith' and
implies that he is a stranger to the speaker Mr Smith, without a,
implies that the speaker knows Mr Smith or knows of his existence
(For
the difference between a/an and one, see 4 For a few and
a little, see 5 )
3 Omission of a/an
a/an is omitted:
A.
Before plural nouns
a/an
has no plural form. So the plural of
a dog is dogs, and of
an
egg is
eggs
B.
Before uncountable nouns
C.
Before names of meals, except when these are preceded by an adjective
We
have breakfast at eight
He
gave us a good breakfast
The
article is also used when it is a special meal given to celebrate something or
in someone's honour
I
was invited to dinner (at their house, in the ordinary way) but
I
was invited to a dinner given to welcome the new ambassador
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