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The Indefinite Article

Form of Indefinite Article

The indefinite article is "a" or "an". The indefinite articles, "a" and "an" have singular forms only. The indefinite article of the form "a" is used before a word or singular noun beginning with a consonant, i.e. b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y or z, or beginning with a vowel that sounded like a consonant.

a man

a woman

a table

a holiday

a pen

a unicorn

a union

a unit

a university

a useful thing

a used thing

a user

a U.S. ship

a European trip

a one-way ticket

While the indefinite article of the form "an" is used before a word or singular noun beginning with a vowel, i.e. a, e, i, o, or u, or beginning with a silent h.

an apple

an elephant

an interview

an onion

an umbrella

an heir

an hour

an honour

an honest man

an honourable man

an hour

an FTP transfer

an L-plate

an MOT test

an SSD device

an X-Ray image

an MA

However, certain words can be pronounced in two ways and therefore either "a" or "an" is used before the word according to the pronunciation preferences.

a herb (ˈhərb) garden; an herb (ˈərb) garden

a homage ('hä-mij)  ; an homage(ˈä-mij)

a humble (ˈhəm-bəl ) background;  an humble (ˈəm-bəl ) background;

And both indefinite articles are the same for all genders and the indefinite article used depends on the sound of the word only.

a man

a woman

a boy

a girl

a cock

an hen

a ram

a ewe

an uncle

an aunt

an actor

an actress

When to Use Indefinite Article

In General, the indefinite article, "a" or "an", is used before a singular countable noun that does not represent particular person, thing, or object when is introduced for the first time.  For example

I see a man.

He live in a flat.

She bought an ice-cream.

A house has a roof.

A car has an engine.

An old woman has a cat.

A cat can catch a mouse.

A mouse can bibble through a bag.

A cat is an animal.

A butterfly is an insect.

Sometimes the indefinite article, "a" or "an", is used before a singular countable noun as an example for representing a class of things in a general sense.

A cow has horns.

An elephant never forgets.

A palm tree is usually very tall.

An ostrich is a bird.

A dog can bark.

A man can walk.

A bird can fly.

A fish can swim.

A cat is an animal.

A fly is an insect.

A dictionary is a book.

A house is a building.

A car must be insured.

The indefinite article, "a" or "an", is also used before a singular countable noun complement including names of professions for representing a class of things in a general sense.

He is a doctor.

She is a writer.

He is an actor.

She is a dancer.

He is a teacher.

She is a good girl.

He became a great man.

It was an earthquake.

The indefinite article, "a" or "an", is also used before certain singular countable nouns of quantities or numerical expressions for specifying one unit of the quantity.

a half

a third

a quarter

a couple

a dozen

half a dozen

a half dozen

a score

a gross

a hundred

a thousand

a million

a kilo of

half a kilo of

a half kilo of

a kilo and a half of

a lot of.

a great many of

a great deal of

a large amount of

a large number of

a half bottle of

a half-share

a half-portion

The indefinite article, "a" or "an", is also used before certain singular countable nouns of counting and measuring quantities, like time, distance, weight in the expression of price, speed, ratio etc. for referring to one unit of the quantity.

$6 a dozen

$6 a kilometre

$5 a kg,

$1 a metre,

100 kilometres an hour

once a week

four times a day,

two thousand dollars a month

twice a year

The indefinite article, "a" or "an", can also be used in exclamations before singular countable nouns for referring to one single thing.

Such a long queue!

What a pretty girl!

What a hot day!

Such a pity!

What a sunny day!

What a surprise!

What a rude man!

What a nice evening!

The indefinite article, "a" or "an", can also be placed before the courtesy titles Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms before a surname to indicate that the mentioned person is considered as a stranger.

a Mr. Smith

a Mr. Lee

Similarly, the indefinite article, "a" or "an", can also be placed before abstacts nouns to indicate that the mentioned thing of the singular form is used in a particular sense.

Patience is a virtue.

Prudence is a virtue.

Justice is a virtue.

Fortitude is a virtue.

Temperance is a virtue.

This is a difficulty.

This is a challenge.

Besides, the indefinite article, "a" or "an", is also used together with few before a countable noun and little before an uncountable noun to represent quantities of "a small number", or "a small amount" idiomatically.

a few books

a few miles

a little time

a little water

When Not to Use Indefinite Article

The indefinite article, "a" or "an", is not used before plural nouns because both indefinite articles "a" and "an" do not have plural form.  For example

"An owl is a bird." while  "Owls are birds"

"A cow gives milk." while  "Cows give milk"

"A Dog is a man's best friend." while "Dogs are man's best friends."

And the indefinite article, "a" or "an", is also not used before abstract nouns since abstract nouns are things that are not physical.

Beauty is truth

Happiness is feeling good.

Joy is more than happiness

Happliness is more than pleasure

Pleasure is gratification or satisfaction.

Men fear death

And similarly, the indefinite article, "a" or "an", is also not used before uncountable nouns since uncountable nouns are things that cannot be divided into separtate elements or countable units easily.

He writes on paper.

Tables are made of wood.

The bottle is made from glass.

The table is made of stone.

The pan is made of iron.

A cow gives milk.

He drinks water.

She drinks tea

He drinks wine.

He spends money wisely.

The flag is made of cloth

Grass grows in the cracks.

Popcorn is a type of corn

However, the indefinite article, "a" or "an", can be used before some of these uncountable nouns because they can also be used as countable nouns of different meanings.

He writes a paper.

A wood is a dense growth of trees in a relatively smaller area than a forest.

He needs a glass of water.

An iron is a heated tool used to remove wrinkles from fabric.

Similarly, the indefinite article, "a" or "an", is also not used before certain singular countable nouns which are  considered uncountable in english.

He gives me advice.

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